Drummer and percussionist Gerry Conway, who performed with Jethro Tull in the 1980’s has passed away. Jethro Tull singer Ian Anderson recently posted the announcement on the band’s website.

From JethroTull.com:

“It is with great sadness that we learned on Friday 29th March of the passing of drummer Gerry Conway. Gerry was a stalwart: an inventive and solid musician who played on all of our Broadsword album and tours in 1982 and appeared on four tracks on Crest Of A Knave as well as on my Secret Language Of Birds album in 1999.

After leaving Fairport Convention a couple of years ago due to deteriorating health, Gerry passed away having suffered increasingly from motor neurone disease.

We shall miss him. Always affable and cheerful in a slightly bashful way, as a perfectionist he liked to really get inside the music. His accurate, economic and powerful driving beat was punctuated only when required with tasteful and clever decorative drum breaks. His body language and complete concentration made him an easy man to work with whether live on stage or in the studio. Advertisement

As I said in his biography a few years ago, ”Gerry smoked like a chimney, used to drink like a fish and happily played drums like….well…Gerry Conway”.

RIP old pal.

Ian Anderson”