Gary Leeds, the last surviving member of The Walker Brothers, best known for their hit cover of “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine (Anymore),” has died.
Videos by Suggest
The 83-year-old, who later adopted the name Gary Walker, was the drummer and vocalist for both The Standells and The Walker Brothers.
He reportedly died in Essex, England on March 1 after suffering a stroke shortly before Christmas.
A family friend confirmed the news on behalf of Leeds’ wife, telling The Sun, “I’m sorry to confirm that he passed away peacefully on Sunday, 1 March after suffering a stroke not long before Christmas.”
Born in Glendale, California, in March 1942, the musician’s career began at age 20 when he joined The Standells, touring with the group from 1962 to 1964.
In 1964, Leeds met John Walker (born John Maus) and Scott Walker (born Scott Engel), who convinced him to join their band, The Walker Brothers, and adopt the stage name, Gary Walker. The band is most notable for their 1966 hit single “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine (Anymore),” a cover of a Frankie Valli song.
The Walker Brothers Broke Up and Reunited Several Times…
Following a UK tour in April 1967 alongside Jimi Hendrix, Cat Stevens, and Engelbert Humperdinck, and a subsequent tour of Japan in 1968, the group officially disbanded. The band later reunited in 1974, releasing the album No Regrets the following year. The title track reached number 7 on the UK charts.
The Walker Brothers split again in 1978, but reunited for shows in 1982 and 1991.
In 1967, Leeds founded the band Gary Walker and the Rain, which featured Joey Molland, Charles ‘Paul’ Crane, and John Lawson. The group released their debut album in 1968.
Leeds also released several solo singles. His debut, “You Don’t Love Me/Get It Right,” came out in 1966. He released two more singles in 1966 and 1968, followed by his fourth and final, a 1975 cover of The Easybeats’ song “Hello, How Are You.”
Leeds was the last surviving member of The Walker Brothers. He remained close with both John and Scott until their deaths in 2011 and 2019, respectively.
The drummer is survived by his wife of 46 years, Barbara; his son, Michael; his daughter-in-law, Louise; and his grandson, Robert.