Renowned British songwriter Bill Fay has passed away.
His label, Dead Oceans, confirmed the news, stating that Bill Fay died "peacefully at home" over the weekend at the age of 81.
Born in North London, he later moved to Wales to study electronics. A passionate musician, he was discovered by former Van Morrison drummer Terry Noon, who encouraged Deram – Decca's experimental label in the 60s – to take a chance on him.
This led to the release of two albums featuring rich soundscapes and folk-inspired songwriting, with lyrics that reflected Bill Fay’s own Christian-centered spirituality.
Despite the artistry of his releases, they did not achieve mainstream success, and after his contract with Deram ended, Bill Fay faded from public view. As he mentioned to the Guardian in 2015, “I didn't leave the music business; the music business left me!”
In the late 90s, a limited re-release generated buzz, thanks in part to Jim O'Rourke, a prominent figure in the American underground and a well-known record collector, who championed Bill Fay's music.
Recommending Fay's work to Wilco, the band incorporated one of his songs into their performances and eventually located him at his home in London.
This initiated a remarkable late-career resurgence, leading to some highly acclaimed projects with Dead Oceans. Although Bill Fay never went on tour, he did deliver a haunting performance for Later… with Jools Holland.
In their tribute, Dead Oceans referred to him as “a gentleman and a gentle man” and shared that he was near completion of a new studio album at the time of his death, which they hope to release.
Photo Credit: Steve Gullick
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Cult British songwriter Bill Fay has passed away. His label, Dead Oceans, confirmed the news in a statement, noting that Bill Fay died "peacefully at home" this weekend.