February 20

 Walter Becker

February 20, 1950 – September 3, 2017. As the co-founder and lead guitarist for Steely Dan, Walter Becker defined the sophisticated fusion of jazz and rock from 1972 to 1981. Though he initially served as the bass guitarist during the group’s early touring years, he gradually shifted his focus toward intricate guitar arrangements and meticulous studio production. His partnership with Donald Fagen produced a string of critically acclaimed albums, including Can't Buy a Thrill and the sonically flawless Aja.

The late seventies marked Walter Becker’s peak as a studio perfectionist, where his wry lyrical wit and technical precision became legendary. His tenure with the collective lasted from 1972 to 1981, and later from 1993 to 2017. Throughout the decade, he remained a primary architect of their complex, polished sound.

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J. Geils

February 20, 1946 – April 11, 2017. As the namesake lead guitarist for The J. Geils Band, John Warren Geils Jr. anchored the group’s high-octane blues and rock synthesis from 1968 to 1985. His crisp, rhythmic fretwork was the engine behind their reputation as a premier live act, specifically on high-energy releases like Full House. Throughout the seventies, he remained dedicated to a raw, soul-influenced sound on albums such as Bloodshot and Sanctuary.

By 1980, J. Geils had steered the quintet into a successful commercial transition with the release of Love Stinks.

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Randy California

February 20, 1951 – January 2, 1997. In 1968, the psychedelic rock landscape was forever altered when Randy California served as the visionary lead guitarist and vocalist for Spirit. His tenure with the group lasted from 1968 to 1972, and again from 1974 until 1997. During the seventies, he pioneered the use of various effects pedals to create the ethereal, sprawling soundscapes found on the masterwork Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus. Following a brief solo period, he revitalized the band’s output with the ambitious double album Spirit of '76.

This legendary artist tragically drowned in the Pacific Ocean while heroically rescuing his young son from a dangerous riptide off the coast of Molokai, Hawaii.

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