David Clayton-Thomas, the Canadian singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist of the brass-driven group Blood, Sweat & Tears, died on Wednesday evening at a Toronto hospital. He was 84. No cause of death was given, but his publicist stated he died peacefully.
Key Facts
- Clayton-Thomas wrote the hit "Spinning Wheel," which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1969. The group also had two other No. 2 singles that year: "When I Die" and "You've Made Me So Very Happy."
- Blood, Sweat & Tears won two Grammy Awards in 1970, including Best Album.
- The band became a major act in the United States, performing at venues such as Madison Square Garden, the Hollywood Bowl, and the Woodstock festival.
- Clayton-Thomas left the group in 1972 due to exhaustion from sudden fame but returned several years later and performed with them until 2004.
Background
Born David Henry Thomsett on September 13, 1941, in Surrey, England, during World War II, he was the son of a Canadian soldier and an English music student. The family moved to Canada after the war. He had a troubled youth, leaving home in his early teens and experiencing periods in jail and reformatories, where he taught himself guitar.
After his release in 1962, he became active on Toronto's Yonge Street music scene, mentored by rockabilly musician Ronnie Hawkins. In 1966, he wrote and recorded the anti-war song "Brainwashed," a hit in Canada.
Folk singer Judy Collins heard him perform in New York and told drummer Bobby Colomby, a member of Blood, Sweat & Tears. After the band's original lineup led by Al Kooper splintered, the group reformed around Clayton-Thomas and released a self-titled album in 1968. The album topped the Billboard albums chart for seven weeks and remained in the top 200 for nearly two years.
Later Career and Recognition
Clayton-Thomas pursued a solo career, releasing nearly a dozen albums and hosting a series on Canada's CBC television network. He also engaged in charity work focusing on troubled youth.
He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, received a special Juno Award, earned a star on Canada's Walk of Fame (2010), and in 2007 saw "Spinning Wheel" inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. He published a memoir, "Blood, Sweat and Tears," in 2010.
Survived By
His daughters, Ashleigh Clayton-Thomas and Christine Graham. A memorial concert will be held at a later date, with proceeds benefiting Peacebuilders Canada.