The original drummer of the legendary rock band The Bee Gees has passed away at the age of 78 years old. Colin Petersen’s passing was announced via a post on Facebook yesterday, November 18. The announcement was made by his band, Best Of The Bee Gees.
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“It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of our dear friend Colin ‘Smiley’ Petersen,” the post read. “He enriched our lives and bound our group with love, care and respect. Not sure how we can go on without his glowing smile and deep friendship.”
The post was accompanied by an image of Petersen and his trademark smile at the helm of a drum kit. No cause of death was provided.
Remembering Colin Petersen and His Legacy as an Original Bee Gee
Colin Petersen was The Bee Gee’s very first drummer, and his work can be heard on some of the band’s earliest hit songs.
Petersen first joined the multi-genre music group back in 1966, several years after the band was initially formed by brothers Maurice, Robin, and Barry Gibb. Fellow musician Vince Melouney joined the band around the same time.
Petersen moved with the band to England in the 1960s. He contributed drum tracks to their famed 1966 record Spicks And Specks. He also played in some form on all four of the band’s records with Polydor/Atco. Just a few songs Petersen was known for include “New York Mining Disaster 1941” and “To Love Somebody”.
The iconic drummer also contributed drum tracks to the 1968 albums Horizontal and Idea, as well as the 1969 album Odessa. Petersen’s final album with The Bee Gees was the 1970 record Cucumber Castle.
Petersen eventually left the band following issues with their management, and he formed the music outfit Humpy Bong with Tim Staffell and Jonathan Kelly. The band was somewhat short-lived, and Petersen went on to form Best Of The Bee Gees and start a company with his wife, Joanne Newfield.
“I wasn’t the most technically skilled drummer, but I think that sometimes less is more,” Petersen once said about his drumming ability. “When you’re limited, you have to get creative, just like Chuck Berry, who made magic with just a few chords. For me, it was always about serving the song.”
Petersen leaves behind his wife and two sons. We wish his family nothing but the best during this difficult time.
Photo by Keystone/Getty Images
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