British singer-songwriter Bill Fay has died at the age of 81, after previously being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. His passing was confirmed by his record label, Dead Oceans, who has released an emotional statement following his death on Saturday morning.
The iconic folk singer was called a “gentle man and a gentleman, wise beyond our times”, reports the Mirror. In the statement, his label explained that Bill was still lovingly working on new music just a month before he died, and that there is still some hope to release the album in the future to pay tribute to their friend.
The statement said: “He was a private person with the biggest of hearts, who wrote immensely moving, meaningful songs that will continue to find people for years to come.
“Bill’s first two albums, Bill Fay and Time of the Last Persecution, found a modest but loving audience upon their release at the dawn of the 1970s. While they weren’t considered commercial successes at the time, they continue to inspire devotion decades on, now known as overlooked classics from the era.”
The lengthy but heartfelt tribute continues: “‘With enormous help from producer Joshua Henry, who tracked Bill down and convinced him to make another album, Bill later went on to make three more albums with Dead Oceans: Life is People (2012), his first release for forty years; Who is the Sender? (2015); and Countless Branches (2020), enjoying his cult status in real time.
“Only a month before his passing, Bill was busy working on a new album. Our hope is to find a way to finish and release it, but for now, we remember Bill’s legacy as the ‘man in the corner of the room at the piano’, who quietly wrote heartfelt songs that touched and connected with people around the world. Life Is People. With love, Bill’s friends at Dead Oceans.”
Tributes for the legendary songwriter have since flooded in on social media, with some people calling him “one of the greatest”. One person detailed how much Bill impacted their life: “It would be nearly impossible for me to convey the impact that Bill’s music has had on my life. Few writers spoke to the human condition and the beauty of this world, like Bill Fay. May he rest in peace.”
Bill’s amazing career began back when he was in university and was first noticed by former Van Morrison drummer Terry Noon. He then went on to sign with Decca Records subsidiary Dream, with which he released two albums.
Despite bringing in low sales at the time, and being dropped from the label, Bill re-issued the songs once again around 40 years later.