Mick Ralphs, Bad Company and Mott the Hoople Guitarist, Dies

Mick
Ralphs,
a
founding
member
of

Mott
the
Hoople
and

Bad
Company,
has
died.
He
was
81.

Paul
Rodgers,
his
former
Bad
Company
bandmate,
shared, “Our
Mick
has
passed,
my
heart
just
hit
the
ground.
He
has
left
us
with
exceptional
songs
and
memories.
He
was
my
friend,
my
songwriting
partner,
an
amazing
and
versatile
guitarist
who
had
the
greatest
sense
of
humor.

“Our
last
conversation
a
few
days
ago
we
shared
a
laugh
but
it
won’t
be
our
last.
There
are
many
memories
of
Mick
that
will
create
laughter.
Condolences
to
everyone
who
loved
him
especially
his
one
true
love,
Susie.
I
will
see
you
in
heaven.”

Drummer
Simon
Kirke
also
issued
a
statement,
noting, “He
was
a
dear
friend,
a
wonderful
songwriter
and
an
exceptional
guitarist.
We
will
miss
him
deeply.”

READ
MORE:

Top
10
Mott
the
Hoople
Songs

In
2016,
following
a
tour
with
Bad
Company,
Ralphs
was
hospitalized with
a
stroke.
He
officially
retired
from
performing
after
that.
According
to
a
press
release
announcing
his
death, “Ralphs
gave
his
final
performance
with
Bad
Company
on
Oct.
29,
2016,
at
London’s
O2
Arena.
Just
days
later,
he
suffered
a
debilitating
stroke
and
remained
bedridden
until
his
passing.”

Ralphs
was
born
in
England
in
March
1944
and
began
playing
in
local
bands
in
the
early ’60s.
In
1969,
he
helped
form
Mott
the
Hoople,
remaining
with
the
band
until
1973,
contributing
to
all
of
the
band’s
studio
albums
in
some
capacity.

He
also
played
on
all
of
Bad
Company’s
albums,
even
though
he didn’t
always
tour
with
them.

What
Songs
Did
Mick
Ralphs
Perform
On?

Although
he
played
on
a
few
tracks
on
the
band’s
1974
album,

The
Hoople,
Ralphs
was
already
on
to
his
next
project,
Bad
Company,
which
he
cofounded
with
former

Free
singer
Paul
Rodgers.

The
band’s
1974
self-titled
debut
album
included
the
hit
single “Can’t
Get
Enough,”
which
was
written
by
Ralphs.
He
also
wrote
and
sang “Ready
for
Love”
on
Mott
the
Hoople’s
1972
album, All
the
Young
Dudes.
Bad
Company
covered
the
song
on
their
first
LP.

Over
the
years,
Ralphs
played
with
other
artists,
including
a
spot
on

David
Gilmour‘s
1984


About
Face
tour
and
as
a
guitarist
with
former
Mott
the
Hoople
bandmate

Ian
Hunter.
He
also
released
a
handful
of
solo
albums
over
the
decades
in
addition
to
a
couple
with
the
Mick
Ralphs
Blues
Band.

Ralph’s
death
comes
just
months
after
Bad
Company
was
finally
announced
as
part
of
the

Rock
and
Roll
Hall
of
Fame‘s

induction
class
this
year.