Welcome to Guy Babylon Fan.Net
In Memoriam
Dec. 20, 1956 - Sept. 2, 2009
Dec. 20, 1956 - Sept. 2, 2009
Thoughts and prayers go out to Guy's family - Kathy, Max, Ben and Jessica, his parents, his sister Donna, and the entire Elton John organization on their loss. Guy passed away on Wednesday, September 2, at the age of 52 in Los Angeles. A statement from Elton is posted on the official web site at www.eltonjohn.com
This site is a tribute to Guy Babylon, the talented multi-keyboardist,
composer, Grammy award winning orchestrator and keyboardist for the
Elton John band from 1988 to 2009.
Elton introduced Guy as a keyboard and orchestral genius.
I agree! So please take
some time to learn about the very talented Guy. Guy played 1,351 shows with Elton throughout his 21-year career as a
member of the Elton John Band and simply cannot be replaced, either musically or in our hearts.
What's New, February 6, 2010
Grammy's Snub Guy in Remembrance Segment
At the 2010 Grammy Awards broadcast on January 31, those responsible for the In Memoriam segment, honoring those who passed away in the previous year, left out Guy, an egregious error of omission. Guy, who had been a performing artist, composer, orchestrator and record producer for nearly 30 years, was also a Grammy winning artist. If you would like to let those in power know how you feel about this omission you can contact the Grammy Foundation and the Recording Academy by e-mailing grammyfoundation@grammy.com. You can also write to either at 3030 Olympic Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90404. Or if you would rather call, the number is 310-392-3777.
Yamaha News - Condolences on Guy's passing
Yamaha News posted their condolences at the loss of Guy back in September, just came accross
it and wanted to share the
link.
Remembering Guy with Video Clips from Elton Expo
Below are a couple of video clips from Guy's appearance, along with Davey Johnstone,
at the 2006 Elton Expo in Las Vegas. Elton and the band were in town for the Red Piano
so fans had the opportunity for some Q&A with the boys as well as some great concerts!
This clip involved a question to Guy about orchestrations. Guy's modesty really shows here!
In this clip Guy answers a question about touring vs recording in the studio:
Remembering Guy on his Birthday
We remember Guy today, December 20, on what would have been his 53rd birthday. We hope that he is rocking out up in heaven with the angels as we keep him and his family in our thoughts and prayers.
Photos of Guy on JohnMahon.com
John Mahon has added a group of photos of Guy to the gallery on his web site,
www.johnmahon.com. Included are photos of Guy on stage with Elton and the band as well as some candid shots,
including the photo below of Guy with some of his many keyboards. Be sure to check them out.
Guy Video Clips
Check out of couple of video clips of Guy during the spring/summer Face 2 Face tour. Check out
his reaction when Elton sings the wrong verse during Philadelphia Freedom in Columbus, OH!
Guy excels during the opening of Funeral for a Friend in Madison, WI:
Another quick clip of Philadelphia Freedom from Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada in fall 2008:
Keep checking back for more video clips to remember Guy.
Red Piano Tourbook Tribute to Guy
The European Red Piano tourbook was altered slightly for the fall tour with a dedication
to Guy.
See the full page tribute photo as well as a page of quotes from Elton and the rest of the band on the Tourbooks page which resides in the Bio section.
Video Tribute to Guy
As Elton embarks on the final Red Piano tour in Europe, a very moving video tribute to Guy is shown before each concert, including a video of Guy's wonderful piece, "Las Vegas Twister." This video below was shown in Dusseldorf, Germany.
The Babylon Family Fund
A fund in Guy's name has been established. Those wishing to contribute can make a
donation directly to:
The Babylon Family Fund
c/o First California Bank
32111 Agoura Road
Westlake Village, CA 91361
(818) 879-2600
Guy Babylon, the Quiet Wizard
A lovely tribute to Guy by Rich Joline.
The Quiet Wizard
Long after the main event first left the station
You hopped aboard, new genius for the sensation
Davey said let’s go for a ride, who knows how long it’ll last
And more than twenty years on, we were still having a blast
More than 1300 times, all corners of the globe
For a face in the crowd, it never got old
From up on the stage, always a nod and a smile
No matter the grind, it was surely worth our while
The Captain’s wizard, steady over his shoulder
Our hair got shorter as we both got older
Your keyboards made the Cowboy’s words
Float electric in the arenas, you know I heard
With time to kill while the plank was red
A twister was brewing inside your head
Amazed I see your fingers dance
Your gift I watch at every chance
Now there’s one less brother on the bus
The rifle hit your target, stunned all of us
Three more children with an angel above the sun
For an L.A. lady, you were the One
They’ll look for an answer in the empty skies
With stinging tears never far from their eyes
Their wounds will heal but I can say
The blues and the scars will never fade away…
Video Tribute to Guy on EJ.COM
EltonJohn.com has posted a very moving tribute to Guy on its web site, be sure to check it out. There is a video tribute featuring some little clips of Guy talking about family and music, probably shot in 2007, and featuring photos of Guy with quotes from Elton, Bernie and Davey. There is also a wonderful music tribute by John F. Higgins, featuring the top 10 Elton songs featuring Guy.
Elton Dedicates Shows at Royal Albert Hall and Amneville to Guy
Elton gave a moving eulogy to Guy as he prepared to perform the very appropriate song,
Blues Never Fade Away, during the benefit on September 22 featuring Ray Cooper. Here is a
You Tube video , while not the
greatest quality, it is an opportunity to hear Elton's moving tribute song.
In Amneville, France on September 26, Elton again dedicated Blues Never Fade Away to Guy.
Here is what he said:
"This next song is about death and how people are taken from us too soon. Three weeks ago I lost one of my best friends and my dearest colleagues. My keyboard player Guy Babylon died suddenly and it was such a shock and a devastating blow to me and everybody else who knew him. And I'm sure all of you out there have known someone who has been taken from us too soon. And this is what this next song is about and it's called Blues Never Fade Away."
Las Vegas Twister!
For those who would like further evidence of his musical talents, go online to view a video he created, titled "Las Vegas Twister." Guy originally recorded most of the individual parts for the piece in his recording studio at home and edited the video in his hotel room as he traveled around the world with Elton. He originally intended the piece to be a duet between the autoharp (the stringed instrument) and the melodica, which is played by blowing into a tube. He intended the video to be proof he could learn to play the autoharp, which he purchased from another musician while in Las Vegas. The autoharp parts were recorded in Las Vegas. But as he told me, it soon got out of control as he added several other instruments! It is a wonderful piece and highlights his very special talents. The original was recorded more than a year ago but he recently updated it to convert to High Def.
Elton Dedicates Show in Naples, Italy to Guy
On Friday, September 11, Elton performed a solo show in Naples, Italy. He told the audience that the past week was the saddest of his life, after losing one of his good friends, his keyboard player in his band, and dedicated the show to the memory of Guy. While Elton, the consumate professional, gave the audience the show they expected, his mood was somber and he was clearly not quite himself. Here is a You Tube video clip of Elton singing Your Song and dedicating the show to Guy.
New F2F Tourbook Available!
The new tourbook for the 2009 Face 2 Face tour is finally available at concert venues! The program is chock full of photos of Elton, Billy, and their bands. Be sure to check it out at your next show. Some photos of Guy from the current tourbook are now available on the Tourbooks page, which is always available on the Bio page.
Elton John Band Performs at School Benefit!
Guy, Davey, Bob, John and Nigel participated in a benefit for the Lupin Hill School in
the Los Angeles area with a concert at the jam-packed Canyon Club on Sunday, April 26.
The boys were joined on stage by musical friends Ken Stacey, Adam Chester, Billy Trudell,
Rick Astley, Bruce Watson, Windy Wagner, Kathy Babylon, and many others as well as
the Lupin Hill School's Tiger Chorale and Fabulous Fiddlers, and a band
called The Rolling Tones, comprised of students
including Charlie Johnstone (10), Juliet Johnstone (14) and Ben Babylon (11), who are all following
in their parent's musical footsteps. All proceeds from the show and auctions
benefit the school's music and arts programs. This year's theme was "It's Only
Rock'n Roll!" and featured the Rolling Tones playing several Rolling Stones songs, including
Satisfaction and Jumping Jack Flash.
Ben Babylon impressed the crowd on keys for Baba O'Riley while dad Guy looks on:
Ben Babylon on the melodica (left) while Davey jams with Rolling Tones including Charlie Johnstone & Ben Babylon:
For more photos and set list, check out the Lupin Hill 2009 Photos page.
F2F in Anaheim Guy's 1,300th Show with Elton!
Face 2 Face continued Monday night, March 30, in Anaheim, ending the March segment of the
tour, which coincidentally was Guy's 1,300th show
with Elton! WOW! Congrats, Guy!
Check out this review from the
LA Times from the Saturday show in Anaheim!
Guy's 20th Anniversary with Elton!
The summer of 2008 marked Guy's 20th anniversary as a keyboardist in the Elton John Band! His first concert appearance with Elton was a fundraiser in LA in July, 1988, and shortly after he embarked on his first Elton album recording, Sleeping with the Past, and first world tour. Since then, he has performed in concert with Elton 1,351 times!
See a video clip of Guy's introduction
at his first concert as a member of the Elton John Band in July 1988. Seems like just the other day!
A photo array from the early years:
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Check out the Tour Books page for some photos of Guy on tour with Elton through the years, including the most recent tourbooks for the Rocketman 2007-2008 tour and the new F2F tour with Billy Joel! The link resides on the Bio page.
Check out the Archives Page for a new crossword puzzle, as well as historical posts and photos, articles, video clips and the Q&A with Guy from the 2006 Elton Expo in Las Vegas!
Please let me know if you have any suggestions for this site or any materials to add! And keep checking back!
Guy Babylon Final Concert Tracker as of August 2, 2009: 1,351 shows.