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Sound · 1944–2016 · Todmorden, West Yorkshire, England, UK
Keith Noel Emerson was a keyboardist and founding member of Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP), the acclaimed English progressive rock group. The musician was responsible for writing and arranging much of the music for the band, which also included singer, bassist, and producer Greg Lake and drummer and percussionist Carl Palmer. Prior to ELP, Emerson was in a number of other bands, including The Nice, a late-1960s band that blended rock, jazz and classical music. The group was formed in 1967 by Emerson, Lee Jackson, David O'List and Ian Hague to back soul singer P. P. Arnold; Brian Davison later replaced Hague.
Emerson’s bands’ music was featured in films and television series including the shows Doctor Who, That ‘70s Show, Freaks and Geeks, and Heroes. He also composed the theme song for the 1980s British television series Up the Elephant and Round the Castle.
He later worked as a music producer and arranger, contributing to the films Inferno, Nighthawks, starring Sylvester Stallone; and the animated series Iron Man. The keyboard virtuoso also released solo albums, including Honky, Changing States, the all-piano album Emerson Plays Emerson, and contributions to Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin tribute albums.
Emerson died March 10, 2016, in Santa Monica, California. He was 71 years old.
