Click here for a larger image: http://twitpic.com/geb34
UPDATE: Be sure to read Jennifer Jiggetts’ Carroll County Times story. She did a great job: “Elton John's keyboardist, New Windsor native dead” at 52 By Jennifer Jiggetts, Times Staff Writer Friday, September 04, 2009
http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/articles/2009/09/04/news/local_news/newsstory3_keyboardist_new_windsor.txt
When he was in seventh grade, Guy Babylon and several of his New Windsor friends formed a band.
They performed at the New Windsor carnival, gave small concerts by Babylon’s pool and won many talent shows in Carroll County. The band rehearsed wherever it could.
Those practices would set the foundation years later for a more famous gig for Babylon: backing up Elton John.
Babylon, John’s lead keyboardist, died Wednesday night in California. He was 52.
Read more: Elton John's keyboardist, New Windsor native dead”
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September 3, 2009
By Kevin Dayhoff
Guy Babylon, 52, died Wednesday evening in Los Angeles, California, according to family sources and Elton John’s official website.
He was born on December 20, 1956, in New Windsor, the son of Graham and Mary Babylon, owners of the Babylon Vault Company, a Carroll County business that has manufactured burial vaults since 1930.
After he attended Francis Scott Key High School he earned his BFA in music composition from the University of South Florida. In 1980, six months after graduation he moved to California, where he quickly established himself as an accomplished keyboardist and composer and respected session musician.
Babylon, as a young man, was known to be a national level swimmer and a family member noted with pride that he once beat Mark Spitz, of Olympic swimming fame. Babylon died of an apparent heart attack while swimming.
Elton John, who according to his official web site, is on holiday in Nice, France, said: “I am devastated and heartbroken at the death of Guy Babylon. Guy played over 1000 shows with me, and we worked together on The Road To El Dorado, Aida, Billy Elliot, Lestat and Gnomeo and Juliet, as well as on countless albums.
“He was one of the most brilliant musicians I ever knew, a true genius, a gentle angel - and I loved him so much. David and I send our deep condolences to Kathy, Max, Ben and Jessica, to Guy's parents, to Kathy's parents and to all his immediate loved ones.’
The web site reports, “Guy's first performance with Elton was for a benefit at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles in July 1988, and his first world tour as part of the Elton John Band began two months later in Miami, Florida.
“Guy became lead keyboardist on May 26, 1992, and has been the only synth man on stage since the Walden Woods Benefit Concert in the fall of 1993.”
Check back with http://www.explorecarroll.com/ later for the full story.
20090903 d1 WE brief Guy Babylon dies
http://twitpic.com/geb34 Guy Babylon pic: http://tinyurl.com/lfgjvl longterm Elton John keyboardist has died http://tinyurl.com/kuyrrz
http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2009/09/guy-babylon-from-new-windsor-long-term.html http://tinyurl.com/kuyrrz
http://www.eltonjohn.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090903&contentid=6770002
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff
http://twitpic.com/geb34 Be sure to read Jennifer Jiggetts’ Carroll Co Times story on Guy Babylon http://tinyurl.com/mhvbbv
Be sure to read Jennifer Jiggetts’ @CCTNews story on Guy Babylon http://tinyurl.com/mhvbbv
@kevindayhoff Be sure to read Jennifer Jiggetts’ @CCTNews story on Guy Babylon http://tinyurl.com/mhvbbv
