Dee Murray
Dee Murray (
April 3,
1946 -
January 15,
1992) was an
English bassist, best known as a member of
Elton John's original
rock band. Murray was a talented musician whose gift for melody, placement, and an understated, yet profound technique puts him in an elite class among rock bassists.
Murray was born
David Murray Oates in
Southgate, London in 1946. Before joining Elton John, Murray (and drummer
Nigel Olsson) were members of the
Spencer Davis Group in 1969-1970. Murray and Olsson first appeared with Elton on the
1971 album
Tumbleweed Connection and were key members of the band through its glory years, including the milestone album
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. In
1975, after recording
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, Murray and Olsson were released from the band; however, both musicians returned in 1981 and toured with Elton for another four years. Together, Murray and Olsson were arguably one of the best (and most underrated) rhythm sections in rock music. It is no coincidence that many consider the end of Elton John's "classic" period to coincide with the departure of these two very gifted musicians.
In 1977 Murray briefly joined
Procol Harum on a North American tour promoting their last
1970s album,
Something Magic.
After battling
skin cancer for a number of years, Murray died at
Vanderbilt University Medical Center after suffering a
stroke. He was 45.
*
Fan website with large collection of Dee Murray photos 
