Guy Babylon (December 20, 1956 – September 2, 2009) was an American keyboardist/composer, most noted for his work with
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
.
Babylon was born in
New Windsor, Maryland
New Windsor is a town in Carroll County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,398 at the 2020 census. It is located west of Westminster on Maryland Route 31.
History
New Windsor was platted in 1797 and originally named Sulphur Springs ...
. He attended
Francis Scott Key High School
Francis Scott Key High School (FSK or simply "Key") is a four-year public high school in Union Bridge in Carroll County, Maryland, United States. The school is located near the west-central section of Carroll County.
About the school
Francis Sc ...
before moving on to the
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida (USF) is a public research university with its main campus located in Tampa, Florida, and other campuses in St. Petersburg and Sarasota. It is one of 12 members of the State University System of Florida. USF is ...
, on a swimming scholarship, where he earned a BFA in music composition in 1979. Upon graduation, he moved to Los Angeles, California. In 1988, he joined Elton John's studio and touring band, appearing on the album ''
Sleeping with the Past
''Sleeping with the Past'' is the 22nd studio album by English musician Elton John, released on 29 August 1989. It is his best-selling album in Denmark (where it was recorded) and is dedicated to his longtime writing partner Bernie Taupin. The ...
''. In 1990, he performed with the group Warpipes, a side project of fellow Elton John member
Davey Johnstone
David William Logan Johnstone (born 6 May 1951) is a British rock guitarist and vocalist, best known for his long-time collaboration with Elton John as a member of the Elton John Band.
Career
Johnstone's first work was with Noel Murphy in 1 ...
. Guy performed and recorded with several artists such as Mike Pinera,
Iron Butterfly
Iron Butterfly is an American rock band formed in San Diego, California, in 1966. They are best known for the 1968 hit "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", providing a dramatic sound that led the way towards the development of hard rock and heavy metal music. ...
, Blues Image, Luis Cardenas and Renegade.
Guy Babylon also arranged many Elton John introductions, including those used in "
Bennie and the Jets
"Bennie and the Jets" (also titled "Benny & the Jets") is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. The song first appeared on the ''Goodbye Yellow Brick Road'' album in 1973. "Bennie and ...
" and "
Pinball Wizard
"Pinball Wizard" is a song written by Pete Townshend and performed by the English rock band the Who, featured on their 1969 rock opera album ''Tommy''. The original recording was released as a single in 1969 and reached No. 4 in the UK charts ...
". In 2001, Babylon won a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
for his contributions on the Elton John / Tim Rice musical ''
Aida
''Aida'' (or ''Aïda'', ) is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, it was commissioned by Cairo's Khedivial Opera House and had its première there on 24 December ...
''. Babylon also worked extensively on the Elton John / Bernie Taupin musical ''
Lestat'', (based on the Anne Rice novels). Until his death, he lived in Los Angeles with his wife and children, and was a member of Elton John's six-member touring and recording band. He died of a heart attack on September 2, 2009, after swimming in a pool.
References
External links
Obituary in Baltimore Sun, Sept. 14, 2009Guy's page on Vimeo (includes one video, "Las Vegas Twister", which he produced and uploaded in 2009 shortly before his death)
1956 births
2009 deaths
21st-century American keyboardists
People from New Windsor, Maryland
University of South Florida alumni
Iron Butterfly members
Elton John Band members
Grammy Award winners
American rock keyboardists
American session musicians
20th-century American keyboardists
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