SAN FRANCISCO (CelebrityAccess) – Roy Loney, best known as the original singer/songwriter of San Francisco band the Flamin’ Groovies, has passed away.
Loney died of “severe organ failure” at San Francisco’s California Pacific Medical Center, his girlfriend Vivian Altmann told the San Francisco Chronicle. He was 73.
His death was announced by the band in a Facebook post published on Dec. 13.
“We are all deeply saddened and stunned to learn that our dearest friend and bandmate, Roy Loney, passed away this morning,” the post read.
Formed in 1965 by Loney, Cyril Jordan, Tim Lynch, George Alexander and Danny Mihm, The Flamin’ Groovies were signed to Epic Records and then with the Kama Sutra label. Though they never achieved significant chart success, the band had a massive cult following and had a major impact on the worlds of power pop and punk with tracks including “Love Have Mercy,” “Teenage Head,” “Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie ‘Flu” and “The Girl Can’t Help It.”
Loney left the band in 1971 after four albums.
He went on to work for ABC Records before returning to the stage as a solo artist in 1978. He later fronted the band the Phantom Movers, which also featured other previous members of the Groovies.
