US musician and former Prince collaborator Colonel Abrams dies

Abrams was also considered to be a pioneer of house and dance music in the 1980s

Musician Colonel Abrams has died, aged 67.

Abrams was considered to be a pioneer of the house and dance music genres in the 1980s, and enjoyed success in the UK with his 1985 single ‘Trapped’.

As BBC News reports, Abrams’ death was confirmed on Facebook earlier today (November 28) by DJ Tony “Tune” Herbert, who said: “Now he is at peace… he is no longer suffering or TRAPPED.” See the post below.

Advertisement

https://www.facebook.com/tony.herbert1/posts/10153917385635723?pnref=story

Abrams was born in Detroit, MI in 1949, before his family moved to New York City. Quickly learning the guitar and piano, Abrams went on to be a member of a number of bands in the 1960 and 70s – most notably Conservative Manor (which he formed with his brother, Morris) and 97 East, who briefly featured Prince on lead guitar. The group recorded ‘Just Another Sucker’ in 1977 with the late Minneapolis musician, before he left to pursue his solo career and the group subsequently disbanded.

Abrams’ career in the 1980s became notable for his involvement in the development of house music. ‘Music Is The Answer’ carried a soulful version of the house style that is known today, earning him a record deal with MCA.

The musician went on to record the aforementioned ‘Trapped’ (which reached number three in the UK) and ‘I’m Not Going to Let You’.

Despite continued success in the 1990s, Abrams then fell on hard times. Last year he was reported to be living homeless, with a fundraising campaign started by friends to help him purchase vital medication for his diabetes.

Advertisement

Abrams died on Thanksgiving (November 24). He was 67.

The Roots drummer Questlove led the tributes from the music world, praising Abrams as “an unsung legend” whose influence on popular music continues today.

View this post on Instagram

Another unsung legend has gone on to another life. Deaths like these are sad to me because there will be those that get their instant just due and instant recognition. Then there are gonna be a select few that had respect and impact only on a choice few. Like you might not know #ColonelAbrams but someone really deep into music like @GillesPeterson or @_benjiB surely would know (if those names are foreign to you and you desire to be the person to "one up" your crew about some cool stuff NOONE else knows? Listen to their radio shows now online. It's an education. Even cats popping now like @official_daftpunk or @calvinharris or @disclosure are up on the knowledge as far as who is who and what is what with the cats that were putting it down for real decades ago. Fans of @brunomars' throwback 80's stuff w @iammarkronson should definitely pay it forward and do the knowledge on Abrams work. His biggest impact was in those last years right before #NewJackSwing lightly tsunami'd the ish outta rnb in 85/86 this was when soul didn't quite need breakbeats in its music yet. And somehow his music didn't have to get filtered thru #JamAndLewis' renewing of @Prince's #Minneapolisound. Those club edits of #Trapped #ImNotGonnaLet & #HowSoonWeForget were more at home with the globalization of Chicago's #HouseMusic & Detroit's #ElectroFunk. His ad libs and delivery picked up the remnants of #TeddyPendergrass' preacher's growl. I hope at least 11% of you don't dismiss me as the default soulbituary cat. But it's not like the "winners" in the music game care too much past the winning aspect of music—I know that's some snob ish to say–especially when the average music cat really isn't that knowledgeable about its HISTORY (most of those people become actual journalists and writers not musicians) but the way the news cycle works now it's like "if it don't matter to "middle america" then it never mattered. Which basically means there is gonna be a slew of incredible talent dying in silence if we don't pass it on. All respect due to the under praised Colonel Abrams

A post shared by Questlove Froman, (@questlove) on

 

You May Also Like

Advertisement

TRENDING

Advertisement

More Stories