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Kim Maiden Simmonds

5 December 1947 – 13 December 2022)

Kim Simmons was a Welsh rock singer and musician.
He was the founder, guitarist, primary songwriter and
only consistent member of the blues rock band Savoy
Brown. Simmonds led Savoy Brown since its
inception in 1965 to its peak and multi-sales. He
performed and appeared on every album
the band recorded.

When still a teenager, Simmonds
learned to play from listening to his
brother's blues records. Considered one of
the architects of British blues, he started the
Savoy Brown Blues Band in October 1965, The
band began playing gigs at the Nags Headin London
in 1966 . Early gigs included performing with Cream

at Klooks Kleek and accompanying John Lee Hooker.

As a soloist and leader of Savoy Brown, Simmonds
released over 47 albums through 2016. He was
also a painter; the cover of his 2008 solo
release, Out of the Blue, featured his

original art. In 2008, Simmonds appeared
in the Rockumentary "American Music:
OFF THE RECORD", directed by. by
Benjamin Meade of Cosmic Cowboy
Studio in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The

documentary also included Jackson Browne, Noam
Chomsky, Douglas Rushkoff, Les Paul, Johnny and
Edgar Winter and countless other musicians and
musical acts.

On 15 August 2022, Simmonds announced via
the Savoy Brown website that he had been
receiving chemotherapy for stage four colon
cancer. Due to the side effects of his treatment,
all scheduled live performances were cancelled.
Simmonds died of the disease on 13 December
2022 in Syracuse, New York, The news was

announced via the Savoy Brown fan page on 15
December.

Ian K. McKenzie

Constructed from varions sources