David Clayton-Thomas, the soulful lead vocalist for the classic rock band Blood, Sweat & Tears, has died.
Videos by Suggest
Clayton-Thomas’s publicist, Eric Alper, confirmed his death. The 84-year-old died peacefully on June 24 at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. A cause of death was not provided.
Born David Henry Thomsett in Kingston, England, on September 13, 1941, Clayton-Thomas and his family moved to the Willowdale area of Toronto shortly after. His father, Fred, was a Canadian serviceman whom Clayton-Thomas later revealed to be abusive.
David Clayton-Thomas Joined Blood, Sweat & Tears in 1968
Clayton-Thomas joined the New York-based band Blood, Sweat & Tears (sometimes known as BS&T) in 1968 after making a name for himself in the Toronto music scene. The group was quickly signed by Columbia Records.
The band’s second album, Blood, Sweat & Tears, was the first to feature Clayton-Thomas and became a huge success after its release in 1968. It included three hit singles that all reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100: “And When I Die,” “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy,” and “Spinning Wheel.” The album went on to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1970.
Following a performance at the iconic Woodstock festival in August 1969, the group released Blood, Sweat & Tears 3 in June 1970. Although the Woodstock performance was recorded, it wasn’t included in the original documentary film due to a disagreement with the band’s manager. The new album topped the charts and featured two hit singles: a cover of Carole King’s “Hi-De-Ho” and Clayton-Thomas’s “Lucretia MacEvil.”
That same year, the band recorded the soundtrack for the comedy film The Owl and the Pussycat, starring Barbra Streisand and George Segal. The following year, they released BS&T 4, which included the hit single “Go Down Gamblin’.” Though the album went Gold, it failed to match the success of previous releases. Clayton-Thomas left the group in 1972 to pursue a solo career.
Clayton-Thomas Released His Last Album in 2019
After leaving BS&T, Clayton-Thomas released his self-titled debut solo album in 1972. He followed this with a consistent series of solo releases throughout the decade. The singer occasionally reunited with BS&T for specific projects but focused on his solo career, continuing to record and tour into the 21st century, sometimes accompanied by his own 10-piece band. He reportedly moved from his long-time home in New York back to Toronto in 2004.
His most recent album, Say Somethin’, was released in 2019 on the Antoinette label.
He is survived by his two daughters, Ashleigh Clayton-Thomas and Christine Graham.