RIP Keith Allison

Obituaries and remembrances
of steel guitarists, their friends and families

Moderators: Donna Dodd, Lori Lee Smith

Skip Edwards
Posts: 3080
Joined: 1 Dec 1998 1:01 am
Location: LA,CA

RIP Keith Allison

Post by Skip Edwards »

It's with a heavy heart that I have to say my old and dear friend, Keith Allison has passed away.
Keith had a storied career in music...co-writer with Mark Lindsay on "Freeborn Man", bassist with Paul Revere and the Raiders, a recurring presence on
"Where The Action Is", a handful of acting roles (Phantom of the Paradise), guitar with Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart - the first Monkees revival incarnation, and many others.
I was on those DJBH tours, and Keith was a highlight of every tour. We first met while doing gigs with Johnny Rivers in '75, and have been close friends ever since.

A true gentleman, a bon vivant, a great storyteller, husband, father and friend.
I'll miss him greatly for a long time...
My sincere condolences to his wife Tina, son Ryland, and all who knew and loved him.
Vaya con Dios, mi amigo...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LouK2xpWlzQ


Image [/img]
Last edited by Skip Edwards on 20 Nov 2021 11:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Ron Pruter
Posts: 1797
Joined: 25 Feb 2011 2:47 pm
Location: Arizona, USA

Post by Ron Pruter »

I remember him. If I remember right, he was "discovered" on Where the action is when, looking like Paul McCartney, people, mostly girls, saw him in the background crowd and started calling the show. I think I remember Dick Clark telling that story. Is that so Skip? Howdy, BTW. Sorry for your loss. Ron
Emmons SKH Le Grande, Tick tack bass, Regal high strung, USA Nashville 112.
User avatar
Michael Johnstone
Posts: 3862
Joined: 29 Oct 1998 1:01 am
Location: Sylmar,Ca. USA

Post by Michael Johnstone »

Sorry to hear this. I met him back in the summer of love when I was on "Where the Action Is" with another "Keith" who had that record "98.6". I last ran into K.A. at the Malibu Inn around 2006 at a Leon Russell gig. Great guy and good solid musician. R.I.P. Everybody's leaving us. Make it stop.
User avatar
Larry Dering
Posts: 5978
Joined: 17 May 2013 11:20 am
Location: Missouri, USA

Post by Larry Dering »

Sorry to hear this Skip. Rip Keith.
Skip Edwards
Posts: 3080
Joined: 1 Dec 1998 1:01 am
Location: LA,CA

Post by Skip Edwards »

Thanks, guys. Ron, you're right about that.
User avatar
Jason Stillwell
Posts: 497
Joined: 6 Jul 2001 12:01 am
Location: Caddo, OK, USA

Post by Jason Stillwell »

I just discovered Keith a few weeks ago while listening to Dwight Yoakam's Greater Bakersfield show on his SiriusXM channel. Keith was a great talent with some wonderful stories to tell.
Pete Finney
Posts: 1694
Joined: 6 Sep 1998 12:01 am
Location: Nashville Tn.

Post by Pete Finney »

I remember seeing Keith on "Where the Action Is" when I was a kid, and knowing that somewhere in there he joined Paul Revere and the Raiders. Later I heard a lot of great things about him from Michael Nesmith and Mickey Dolenz; he was a big behind-the-scenes presence in the early Monkees days, co-writing some songs and playing on some of the tracks Nesmith produced.

He was scheduled to be a special guest at the Los Angeles/Greek Theater finale to the recent 40-show Monkees farewell tour I was a part of, but his declining health made that impossible. That was less than two weeks ago. I'd really been looking forward to meeting him.

RIP Keith
Bruce Heffner
Posts: 94
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Payson, Arizona

Friend

Post by Bruce Heffner »

Sorry for the loss of your friend Skip

Bruce
Bruce from Arizona these days
Ron Pruter
Posts: 1797
Joined: 25 Feb 2011 2:47 pm
Location: Arizona, USA

Post by Ron Pruter »

I think he worked with Freddy Weller also. Skip, yes/no?
Emmons SKH Le Grande, Tick tack bass, Regal high strung, USA Nashville 112.
Skip Edwards
Posts: 3080
Joined: 1 Dec 1998 1:01 am
Location: LA,CA

Post by Skip Edwards »

Yeah, Ron... they were in the Raiders together.
Lee Thompson
Posts: 6
Joined: 31 May 2017 7:51 pm
Location: LA, CA

Post by Lee Thompson »

Thanks for sharing this Skip. Very sorry for your loss
User avatar
Dave Mudgett
Moderator
Posts: 10460
Joined: 16 Jul 2004 12:01 am
Location: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

Post by Dave Mudgett »

I was really into Paul Revere and the Raiders when I was very young and rarely missed Where the Action Is. That's where I first became aware of Keith. Of course, Freeborn Man is a classic. RIP Keith and condolences to his family and friends.
User avatar
Bob Watson
Posts: 1563
Joined: 30 Aug 2000 12:01 am
Location: Champaign, Illinois, U.S.

Post by Bob Watson »

Skip, I'm sorry to hear about your friend, Keith Allison, passing away. I was a big fan of Paul Revere and The Raiders back in the day and I always love to listen to and play Freeborn Man. It sounds like he had a very exiting career, may his memory help you through your grief.
User avatar
Joachim Kettner
Posts: 7667
Joined: 14 Apr 2009 1:57 pm
Location: Germany

Post by Joachim Kettner »

Sorry for your loss, Skip.
California Country-Rock from the late sixties is one of the best music genres for me.
Fender Kingman, Sierra Crown D-10, Evans Amplifier, Soup Cube.
User avatar
Chris Templeton
Posts: 3314
Joined: 25 Sep 2012 4:20 pm
Location: The Green Mountain State

Post by Chris Templeton »

Excel 3/4 Pedal With An 8 String Hawaiian Neck, Sierra Tapper (10 string with a raised fretboard to fret with fingers), Single neck Fessenden 3/5
"The Tapper" : https://christophertempleton.bandcamp.c ... the-tapper
Soundcloud Playlist: https://soundcloud.com/bluespruce8: