Time Loves a Hero

Richie Hayward, the legendary drummer of Little Feat has died of cancer of the liver at age 64. Becuase he was from our state, his death leaves many of us here in the Iowa with an enhanced sense of dread. First with the floods and their extensive damage to the Iowa State campus, and then this... Ames, Iowa is having a very bad week.

Richie Hayward 1946-2010

"I played Little Feat videos for two hours and cried, so funky. I loved that guy..." said Des Moines musician John Price.

Back in early July I asked my friends on Facebook to list their favorite rock and roll drummers of all time. John was the only one who mentioned Richie Hayward... A damn good pick in amongst the usual suspects of the rock and roll elite. Mr. Hayward might not have had the name recognition of John Bonham or Neil Peart, but you can bet that he garnered just as much respect from his peers and the fans who knew him.

He was diagnosed with liver cancer a year ago and put his career on hiatus in order to fight it. Unfortunately it was too much for him and he lost the battle today. His death is a tremendous loss for Ames, for Iowa and for the world.

With sincere sympathy, our hearts go out to his family and his fans.