Tony McPhee, the singer and guitarist who led British blues and rock group the Groundhogs across six decades, has died aged 79.
The band announced that Tony ‘died peacefully at home’ on Tuesday after suffering from complications following a bad fall last year.
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Who was Tony McPhee ?
Tony McPhee born Anthony Charles McPhee was an English guitarist. He founded the blues rock band Groundhogs, who backed Champion Jack Dupree and John Lee Hooker on UK concerts in the mid-1960s.
He was given this name by the producer Mike Vernon who suggested adding ‘T.S.’ to his name when McPhee released a duet single with Champion Jack Dupree in 1966 called “Get Your Head Happy!,” in order to make it look more like an official blues name. It stands for Tough Shit.
The Groundhogs evolved into a blues-rock trio that produced three UK Top 10 hits in the UK Albums Chart in the early 1970s. Although they have continued to play in various line-ups to the present day, McPhee officially retired from the band in 2015.
Solo album The Two Sides of Tony (T.S.) McPhee was released in 1973. Side A of this record is blues rock and Side B is a single psychedelic art rock electronic composition in four movements, featuring Arp 2600 Synthesizers, Electric Piano and The Rhythm Ace Drum Synthesizer.
Entitled The Hunt, it explores McPhee’s strong stance against fox and stag hunting. McPhee has also released many other solo acoustic blues records, as well as duets with Jo Ann Kelly.
Apart from the Groundhogs, McPhee has played with Herbal Mixture, the John Dummer Band, Hapshash and the Coloured Coat, Tony McPhee’s Terraplane, Tony McPhee’s Turbo, the Tony McPhee Band and Current 93.
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Tony McPhee cause of death
Tony McPhee died on 6 June 2023, aged 79, of complications after a fall the previous year.
He suffered a stroke in 2009, and had been through periods of ill health in the following decade.
A statement was posted on the band’s Facebook page which read: ‘We are deeply saddened to announce that 79-year-old guitar and blues legend Tony (TS) McPhee, died peacefully at home today 6th June, from complications following a fall last year.
‘He is survived by his devoted wife Joanna, sons Conan & Vincent, grandchildren Scarlett & Victor and loving sister Olive.’
Tribute pour for Tony McPhee death
Fans paid tribute to the musician in the comment section, with one penning: ‘No one played like tony, such an influence on me and that stayed with me. Such a loss’
Another wrote: ‘When I was 16 he was my hero. The Groundhogs meant everything to me. They were the first band I ever saw live’
A third added: ‘Oh no! Part of my musical upbringing. RIP great man’
One commented: ‘So very sorry to hear this, such a lovely bloke. Had a few drinks with him and the band, will never forget that night’
Another wrote: ‘RIP TS. You are the reason I picked up the guitar all those years ago. We’ll miss you’
Someone said: ‘Very sad news. I have great memories of watching Tony and the Groundhogs rehearse when I was a kid. Condolences to the family. RIP’
The singer shares sons Conan and Vincent with wife Joanna. He also has grandchildren Scarlett and Victor, and sister Olive.
Tony joined a south London group, the Dollar Bills, in 1962 and renamed them the Groundhogs.
Tony McPhee led the British blues and rock group across six decades from 1962 to 2015, earning three UK top 10 albums in the process and supporting the Rolling Stones on a 1971 tour.
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