Behind the 2003 Death of Robert Palmer

Shortly after recording an appearance for a British television retrospective on his life in London, England called My Kinda People—the title, a play on his 1978 Double Fun track “Every Kinda People”—Robert Palmer headed to Paris, France for a two-day break.

In the French capital, Palmer went out to see a movie and have dinner with his longtime partner Mary Ambrose. That evening, on September 26, 2003, Palmer was found dead from a heart attack in his room at the Warwick Hotel, just off the Champs-Elysees, at the age of 54.

Early Years

Born in Yorkshire, England on January 19, 1949, Palmer, the son of a British naval officer, played in several bands before he broke out as a solo artist. In the 1960s, Palmer joined the jazz-rock group Dada then later formed Vinegar Joe and appeared as an opening act for Jimi Hendrix and The Who. Still exploring jazz, funk, and soul, Palmer released his solo debut, Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley in 1974.

Sneakin’ Sally was followed up by Pressure Drop in 1975 and Double Fun in 1978. Palmer’s fifth album, Secrets, ventured into some pop before the more electronic and new wave-lean of Clues in 1980.

The ’80s

By the 1980s, Palmer already had several albums under his belt but was more known for his dapper demeanor—and was even crowned best-dressed male artist in 1990 by Rolling Stone. His 1985 album Riptide further fueled the decade with chart-topping hits “Addicted to Love,” and his Cherrelle cover “I Didn’t Mean to Turn You On.”

Honoring his love of heavy metal and bossa nova, Palmer’s ninth album Heavy Nova birthed another hit “Simply Irresistible,” along with his tertiary video flanked by miniskirt-wearing, guitar-playing models, which kicked off with “Addicted to Love.”

In the mid-’80s, Palmer also co-founded the side project Power Station with Duran Duran‘s John Taylor and Andy Taylor, and former Chic drummer Tony Thompson. The band released a self-titled album in 1985 and his 1996 follow-up Living in Fear, and hit the top 10 with “Some Like it Hot,” which reached no. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, and their T. Rex cover “Get it On (Band a Gong).”

[RELATED: Top 10 Robert Palmer Songs]

The 1990s—Early 2000s

Crafting one of the most diverse catalogs of music, Palmer’s catalog always embraced classics and influences with numerous covers of songs by Marvin Gaye, Cole Porter, Billie Holiday, and Otis Redding, among others on later albums, including his heavier blues-rock release, Drive. The latter album was Palmer’s 14th and final album and was released just several months before his death in 2003.

“If I want to be humorous, I do calypso,” said Palmer during his final interview in 2003. “If I want to scream implications at the sky I pull out the heavy metal guitar. If I want to whisper in my girlfriend’s ear, I bring in the string.”

Palmer added, “I love music across the board—barring Broadway show tunes and opera, which are over and under my head—[and] I like to use it as a means of expression.”

Photo: Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images