Ian Bairnson — the Scottish guitarist who played with Pilot, the Alan Parsons Project and is responsible for the guitar solo in Kate Bush's "Wuthering Heights" — has died at age 69 after a battle with dementia.
As reported by The Guardian, the announcement was made by Bairnson's wife, Leila, via her Instagram. "It is with deep sadness and regret that I let you know that my loving husband Ian Bairnson has passed away on Friday 7th April," she wrote. "Ian was the sweetest, kindest, loving husband I could ever have wished for and I take comfort that he is resting now up there in his very own piece of 'Blue Blue Sky.'"
Born on Scotland's Shetland Islands, Bairnson moved to London in the early '70s and was offered a spot in Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel for his talents as a multi-instrumentalist. However, he chose to join fellow Scottish-born band Pilot instead.
Pilot went on to score a handful of hits in the '70s, including "Magic" from their 1974 debut album From the Album of the Same Name. That record was produced by Alan Parsons, who later asked Bairnson to join the Alan Parsons Project.
Bairnson also contributed to several Kate Bush albums, including 1978's The Kick Inside and Lionheart. He provided the iconic closing guitar solo on "Wuthering Heights," and went on to appear on Bush's Never for Ever and The Dreaming. Bairnson also worked as a session musician for the likes of Mick Fleetwood, Kenny Rogers, Joe Cocker and many others.
Bairnson played on Alan Parsons' 2019 solo album, The Secret — in a Facebook post remembering Bairnson, Parsons wrote, "I have always considered Ian a musical genius. It was a great pleasure to have him participate on every album by the Alan Parsons Project and several other albums under my name since. He has played with many other talented artists as well throughout his incredible career.
"He was a true master of the guitar — he knew every possible playable guitar chord and how to describe it," Parsons continued. "Amazingly, he never took the time to learn conventional musical notation. Another indication of his incredible talent was when he picked up the saxophone and played it like a pro on stage with the British incarnation of the Alan Parsons Live Project, he had only spent a few short weeks of learning the instrument."
Parsons closed with, "Ian will be greatly missed, but never forgotten."
As reported by The Guardian, the announcement was made by Bairnson's wife, Leila, via her Instagram. "It is with deep sadness and regret that I let you know that my loving husband Ian Bairnson has passed away on Friday 7th April," she wrote. "Ian was the sweetest, kindest, loving husband I could ever have wished for and I take comfort that he is resting now up there in his very own piece of 'Blue Blue Sky.'"
Born on Scotland's Shetland Islands, Bairnson moved to London in the early '70s and was offered a spot in Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel for his talents as a multi-instrumentalist. However, he chose to join fellow Scottish-born band Pilot instead.
Pilot went on to score a handful of hits in the '70s, including "Magic" from their 1974 debut album From the Album of the Same Name. That record was produced by Alan Parsons, who later asked Bairnson to join the Alan Parsons Project.
Bairnson also contributed to several Kate Bush albums, including 1978's The Kick Inside and Lionheart. He provided the iconic closing guitar solo on "Wuthering Heights," and went on to appear on Bush's Never for Ever and The Dreaming. Bairnson also worked as a session musician for the likes of Mick Fleetwood, Kenny Rogers, Joe Cocker and many others.
Bairnson played on Alan Parsons' 2019 solo album, The Secret — in a Facebook post remembering Bairnson, Parsons wrote, "I have always considered Ian a musical genius. It was a great pleasure to have him participate on every album by the Alan Parsons Project and several other albums under my name since. He has played with many other talented artists as well throughout his incredible career.
"He was a true master of the guitar — he knew every possible playable guitar chord and how to describe it," Parsons continued. "Amazingly, he never took the time to learn conventional musical notation. Another indication of his incredible talent was when he picked up the saxophone and played it like a pro on stage with the British incarnation of the Alan Parsons Live Project, he had only spent a few short weeks of learning the instrument."
Parsons closed with, "Ian will be greatly missed, but never forgotten."