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Free Bassist Andy Fraser Dies at 62

Andy Fraser, original bassist and co-founder of English rock band Free, has passed away at the age of 62.  Fraser was found at his home in California on Monday morning, having succumbed to both AIDS and Karposi’s sarcoma, a form of cancer. The specific cause of death is still currently under investigation.

Andy Fraser
Andy Fraser

The death of Fraser has made waves across the music industry. Kiss’s Paul Stanley tweeted, “RIP Andy Fraser – Free’s iconic bass player and writer of [All Right Now] and others. He battled cancer and AIDS. A loss.”

BBC Radio DJ Bob Harris tweeted, “More sad news. Too many are passing,” in response to Fraser’s premature death. An official statement reads, “He leaves behind his daughters Hannah and Jasmine Fraser, and their mother Ri, his sister Gail, brothers Gavin and Alex, and many friends and associates in the industry.”

Born in 1952, Fraser helped found Free when he was fifteen years old. The band later went on to have wild success as a result of the hit single “All Right Now.” Fraser left Free in 1972, after which he formed two new bands (Sharks and The Andy Fraser Group) and wrote Robert Palmer’s 1978 hit “Every Kinda People.”

Fraser was diagnosed with HIV and Karposi’s sarcoma in 1983, after which he maintained a low public profile. In recent years, though Fraser had been active as a producer and performer. His last record, Naked…And Finally Free, came out in 2005

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