Kelly Groucutt (born Michael William Groucutt, (September 8, 1945 – February 19, 2009) was an English musician who was best known for being the bass player for the band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), between 1974 and 1983. He was born in Coseley, Staffordshire.
Death of Kelly Groucutt
Kelly Groucutt died of heart attack he suffered the previous night.
Kelly Groucutt was 63 years old at the time of his death.
The first Electric Light Orchestra album to feature Kelly on bass guitar and as a backing vocalist was 1975’s Face the Music. He continued contributing on the following albums A New World Record (1976), Out of the Blue (1977), Discovery (1979), Xanadu (1980) and Time (1981).
Groucutt remained with ELO until the onset of the recording sessions for 1983’s Secret Messages album. It was at this juncture that he left the band, unhappy with royalty payments during his tenure, and made the decision to sue management and band leader Jeff Lynne. A settlement for the sum of £300,000 was reached out of court prior to proceedings. He is credited with playing bass on Secret Messages, although it has been stated from an official source that he only played on four songs.
In 2006 Groucutt married his second wife, long time girlfriend Anna-Maria Bialaga. He has four children and two grandchildren.
He took part in some of the many ELO spin-off groups: OrKestra, ELO Part 2, and The Orchestra. He toured worldwide with The Orchestra (Former members of ELO and ELO Part II) and also took part in tours as part of a local, little known band called Session 60.
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