David Clayton-Thomas, the lead singer of the 1960s and 1970s band Blood, Sweat & Tears, has died at the age of 84. According to his publicist, the Canadian musician died peacefully at a hospital in Toronto; no cause of death was given.
Early life and rise to fame
Born in England, Clayton-Thomas's family settled in Toronto after the Second World War. By age 14 he was homeless and spent much of his teenage years in trouble with the law, living in and out of jails. In the 1960s he began finding success as a musician, fronting a band called David Clayton-Thomas and The Fabulous Shays before moving to New York.
He joined the recently broken-up band Blood, Sweat & Tears, which then reformed and caught the attention of legendary music executive Clive Davis, who later described Clayton-Thomas as a 'staggering' musician.
Breakthrough with Blood, Sweat & Tears
Clayton-Thomas wrote the group's most well-known song, 'Spinning Wheel,' which reached number two in the US and was nominated for three Grammy awards, winning one. His first album with the band was a smash hit, selling 10 million copies worldwide, charting for 109 weeks in the US, and winning five Grammy awards. Other hit singles included 'And When I Die' and 'You've Made Me So Very Happy.'
'Blood, Sweat & Tears was such an unusual mix of people,' Clayton-Thomas said in an interview. 'We had guys in that band whose background was totally Juilliard. We had other guys who were right out of Berkeley – hard-core be-bop jazzers – and then we had another faction like me who were basically saloon-trained rock and roll R&B Telecaster players.'
When asked if he knew the band would be as successful as it became, he replied: 'I don't mean to sound arrogant, but yeah. The first time I walked in and sang with that band, we were in shock. It was one of those electrical things that happen.'
Controversial tour and later years
The band went on a controversial state-sponsored tour of several Eastern Bloc countries during the Cold War, which became the focus of the 2023 documentary 'What the Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat & Tears?' It was revealed that the tour was arranged so Clayton-Thomas could receive a green card to live and work in the US.
More hit albums followed, including 'Blood, Sweat & Tears 3' and 'Blood, Sweat & Tears 4,' before Clayton-Thomas left the band in 1972, exhausted from life on the road. 'I kept it going as long as I could sanely and physically do it,' he said.
After leaving the band, he released several solo albums and launched a 10-piece band in Toronto in the 2000s, with whom he toured in subsequent years. He also worked with troubled youth charities and published a memoir in 2010. A memorial concert is set to take place soon.
