Yes bassist and founder Chris Squire died Saturday at the age of 67, a month after revealing that he was suffering from a rare form of leukemia.
Yes keyboardist Geoff Downes broke the news early Sunday, tweeting, “Utterly devastated beyond words to have to report the sad news of the passing of my dear friend, bandmate and inspiration Chris Squire.”
The band confirmed the news, saying “It’s with the heaviest of hearts and unbearable sadness that we must inform you of the passing of our dear friend and Yes co-founder, Chris Squire. Chris peacefully passed away last night in Phoenix, Arizona in the arms of his loving wife Scotty.
"For the entirety of Yes' existence, Chris was the band's linchpin and, in so many ways, the glue that held it together over all these years. Because of his phenomenal bass-playing prowess, Chris influenced countless bassists around the world, including many of today’s well-known artists. Chris was also a fantastic songwriter, having written and co-written much of Yes' most endearing music, as well as his solo album, ‘Fish Out of Water’.
"Outside of Yes, Chris was a loving husband to Scotty and father to Carmen, Chandrika, Camille, Cameron, and Xilan. With his gentle, easy-going nature, Chris was a great friend of many – including each of us. But he wasn’t merely our friend, he was also part of our family and we shall forever love and miss him."
The bassist co-founded Yes in 1968 with singer Jon Anderson; the pair were initially joined by guitarist Peter Banks, keyboardist Tony Kaye and drummer Bill Bruford, the lineup that released the group’s 1969 self-titled debut and 1970 follow-up, “Time And A Word.”
While Yes faced several personnel changes through the years, Squire was the only member to appear on each of their 21 studio albums.
Last month, Squire announced plans to undergo treatment after being diagnosed with Acute Erythroid Leukemia (AEL), an uncommon form of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).
Squire’s health issue was initially going to sideline him for the band’s summer tour of North America with Toto.
“This will be the first time since the band formed in 1968 that Yes will have performed live without me,” said Squire at the time. “But the other guys and myself have agreed that Billy Sherwood will do an excellent job of covering my parts and the show as a whole will deliver the same Yes experience that our fans have come to expect over the years.”
The 5-week, 26-date run opens August 7 at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT.
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