Edited by JOHN DALY
Brian Howe, the English rock singer and writer, formerly of Bad Company, passed away at 66 on Wednesday.
The passing of Howe, the ex-lead singer with Ted Nugent, was confirmed by longtime friend and manager Paul Easton.
Howe’s compelling voice was first heard on Nugent’s Penetrator album and that led to him becoming the vocalist and writer for Bad Company.
“It is with deep and profound sadness that we announce the untimely passing of a loving father, friend and musical icon, Brian Howe.” Easton said.
Howe was found in his home Wednesday morning, suffering from cardiac arrest. Though EMTs were able to have a short conversation with him, he slipped away, and they were unable to revive him, Easton said.
“Finding the appropriate words to express the pain in our hearts over losing my brother has been difficult.” Howe’s sister, Sandie, said. “Our family would like to thank you for your compassion and the outpouring of love we are receiving.”
Howe was born in Portsmouth, England, His early career in the USA began with Nugent. Atlantic Records was working on Nugent’s new album and heard Brian’s voice coming out of an associate’s office, Easton recalled.
They loved his style and sound and signed him to become the lead singer for Nugent’s Penetrator album. Penetrator was Nugent’s eighth studio album. Howe played with Nugent for a few years.
A re-teaming of the legendary band, Bad Company was taking place and Howe was selected to fill the big shoes of Paul Rodgers.
The band came alive in 1988 with the next Howe-era album, Dangerous Age, spawning several MTV videos and the AOR hits “No Smoke Without A Fire,” “One Night,” and “Shake It Up.” The album went Gold and hit the Top 60. An accomplishment for Howe that carried his talent to the next level with the release of the band’s next album, Holy Water, released in 1990.
Howe left the band in 1994 and went ahead with his solo career with albums, Tangled in Blue, Emotions, Circus Bar, and his self-titled Brian Howe The Collection. In 2018, his single “Hot Tin Roof” received the prestigious Hollywood Music in Media Awards award for Best Rock Song of the Year.
Prior to his death, he was on tour with his band Paul Warren, Christopher Turnbow, Miguel Gonzales and Rick Brothers. He looked forward to picking up his stage performances as soon as soon as it was feasible.
“I feel we are all put in this world for a reason” his son Michael, said. “The passion for music was my father’s, and I am so happy that his legacy will live on.”
Howe is survived by his sister Sandie and her husband, his son Michael and daughters Victoria and Ella, along with three grandchildren Kira, Alexandria, and Aurora.
