Buzzy Linhart -

Buzzy Linhart (March 3, 1943 — Feb. 13, 2020) was an American musician and songwriter who released five albums between 1969 and 1981 and fronted the band Music on a 1971 release on Buddah.

Early Life

He was born William Charles Linhart in Pittsburgh, Penn., and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. From age seven, he played percussion for symphony and took up vibraphone at age 10. At 14, he enrolled at the Cleveland Music School Settlement, where he led bands over the next four years.

At 18, he entered the U.S. Navy School of Music as a percussionist. Despite his assignment to the music department of the Naval Academy, he was called upon to fight a fire without adequate breathing equipment and suffered chronic lung damage. Consequently, he became an outspoken opponent of secondhand tobacco smoke and only performed at smoke-free venues throughout his career.

Seventh Sons

In 1963, Linhart moved to New York City, where he roomed with John Sebastian, who soon formed The Lovin’ Spoonful. After an apprenticeship with folk singer Fred Neil, Linhart formed the jam-psych trio Seventh Sons, which released the album Raga (4 A.M. At Frank’s) on ESP Disk in 1968. Linhart handles guitar, vibes, and vocals on the album, which consists of two side-long improvs titled “Raga.”

When Seventh Sons split, bassist James Rock joined the Organ Grinders, which issued the 1970 psych-rock album Out Of the Egg on Mercury. Linhart linked with producer Lou Reizner, who paired the musician with Welsh psych-rockers Eyes of Blue, which served as Linhart’s studio backing band on his debut solo album.

Discography: