Mick Abrahams, Jethro Tull's original guitarist and Blodwyn Pig founder, has died. He was 82.
News of his death was confirmed by Jethro Tull's chief vocalist Ian Anderson on Sunday, Dec. 21 via the band's website.
"It is with great sadness that we learned yesterday of the passing of Jethro Tull founding member Mick Abrahams," Anderson, 78, began. "Mick had endured worsening ill health for the last 15 years leaving him finally unable to perform or interact socially to any degree."
He continued, "I spoke to Clive Bunker from the Choir of Southwark Cathedral to get confirmation that the reports earlier in the day were, in fact, correct. And, yes - Clive had received a phone call from Mick's family to communicate the sad news."
Anderson noted that Abrahams "was vitally important to the early Tull formation out of the ashes of The John Evan Band and McGregor's Engine, the blues band he formed with Clive Bunker in the Luton/Dunstable area."
He called the late musician "a strong vocalist and experienced, powerful and lyrical guitarist."
"Mick commanded the stage in his rendition of Cat Squirrel at the Marquee Club and every show we did together - even when we supported Cream on one occasion!" wrote Anderson. "As his party piece, Mick continued to add to and develop those musical ideas into a tour de force display of his instrumental talents for the rest of his performing days."
Anderson then recalled sharing "a tiny twin-bunk cabin" with Abrahams in October 1968, where he wrote the song "Fat Man."
"Mick, having tried to sleep through my compositional efforts, supposed was about him (it wasn't) - indeed, Mick was a trim good-looking guy at the time and in better shape than us skinny runts in the early Tull," he wrote.
Anderson noted that the duo "had 11 months of mutual benefit and learning experiences before the eventual falling-out - caused primarily by our different preferences as to future musical direction."
"I wanted to embrace broader musical influences while Mick - died-in-the-wool rocker and blues man - wanted to stay with the more traditional style of our first album, 'This Was,'" he wrote.
Anderson noted that he and Abrahams had collaborated over the years and "the mutual respect we enjoyed was a lasting link to those formative Tull years."
"We all offer our condolences to Mick's family and close friends, who can feel justifiably proud of his achievements and musical legacy," he concluded.
Born in April 1943 in Luton, England, Abrahams co-founded the group would become Jethro Tull in 1967 and played on their 1968 debut album This Was.
However, Abrahams -- who brought blues, rock and jazz elements to the band -- left the group in December 1968 over creative differences.
Soon after, he formed the blues-rock group, Blodwyn Pig. The band released two records -- 1969's Ahead Rings Out and 1970's Getting to This -- that cracked the Top 10 on the U.K. Albums chart.
By 1970, Blodwyn Pig disbanded but reunited over the years. Abrahams also Wommett briefly, before kicking off his own solo career. In 1971, he dropped his self-titled debut album. Throughout the years, he released several other solo LPs and released albums with Blodwyn Pig.
However, Abrahams' music career was marred by health issues that curbed him from playing guitar.
"I had two heart attacks and a stroke almost at the same time [in November 2009]. Those have left their mark on me," he told Prog in 2018. "These days, I can join in a bit on guitar with others, but nowhere near the level I was once able to achieve. That upsets me."