David Bowie passed away 10 years ago on January 10 after a battle with liver cancer. The legendary musician was temporarily a part of some bands during his early career. However, he soon found his footing as a solo artist, becoming a household name in the world of music, his work spanning a variety of genres. Overall, Bowie left a huge mark on music, and people continue to feel the loss of his passing a full decade later.
According to Rolling Stone, Mike Garson who had closely worked with Bowie as well as other bands and musicians over his years as pianist, organized a tribute to Bowie, both in memory of his passing and for his birthday on January 8. Several musicians gathered to perform covers of Bowie‘s songs. These musicians include Smashing Pumpkins‘ Billy Corgan, Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ Chad Smith, the Struts’ Luke Spiller and Andra Day, although this is not a complete list of the talents that came together to honor the musician.
The night of emotions ended beautifully with everyone coming together for a “Heroes” singalong, which Garson explained had backup singers from the University of Southern California’s music department. In a statement with Rolling Stone, Garson explained “But at that moment, it was like, ‘Oh, my God, I’m with you.’ He was about risk, joy and being present. If you play the music truthfully and don’t get in the way, his spirit shows up,” proving it was a healing experience for those who cared for him.
For those who may have missed it, Rolling Stone also uploaded a video from the tribute onto their official Instagram page. In the video, Corgan is performing “All the Young Dudes” with Garson, Jimmy Chamberlin as the drummer, and Garson’s mentee Elie Samouhi as the guitarist.
Photo credit: Alyssa Fried
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