View source for Kelly Groucutt

{{Short description|British bassist (1945–2009)}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox musical artist
|name = Kelly Groucutt
|image = Kelly Groucutt Electric Light Orchestra (cropped).jpg
|caption = Kelly Groucutt in 2008
|birth_name = Michael William Groucutt
|birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1945|9|8}}
|birth_place =[[Coseley]], [[Staffordshire]], England
|death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2009|2|19|1945|9|8}}
|death_place =[[Worcester, England|Worcester]], [[Worcestershire]], England
|genre = [[Pop music|Pop]], [[Rock music|rock]], [[rock and roll]]
|occupation = Musician
|years_active = 1960–2009
|instrument = Bass, vocals
|label = [[Jet Records|Jet]], [[RCA Records|RCA]]
|associated_acts = [[Electric Light Orchestra]], OrKestra, [[ELO Part II]], [[ELO Part II#The Orchestra|The Orchestra]]
|website = {{URL|http://www.theorchestra.net}}, {{URL|http://www.kellygroucutt.co.uk/}}
}}

'''Kelly Groucutt''' (born '''Michael William Groucutt'''; 8 September 1945<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bevan |first1=Bev |title=The Electric Light Orchestra Story |date=1980 |publisher=Mushroom Publishing Ltd. |isbn=0-907394-00-0 |page=98 }}</ref> – 19 February 2009<ref>{{cite web |title=OBITUARIES / PASSINGS / Kelly Groucutt |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-feb-21-me-passings21.s4-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=6 April 2021 |date=21 February 2009}}</ref>) was an English musician best known as the bassist and secondary vocalist for the rock band [[Electric Light Orchestra]] (ELO) between 1974 and 1982.

==Early career==
Groucutt was born in [[Coseley]], [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands]].<ref name="times">{{cite web|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article5798202.ece|archive-url=https://archive.today/20100525013652/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article5798202.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 May 2010|title=Login|website=Timesonline.co.uk}}</ref><ref name="independent">{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/kelly-groucutt-bass-player-with-the-electric-light-orchestra-1634270.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090303133754/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/kelly-groucutt-bass-player-with-the-electric-light-orchestra-1634270.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 March 2009|title=Obituary|newspaper=[[The Independent]]|date=28 February 2009|access-date=20 August 2020}}</ref> He began his musical career at 15 as Rikki Storm of Rikki Storm and the Falcons. He sang with multiple outfits during the 1960s, picking up the guitar as he went along.<ref>[http://www.lastingtribute.co.uk/tribute/groucutt/3026337 Obituary for Kelly Groucutt] Lasting Tribute {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225120524/http://www.lastingtribute.co.uk/tribute/groucutt/3026337 |date=25 February 2009 }}</ref> Groucutt was also a member of a band called "Sight and Sound",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cherryblossomclinic.x10.mx/kelly1.html|title=Kelly Groucutt Interview by Martin Kinch|website=Cherryblossomclinic.x10.mx}}</ref> and later with a band called "Barefoot".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-02-25 |title=Kelly Groucutt: bass player with the Electric Light Orchestra |url=https://www.thetimes.com/sunday-times-rich-list/profile/article/kelly-groucutt-bass-player-with-the-electric-light-orchestra-3n9z9f6lvb3 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250816012200/https://www.thetimes.com/sunday-times-rich-list/profile/article/kelly-groucutt-bass-player-with-the-electric-light-orchestra-3n9z9f6lvb3?region=global |archive-date=2025-08-16 |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=The Times |language=en}}</ref>

== Electric Light Orchestra ==

While playing with Barefoot in [[Birmingham]], he was spotted by ELO's [[Jeff Lynne]]; and after Lynne, [[Bev Bevan]] and [[Richard Tandy]] had watched him play, he was invited to join ELO, to replace [[Mike de Albuquerque]], who had recently left the band.<ref name=BevBevan1980>{{cite book |last=Bevan |first=Bev |author-link=Bev Bevan |editor-first=Garth |editor-last=Pearce |title=The Electric Light Orchestra Story |year=1980 |publisher=Mushroom Books |isbn=0-907394-01-9 |pages=83–85 |chapter=Recruitment Time }}</ref> Upon joining, he was asked to adopt a stage name because ELO had already had several members named Michael, Mike or Mik; he chose Kelly (a school nickname).<ref name=BevBevan1980 /> ELO then set off on their ''[[Eldorado (Electric Light Orchestra album)|Eldorado]]'' tour.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Jeff Lynne Song Database - Electric Light Orchestra - Eldorado Tour|url=http://www.jefflynnesongs.com/eldoradotour/|access-date=2020-06-18|website=Jefflynnesongs.com}}</ref> The first Electric Light Orchestra album to feature Groucutt on bass guitar and as a backing vocalist was ''[[Face the Music (Electric Light Orchestra album)|Face the Music]]'' (1975). He assumed lead vocal duties on one or two album tracks typically, and his vocals can be heard on later ELO songs, most prominently on songs such as "[[Nightrider (Electric Light Orchestra song)|Nightrider]]" (1975), "Poker" (1975), "Down Home Town" (1975), "Above the Clouds" (1976), "Across the Border" (1977), "Night in the City" (1977), "Sweet is the Night" (1977) and "[[The Diary of Horace Wimp]]" (1979). Groucutt often displayed his operatic vocal talents during live performances of "[[Rockaria!]]" (1976), though these were not performed in the studio.<ref>{{cite web|title= Electric Light Orchestra - Rockaria (Wembley 1978)|date=3 May 2010 |publisher=[[YouTube]] |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U7vPJdu4cU |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/-U7vPJdu4cU |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|access-date= 24 May 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Groucutt continued contributing on the albums ''[[A New World Record]]'' (1976), ''[[Out of the Blue (Electric Light Orchestra album)|Out of the Blue]]'' (1977), ''[[Discovery (Electric Light Orchestra album)|Discovery]]'' (1979), ''[[Xanadu (soundtrack)|Xanadu]]'' (1980), ''[[Time (Electric Light Orchestra album)|Time]]'' (1981), and the early sessions for ''[[Secret Messages]]'' (1983). By ''Time'', Groucutt's role in the band was reduced by Lynne from co-lead vocals to backing vocals exclusively.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.allmusic.com/artist/kelly-groucutt-mn0000496664/biography |title = Kelly Groucutt Biography, Songs, & Albums {{!}} AllMusic| website=[[AllMusic]] }}</ref>

In 1982, he released his self-titled, debut [[solo album]], ''Kelly''. This album featured fellow ELO members [[Bev Bevan]], [[Richard Tandy]], [[Mik Kaminski]] and their orchestral co-arranger and conductor [[Louis Clark]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Kelly-Groucutt-Kelly/release/1436520|title=Kelly Groucutt - Kelly|website=Discogs.com|year=1982 |language=en|access-date=2018-06-04}}</ref> In 2001, the album was remastered for CD.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Kelly-Groucutt-Kelly/release/5861739|title=Kelly Groucutt - Kelly (2001, CD)|website=Discogs.com|language=en|access-date=2020-01-05}}</ref>

Groucutt remained with ELO until the onset of the recording sessions for the album ''[[Secret Messages]]'' in 1982. It was at this juncture that he left the band, unhappy with royalty payments during his tenure, and made the decision to sue management and band leader [[Jeff Lynne]].<ref name="Mercury">{{Cite news|url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/last-laugh-elo-joker-kelly-238565|title=Last laugh for ELO joker Kelly Groucutt|last=Mercury|first=Sunday|date=2009-02-22|website=Birminghammail.co.uk|access-date=2018-06-04}}</ref> A settlement for the sum of £300,000 ({{Inflation|UK|300,000|1983|r=-2|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}{{Inflation-fn|UK}}) was reached out of court prior to proceedings,<ref name="Mercury"/> but Groucutt later reflected that he regretted suing Lynne.<ref>{{cite web |last1=February 17 |first1=Nick DeRisoPublished |title=Why Electric Light Orchestra Blew Apart on 'Balance of Power' |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/electric-light-orchestra-balance-of-power/ |website=Ultimate Classic Rock |date=17 February 2021 |language=en}}</ref> He is credited with playing bass on ''[[Secret Messages]]'', although the 2018 album liner notes state that he only played on four songs ("Train of Gold" and "[[Rock 'n' Roll Is King]]" from the single disc release and "No Way Out" and "[[Beatles Forever]]" from the original double album).

During the mid-to-late 1980s, Groucutt worked further on his solo career, including the ''We Love Animals'' EP in 1985 to benefit the RSPCA. One of his songs from the EP, "The Fox", was later reworked for the [[ELO Part II]] album ''[[Moment of Truth (ELO Part II album)|Moment of Truth]]''. 

Groucutt played a [[Gibson G3]] bass as well as a [[Fender Precision Bass]], an Ovation acoustic guitar and [[Hofner 500/1]] bass guitar during much of his tenure in Electric Light Orchestra.

== OrKestra ==
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In the late 1980s, he and former band mate [[Mik Kaminski]] formed the group Player, a name soon revised to OrKestra to avoid confusion with the [[Player (band)|existing rock band of the same name]]. Groucutt and Kaminski eventually became dissatisfied with the poor promotion and record label the band received, especially as their first album, ''Beyond The Dream'' was delayed. Though at least one song was ready for use in the 1989 film ''Summer Job'', the album itself was not released until 1991. By that point, Kaminski and Groucutt, joined by fellow ELO member Hugh McDowell, had guest starred in a tour with [[ELO Part II]]. In 1992, Groucutt and Kaminski dissolved OrKestra and joined ELO Part II full-time.

In 1993, the group's second album, ''Roll Over Beethoven'' was released under the OrKestra name. It included more material from Groucutt and Kaminski's tenure in the band.

== ELO Part II and The Orchestra ==
{{Unsourced section|date=November 2021}}
Initially joining Part II as a guest during a 1991 tour (in which he shared lead vocals with [[Eric Troyer]], Peter Haycock and Neil Lockwood), Groucutt eventually became a full-time member of the band in 1992, shortly prior to Lockwood and Haycock's departures. Groucutt would alternate lead vocal duties with Troyer and newly-hired guitarist Phil Bates for much of the group's remaining lifespan. When the group released ''[[Moment of Truth (ELO Part II album)|Moment of Truth]]'', Groucutt contributed the song "The Fox", and co-wrote "Blue Violin" and "Twist of the Knife". Groucutt also appeared on the live albums ''Performing ELO's Greatest Hits Live'' and ''One Night - Live in Australia''.

While Groucutt was primarily the group's bassist, some live performances feature songs in which he would switch to guitar. 

When Bev Bevan sold his half of the rights to ELO back to Jeff Lynne in 1999, Groucutt chose to remain with the group, which was renamed [[The Orchestra (band)|The Orchestra]]. He again made writing contributions to the group's next album, ''[[No Rewind]]'', by co-writing the closing track, "Before We Go", on which he also sang lead vocals.

==Personal life==
Groucutt was married twice. In 2006, Groucutt wed Anna-Maria Bialaga.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/entertainment/2008/10/07/bostin-new-beginning-for-elo-star/ |title=Bostin' new beginning for ELO star|website=Wolverhampton Express and Star|date=7 October 2008}}</ref> They remained married until his death.

==Death==
On 18 February 2009, Groucutt returned from a sell-out show with The Orchestra in Berlin. He suffered a heart attack shortly after, and died on 19 February at the [[Worcestershire Royal Hospital]] in Worcester. His family held a small, exclusive concert with members from The Orchestra in his memory.

After a successful crowdfunding campaign was held by his family, a plaque commemorating Groucutt was placed at his childhood home, where his family lived from 1937 to 1992.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Update 18: We did it! · Kelly Groucutt Commemorative Blue Plaque|url=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kellygroucuttplaque/kelly-groucutt-commemorative-blue-plaque/posts/1181851|access-date=2020-08-08|website=Kickstarter.com|date=29 March 2015 |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Electric Light Orchestra}}
{{ELO Part II}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Groucutt, Kelly}}
[[Category:1945 births]]
[[Category:2009 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century British bass guitarists]]
[[Category:20th-century English singers]]
[[Category:Electric Light Orchestra members]]
[[Category:ELO Part II members]]
[[Category:The Orchestra (band) members]]
[[Category:English male singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:English singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:English rock bass guitarists]]
[[Category:English rock guitarists]]
[[Category:British male bass guitarists]]
[[Category:People from Coseley]]
[[Category:20th-century British male singers]]