Guitarist Paul Barrere Of Little Feat Passes Away At 71

Paul Barrere, guitarist for Little Feat, has just passed away at the age of 71 on October 26, as confirmed by his colleagues.

Barrere was introduced to the band in 1972, just three years shy of Lowell George forming it, and was instrumental in the comeback album Dixie Chicken. He was a constant member of the band’s ever-changing lineup, until his liver cancer diagnosis in 2015, which progressively worsened as the years went on.

On the band’s website, a statement was released saying, “It is with great sorrow that Little Feat must announce the passing of our brother guitarist, Paul Barrere, this morning at UCLA Hospital. Paul auditioned for Little Feat as a bassist when it was first being put together – in his words, ‘as a bassist I make an excellent guitarist’ – and three years later joined the band in his proper role on guitar. Forty-seven years later, he was forced to miss the current tour, which will end tomorrow, due to side effects from his ongoing treatment for liver disease.”

“He promised to follow his doctor’s orders, get back in shape, and rock on the beach at the band’s annual gathering in Jamaica in January 2020. ‘Until then,’ he wrote, ‘keep your sailin’ shoes close by…if I have my way, you’re going to need them!’ … [I]t was not meant to be. Paul, sail on to the next place in your journey with our abiding love for a life always dedicated to the muse and the music.  We are grateful for the time we have shared,” the statement continued.

Barrere was caught earlier this year stating his pride for the band’s longevity, saying, “We’ve never been a band that plays the songs the same way twice. Every song is a gem, we feel, and we leave ourselves spaces within the songs to improvise. To me that means space to be a musician. So that’s what we think is important, not play the same songs the same length every night and fire up the wind machine to blow your hair back.”

“The fact that you can play with the music, not just play it, is really the reason we say let’s go out there and do it. I’m in my 70s now, and I chuckle to myself sometimes because there are all these memories that come back from different eras when we play certain songs. I’ll deliver a lyric and then laugh on stage and have to be like, ‘Come on Paul, let’s get back in the game now’,” Barrere added.