Lloyd Price, Rock Influencer, Passes Away Aged 88

Rock music comes in many forms. And there have been many artists as part of one version or another. But few artists, if any, can call themselves a forefather of rock. While one may not know his name, Lloyd Price was one man who could call himself that.

Lloyd Price, a Forefather of Rock, Passes Away

Lloyd Price may not be a well-known name in the modern-day, but he has an extensive resume in the early years of rock. Known for his 1952 hit “Lawdy Miss Clawdy,” Steve Van Zandt shared on Twitter the song deserved the claim of ‘first rock hit.’

The forefather of rock wasn’t simply a performer either. Before even Frank Sinatra, the man ran his own record label and was his own agent/manager. When he had a chance to play American Bandstand, Dick Clark wanted to address something. With Stagger Lee set to be performed, the host of the show was worried about the content. As the show was popular among youth, the song about an argument ending in death that had to be amended. “I had to go make up some lyrics Stagger Lee and Billy being in a squabble about a girl.”

Lloyd Price spent a fair amount of time singing and playing piano in church. This likely helped influenced the style he was later known for. And his hit, Lawdy Miss Clawdy, was covered by the likes of Elvis Presley and Little Richard.

The “Lady Luck” singer credits his longevity to his clean lifestyle. And he was also one artist who never expected much from his own work. “I never looked for the next record to be a hit,” he shared with Larry Katz in 1998. At the age of 88, the music legend has passed away.

Have you had a chance to listen to the work of Lloyd Price? What is your favorite hit from this forefather of rock? Let me know in the comments!

Our condolences go out to Price’s family during this time.