49 Facts About Greg Lake

Gregory Stuart Lake was an English musician, singer, and songwriter.

Greg Lake became a full-time musician at 17, playing in several rock bands until his friend and fellow Dorset guitarist Robert Fripp invited him to join King Crimson as lead singer and bassist.

Greg Lake left the band in 1970 and achieved significant success in the 1970s and beyond as the singer, guitarist, bassist, and producer of ELP.

Greg Lake launched a solo career, beginning with his 1975 single "I Believe in Father Christmas" which reached number two in the UK.

Greg Lake went on to release three solo albums with his Greg Lake Band and guitarist Gary Moore, recorded 1981 through 1983.

Greg Lake sponsored other artists, producing their recordings and helping them to get recording contracts.

Greg Lake died on 7 December 2016 in London, of pancreatic cancer, at the age of 69.

Gregory Stuart Lake was born on 10 November 1947 in the Parkstone area of Poole in Dorset, to Harry, an engineer, and Pearl, a housewife.

Greg Lake grew up in the residential suburb of Oakdale.

Greg Lake later described his upbringing as a happy one.

Greg Lake discovered rock and roll in 1957 when he bought Little Richard's "Lucille".

Greg Lake named his mother, a pianist, as his initial musical influence and she bought Lake a second hand guitar to learn on.

Greg Lake then took guitar lessons from Don Strike, who had a shop in Westbourne.

Greg Lake attended Oakdale Junior School followed by Henry Harbin Secondary Modern School, and left the latter in 1963 or 1964.

Greg Lake then took up work loading and unloading cargo at the Poole docks, and as a draughtsman for a short period.

Greg Lake then decided to become a full-time musician at the age of 17.

Greg Lake joined his first band, Unit Four, playing cover songs as their singer and guitarist.

Greg Lake then became a member of the Shame, where he is featured on their single, "Don't Go Away Little Girl", written by Janis Ian.

Greg Lake left the group in 1968 over creative differences as the band were to enter the recording studio.

Fripp saw Greg Lake perform in Unit Four in Poole, and was asked to be a roadie for a gig at Ventnor, Isle of Wight; when no audience turned up, Greg Lake and Fripp decided to play tunes from their guitar lessons that Strike had taught them.

Peter Sinfield was the band's primary lyricist, with Greg Lake contributing some of the lyrics for their debut album In the Court of the Crimson King.

In San Francisco during the US tour, Greg Lake struck up a friendship with Nice keyboardist Keith Emerson; the two shared similar musical interests, were ready to leave their respective bands, and talked about the benefits of their forming a new group together.

When King Crimson returned to the UK in early 1970, Greg Lake agreed to sing on the band's second album In the Wake of Poseidon, and appear on the music television show Top of the Pops with them, performing the song "Cat Food".

Greg Lake began with a Fender bass before he switched to a Gibson Ripper.

Greg Lake complained that Emerson chose to play in keys that were not a good fit for his voice.

Greg Lake used this time to focus on his family life, travel, and to write and release music.

Greg Lake wrote five acoustic songs with lyrical assistance from Sinfield, with a conscious effort not to record "just ballads" in favor of recording a wider variety of musical styles.

Greg Lake called the album the "beginning of the end" of the band, as he stopped producing their albums, neither of which were a "really innovative record".

In 1975, while still a member of ELP, Greg Lake achieved solo chart success when his single, "I Believe in Father Christmas", reached number two on the UK Singles Chart.

Several months following the break-up of ELP in 1979, Greg Lake began to write new songs and had "put down a tremendous amount of material" for his first solo album.

Greg Lake travelled to Los Angeles and worked with a group of session musicians to develop his songs further, but he found a lack of personality in the music, though not at the fault of the performers.

The result, Greg Lake, was released in September 1981 on Chrysalis Records, and reached number 62 in both the UK and the US.

Greg Lake disbanded the Greg Lake Band soon after completing it, without promoting or touring the album, and split with his record company.

In October 1983, at friend Carl Palmer's request, Greg Lake briefly joined Palmer in the 1980s supergroup Asia, to replace fellow King Crimson alumnus John Wetton for four scheduled concerts in Japan.

Greg Lake agreed and spent six weeks learning Asia's songs, culminating in his performance in the "Asia in Asia" concert at the Nippon Budokan Hall in Tokyo, 6 December 1983, the first concert broadcast over satellite to MTV in the United States, and later made into a home video.

Greg Lake left the group after the tour, having joined as a favor for the Japanese concerts only.

In 2003, Greg Lake played bass on The Who song "Real Good Looking Boy".

The group's usual bassist Pino Palladino was touring at the time of recording, and Greg Lake was asked to play bass.

In 2006, Greg Lake played as a member of the supergroup the RD Crusaders in aid for charity.

Greg Lake performed "Karn Evil 9" with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra at several shows.

Greg Lake was a special guest on their album Night Castle.

Greg Lake wished to continue touring, but claimed his bandmates "didn't want to", thus ending such plans.

Greg Lake spent several years writing his autobiography Lucky Man, originally planned to be published in 2012 but eventually released posthumously in June 2017.

On 19 June 2017, the Municipality of Zoagli Italy awarded the Honorary Citizenship post mortem to Greg Lake and engraved a marble plaque that is next to Castello Canevaro where the musician performed on 30 November 2012.

In late 1974, Greg Lake moved from a flat in Cornwall Gardens in Kensington, London to a home near Windsor.

Greg Lake later lived in the Kingston and Richmond areas of Greater London with his wife, Regina.

Greg Lake died in London on 7 December 2016, at the age of 69, after suffering from pancreatic cancer.

Greg Lake's manager announced the news on Twitter, describing Lake's battle with the illness as "long and stubborn".

Greg Lake's death occurred nine months after the death of ELP keyboardist Keith Emerson.