October 6th, 2024

Bass guitarist Herbie Flowers, who played with David Bowie, Lou Reed and others, dies at 86

By The Associated Press on September 8, 2024.

LONDON (AP) – Bass guitarist Herbie Flowers, who played with David Bowie, Elton John, Lou Reed and other music legends in a decades-long career, has died at 86.

The musician’s family confirmed his death on Facebook Saturday.

Flowers was a founding member of the pop group Blue Mink, who later joined the rock band T Rex. He won acclaim for his work with many of the biggest names in U.K. music in the 1970s, giving Reed’s “Walk On The Wild Side,” from the 1972 “Transformer” album, its recognizable twinned bassline.

He also played bass for Bowie’s “Space Oddity,” Bryan Ferry’s “The Bride Stripped Bare,” and Paul McCartney’s “Give My Regards To Broad Street,” and featured in two of John’s early ’70s albums, among many others.

In a tribute, Bowie’s estate said “his work with Bowie and associates over the years is too long to list here.”

“Aside from his incredible musicianship over many decades, he was a beautiful soul and a very funny man. He will be sorely missed,” it said.

Tim Burgess, lead singer for The Charlatans singer, said on the social media platform X that Flowers “made the greats sound greater.”

Flowers also founded the instrumental rock band Sky in the late 1970s, releasing seven albums.

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