Kim Simmods dies: founder of Savoy Brown, influential British blues musician, turned 75

Kim Simmonds, leader of the last wave of British blues bands after The Beatles with Savoy Brown, has died aged 75, the band has announced.

Simmonds died on Tuesday, the band announced on Facebook on Thursday. The band has been together for over 55 years.

Simmonds was battling stage 4 signet cell colon cancer, a very rare form that accounts for no more than 1% of cases.

Savoy Brown was the blues-rock wave of the British Invasion of the late 60s. Mixing originals with American blues standards, the group was a rotating lineup of musicians with Simmonds at the center.

Originally from Wales, Simmonds eventually became a solo artist backed by a current backup band. He moved to the United States 30 years ago and settled in New York State.

Savoy Brown was founded in 1967 in London. Simmonds remained an active musician throughout that year, eventually posting on the band’s website that he had to cancel dates for the rest of the year due to his battle with cancer. He mentioned at the time that the band was planning a new album.

Including the band’s albums Hellbound Train, Street Corner Speeches and On the way to the Delta. The band’s song “Hellbound Train” has been played more than 10 million times on Spotify. “I’m Tired – Where Am I” and “Tell Mama” both have over two million plays.

In its heyday, Savoy Brown played at Carnegie Hall, Fillmore East, Fillmore West and the Royal Albert Hall in London, according to the website. Kiss, ZZ Top and The Doobie Brothers sometimes opened for the group’s national tours. In 1998 he was inducted into the Hollywood Rockwalk.

He is survived by his wife Deborah and a daughter Eva. No memorial plans have been announced.