Role

:

Composer

Country

:

United Kingdom

Birth

:

November 10, 1947 in Bournemouth, Dorset, England

Death

:

December 7, 2016 in London, England

 

Greg Lake was a British musician, singer, and songwriter who was born on November 10, 1947, in Poole, Dorset, England. He was the only child of Harry and Pearl Lake, who were both musical and encouraged their son's interest in music from an early age. Lake's father played the guitar and his mother sang in a local choir, and they often played music together at home. Lake began playing the guitar when he was just 12 years old, and he quickly became proficient at the instrument. He was also interested in singing, and he began performing in local bands when he was a teenager. In 1966, Lake joined the band The Shame, which had a hit single with the song "Don't Go Away Little Girl." However, Lake left the band soon after to join another group, The Gods. The Gods were a progressive rock band that was popular in the late 1960s, and Lake played bass guitar and sang lead vocals for the group. The band released three albums between 1968 and 1970, but they never achieved mainstream success. However, Lake's work with The Gods caught the attention of other musicians, and he was soon recruited to join the band King Crimson. Lake joined King Crimson in 1969, and he played bass guitar and sang lead vocals for the group. He was a key member of the band's classic lineup, which also included Robert Fripp on guitar, Ian McDonald on keyboards and woodwinds, Michael Giles on drums, and Peter Sinfield on lyrics. King Crimson's debut album, "In the Court of the Crimson King," was released in 1969 and is now considered a classic of progressive rock. The album featured Lake's vocals on the hit single "21st Century Schizoid Man," which became a staple of the band's live shows. Lake left King Crimson in 1970 to form his own band, Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP), with keyboardist Keith Emerson and drummer Carl Palmer. ELP was one of the most successful progressive rock bands of the 1970s, and they released a string of hit albums and singles. Lake played bass guitar and sang lead vocals for the group, and he also contributed to the songwriting and production of their albums. ELP's debut album, "Emerson, Lake & Palmer," was released in 1970 and featured the hit single "Lucky Man," which was written and sung by Lake. The song became a classic of progressive rock and helped to establish ELP as a major force in the genre. The band's second album, "Tarkus," was released in 1971 and featured the epic title track, which was co-written by Lake and Emerson. ELP's third album, "Pictures at an Exhibition," was released in 1971 and was a live recording of the band's performance of the classical piece by Modest Mussorgsky. The album featured Lake's vocals on the song "The Sage," which was based on Mussorgsky's "Promenade" theme. The album was a critical and commercial success and helped to establish ELP as a band that could successfully blend rock and classical music. ELP continued to release successful albums throughout the 1970s, including "Trilogy" (1972), "Brain Salad Surgery" (1973), and "Works Volume 1" (1977). Lake's contributions to these albums included his vocals on hit singles like "From the Beginning" and "Still...You Turn Me On," as well as his songwriting and production work. In addition to his work with ELP, Lake also released several solo albums throughout his career. His first solo album, "Greg Lake," was released in 1981 and featured the hit single "Love You Too Much." He also released the albums "Manoeuvres" (1983) and "Greg Lake in Concert" (1995).

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