Guy Babylon, 52, died Wednesday evening, September 2, 2009, in Los Angeles, California, according to family sources and Elton John’s official website.
He was born on December 20, 1956, in New Windsor, the son of Graham and Mary Babylon, owners of the Babylon Vault Company, a Carroll County business that has manufactured burial vaults since 1930.
After he attended Francis Scott Key High School he earned his BFA in music composition from the University of South Florida.
They performed at the New Windsor carnival, gave small concerts by Babylon’s pool and won many talent shows in Carroll County. The band rehearsed wherever it could.
Those practices would set the foundation years later for a more famous gig for Babylon: backing up Elton John.
Babylon, John’s lead keyboardist, died Wednesday night in California. He was 52.
Guy Babylon, from New Windsor, long-term keyboardist for Elton John has passed away
September 3, 2009
By Kevin Dayhoff
Guy Babylon, 52, died Wednesday evening in Los Angeles, California, according to family sources and Elton John’s official website.
He was born on December 20, 1956, in New Windsor, the son of Graham and Mary Babylon, owners of the Babylon Vault Company, a Carroll County business that has manufactured burial vaults since 1930.
After he attended Francis Scott Key High School he earned his BFA in music composition from the University of South Florida. In 1980, six months after graduation he moved to California, where he quickly established himself as an accomplished keyboardist and composer and respected session musician.
Babylon, as a young man, was known to be a national level swimmer and a family member noted with pride that he once beat Mark Spitz, of Olympic swimming fame. Babylon died of an apparent heart attack while swimming.
Elton John, who according to his official web site, is on holiday in Nice, France, said: “I am devastated and heartbroken at the death of Guy Babylon. Guy played over 1000 shows with me, and we worked together on The Road To El Dorado, Aida, Billy Elliot, Lestat and Gnomeo and Juliet, as well as on countless albums.
“He was one of the most brilliant musicians I ever knew, a true genius, a gentle angel - and I loved him so much. David and I send our deep condolences to Kathy, Max, Ben and Jessica, to Guy's parents, to Kathy's parents and to all his immediate loved ones.’
The web site reports, “Guy's first performance with Elton was for a benefit at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles in July 1988, and his first world tour as part of the Elton John Band began two months later in Miami, Florida.
“Guy became lead keyboardist on May 26, 1992, and has been the only synth man on stage since the Walden Woods Benefit Concert in the fall of 1993.”
Music by elton john Lyrics by bernie taupin Available on the album madman across the water
1971
As I awoke this evening with the smell of wood smoke clinging Like a gentle cobweb hanging upon a painted tepee Oh I went to see my chieftain with my warlance and my woman For he told us that the yellow moon would very soon be leaving This I cant believe I said, I cant believe our warlords dead Oh he would not leave the chosen ones to the buzzards and the soldiers guns
Oh great father of the iroquois ever since I was young Ive read the writing of the smoke and breast fed on the sound of drums Ive learned to hurl the tomahawk and ride a painted pony wild To run the gauntlet of the sioux, to make a chieftains daughter mine
And now you ask that I should watch The red mans race be slowly crushed What kind of words are these to hear From yellow dog whom white man fears
I take only what is mine lord, my pony, my squaw, and my child I cant stay to see you die along with my tribes pride I go to search for the yellow moon and the fathers of our sons Where the red sun sinks in the hills of gold and the healing waters run
Trampling down the prairie rose leaving hoof tracks in the sand Those who wish to follow me I welcome with my hands I heard from passing renegades geronimo was dead Hed been laying down his weapons when they filled him full of lead
Now there seems no reason why I should carry on In this land that once was my land I cant find a home Its lonely and its quiet and the horse soldiers are coming And I think its time I strung my bow and ceased my senseless running For soon Ill find the yellow moon along with my loved ones Where the buffalos graze in clover fields without the sound of guns
And the red sun sinks at last into the hills of gold And peace to this young warrior comes with a bullet hole
*****
"Ghetto Gospel" by Tupac Shakur featuring Elton John
[Chorus - Elton John:] Those who wish to follow me (My ghetto gospel) I welcome with my hands And the red sun sinks at last into the hills of gold And peace to this young warrior without the sound of guns
[2Pac] If I could recollect before my hood days I'd sit and reminisce, nigga and bliss on the good days I stop and stare at the younger, my heart goes to'em They tested, it was stressed that they under In our days, things changed Everyone's ashamed to the youth cause the truth looks strange And for me it's reversed, we left them a world that's cursed, and it hurts cause any day they'll push the button and yall condemned like Malcolm x and Bobby Hunton, died for nothing Don't them let me get teary, the world looks dreary but when you wipe your eyes, see it clearly there's no need for you to fear me if you take your time to hear me, maybe you can learn to cheer me it ain't about black or white, cause we're human I hope we see the light before its ruined my ghetto gospel
[Chorus - Elton John]
[2Pac] Tell me do you see that old lady ain't it sad Living out a bag, but she's glad for the little things she has And over there there's a lady, crack got her crazy Guess she's given birth to a baby I don't trip and let it fade me, from outta the frying pan We jump into another form of slavery Even now I get discouraged Wonder if they take it all back while I still keep the courage I refuse to be a role model I set goals, take control, drink out my own bottles I make mistakes, I learn from everyone And when its said and done I bet this Brotha be a better one If I'm upset, you don't stress Never forget, that God hasn't finished with me yet I feel his hand on my brain When I write rhymes, I go blind, and let the lord do his thang But am I less holy Cause I choose to puff a blunt and drink a beer with my homies Before we find world peace We gotta find peace and end the war on the streets My ghetto gospel
[Chorus - Elton John]
[2Pac] Lord can you hear me speak!! To pay the price of being hell bound...