# Bands that formed in the 60s or earlier whose founding members are all still alive **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 11, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-formed-in-the-60s-or-earlier-whose-founding-members-are-all-still-alive/517192 "2009-11-11T16:01:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Meltdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Meltdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meltdown)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-formed-in-the-60s-or-earlier-whose-founding-members-are-all-still-alive/517192/1 "2009-11-11T16:01:43Z")
Kind of a morbid topic, but it occurred to me recently that most rock and roll bands that formed before the 70s have at least one deceased founding member. We’re all familiar with the obvious examples – the Beatles, the Doors, the Who, etc. But I’ve going through Wikipedia with less obvious (to me, anyway) bands, and am finding lots of deceased members – Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys, Tom Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Gene Clark of the Byrds. What bands from this era (or earlier) have all founding memebers still alive and kicking? I realize that the term “founding member” can be a bit ambiguous – for the purposes of this exercise, define “founding member” as one of the members who played on (or otherwise contributed to) the band’s first released recording. I’ll start the thread off with Yes – founding members Jon Anderson, Peter Banks, Bill Bruford, Tony Kaye, and Chris Squire – all in their 60s, but still with us. Others? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-formed-in-the-60s-or-earlier-whose-founding-members-are-all-still-alive/517192/2 "2009-11-11T16:03:53Z")
The Kinks ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-formed-in-the-60s-or-earlier-whose-founding-members-are-all-still-alive/517192/3 "2009-11-11T16:05:18Z")
Crosby, Stills, and Nash. And Young. (second album) ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-formed-in-the-60s-or-earlier-whose-founding-members-are-all-still-alive/517192/4 "2009-11-11T16:23:14Z")
The Monkees ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-formed-in-the-60s-or-earlier-whose-founding-members-are-all-still-alive/517192/5 "2009-11-11T16:31:41Z")
The Moody Blues’ Ray Thomas, Graeme Edge, John Lodge, Denny Laine, Mike Pinder and Justin Hayward are still alive. The only one who’s died is the original bassist, Clint Warwick. He was not really a “founding” member as he was recruited by Thomas/Pinder, the real founders. ---
**Author:** ![whole\_bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-formed-in-the-60s-or-earlier-whose-founding-members-are-all-still-alive/517192/6 "2009-11-11T16:33:55Z")
Cream ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-formed-in-the-60s-or-earlier-whose-founding-members-are-all-still-alive/517192/7 "2009-11-11T17:01:35Z")
Eric Burdon and the Animals. The Animals themselves have have lost one original member, but all members of Burdon’s second incarnation are still alive. Simon and Garfunkle. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-formed-in-the-60s-or-earlier-whose-founding-members-are-all-still-alive/517192/8 "2009-11-11T17:02:27Z")
King Crimson (two members of the 1971-72 lineup are deceased, but the original 1969 members are all still with us) Jethro Tull Sly & the Family Stone Blood, Sweat & Tears ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-formed-in-the-60s-or-earlier-whose-founding-members-are-all-still-alive/517192/9 "2009-11-11T17:09:48Z")
Fleetwood Mac (somewhat surprisingly) Caravan Genesis ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-formed-in-the-60s-or-earlier-whose-founding-members-are-all-still-alive/517192/10 "2009-11-11T17:30:53Z")
The Rolling Stones Black Sabbath Deep Purple ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-formed-in-the-60s-or-earlier-whose-founding-members-are-all-still-alive/517192/11 "2009-11-11T17:32:47Z")
> [@Valgard](#): > > The Rolling Stones I think you’ll find that Brian Jones snuffed it sometime ago. A few more: Mott The Hoople The Soft Machine The Stooges ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-formed-in-the-60s-or-earlier-whose-founding-members-are-all-still-alive/517192/12 "2009-11-11T17:33:11Z")
> [@Valgard](#): > > The Rolling Stones Brian Jones is very much dead. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-formed-in-the-60s-or-earlier-whose-founding-members-are-all-still-alive/517192/13 "2009-11-11T17:39:17Z")
> [@NineToTheSky](#): > > The Stooges Ron Asheton and Dave Alexander are both dead. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-formed-in-the-60s-or-earlier-whose-founding-members-are-all-still-alive/517192/14 "2009-11-11T17:39:52Z")
> [@Valgard](#): > > The Rolling Stones No way. Ancient history, but IIRC Brian Jones and Ian Stewart were the defacto founders of the group that was joined by Mick, Keith, Charlie, and Bill. Shortly before they hit the big time Ian was demoted to “unofficial” member status. ANYWAY, Brian died in 1968. Ian passed in 1985. . ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-formed-in-the-60s-or-earlier-whose-founding-members-are-all-still-alive/517192/15 "2009-11-11T17:41:56Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > Ron Asheton and Dave Alexander are both dead. Oh dear. so they are. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-formed-in-the-60s-or-earlier-whose-founding-members-are-all-still-alive/517192/16 "2009-11-11T17:42:00Z")
Three Dog Night The Guess Who Herman’s Hermits The Four Seasons (Pretty sure about these–no cites in wikipedia regarding the deaths of any original members.) ---
**Author:** ![koufax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@koufax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koufax)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-formed-in-the-60s-or-earlier-whose-founding-members-are-all-still-alive/517192/17 "2009-11-11T17:44:22Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > No way. Ancient history, but IIRC Brian Jones and Ian Stewart were the defacto founders of the group that was joined by Mick, Keith, Charlie, and Bill. Shortly before they hit the big time Ian was demoted to “unofficial” member status. > > ANYWAY, Brian died in 1968. Ian passed in 1985. > . Brian Jones died in 1969. Paul McCartney died in 1968. He hadn’t noticed that the light had changed. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-formed-in-the-60s-or-earlier-whose-founding-members-are-all-still-alive/517192/18 "2009-11-11T17:45:08Z")
ZZ Top ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-formed-in-the-60s-or-earlier-whose-founding-members-are-all-still-alive/517192/19 "2009-11-11T17:49:25Z")
> [@want2know](#): > > Three Dog Night The three frontmen are still alive, but bassist Joe Schermie is deceased. > [@](#): > > Herman’s Hermits Derek Lekenby has gone to the Great Hermitage in the Sky. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-formed-in-the-60s-or-earlier-whose-founding-members-are-all-still-alive/517192/20 "2009-11-11T18:23:41Z")
Blood Sweat and Tears – at least, the original group that recorded **Child is the Father to the Man**. The David Clayton-Thomas incarnation may also fit the bill. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-that-formed-in-the-60s-or-earlier-whose-founding-members-are-all-still-alive/517192.md?page=2)