Rest in Peace, Recording Artist David Lasley (James Taylor, Boz Scaggs, Bonnie Raitt): 1947-2021

David Lasley, a renowned singer/songwriter/recording artist known for 24 years of work with James Taylor in addition to time spent with Boz Scaggs, Bonnie Raitt, Dionne Warwick, Luther Vandross, Aretha Franklin, Dusty Springfield and more, has passed away at the age of 74, it was announced by his friend and musical colleague, Arnold McCuller, on Thursday.

https://www.facebook.com/arnoldmcculler/posts/323759319571560?__cft__[0]=AZV8U6F-Juuz9LF-Q7BGKfTfUFq-4IYFk8ARdlO1qj4z2R6X6Bx4pS-9HPgXHV6jsOzdhBth5ERI4ldVNF4yGzHJ6KG7l7HFAqbvNOTrNNmfeM-P_HQdM9TYVA1otSPA63b-takbDw-eaR2-ZfzFR4WO&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

News of Lasley’s passing led to a number of his friends and fellow musician colleagues sharing condolences on social media.

https://www.facebook.com/JamesTaylor/posts/5027171113972323?__cft__[0]=AZUz1BjWDePz0C1SsVIFPCw4tsGGiAErFHM4GmfX4LzBgtENhf_bzXQkPnUG43sjZngtxeUpn-qKk5slRrqMMcp4V-yVp01OyQcHqGzOL5GTxzYgtY0bwfNUvGqJK3IBDE_eBb9A3os_xKOUYVhl6hRC&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

https://www.facebook.com/katemarkowitzband/posts/771800757070019?__cft__[0]=AZVK4VkxTNOWdQvLqVVedUFArC93i6Rbk5vBEWh-Pub1My4-rMVvITsTh9hmN31yij7s8TI8VdDWoxY8fM1UOXyhewwVHN3NjyafKn0FNlOv0Wd02Iinwdx2RsLttI40Z0A2Y4h1LY6z9uzk4LgDNTT7&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

https://www.facebook.com/LelandSklarOfficial/posts/442761987291219?__cft__[0]=AZVjTAWUVqrWdTtO43NMC0ecb87899HAhhln6eUlPYdW4qrGWQ4UMy8jypLFH5Jed6avHbvZhwx0QfKJ9S0_aKvuB-QUiF7VNwiVLyC_OrOZ8eGbF0N8uBTe6lGeIBQPS9o&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

https://www.facebook.com/desmond.child/posts/452161876272076?__cft__[0]=AZW6KhS-OdZC8chlClU7ir7SM-uPSQvWmT1_CSIyr6kcPwI7paagjghfcXl6ngz4pOUmXTzmP0fDncLKmcyaaenyZ18up3e2f1QXE4yoSPfJ5l8T38Ft-RytmdGO-PSVjY8&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

https://www.facebook.com/msmcdmusic/posts/10226794438752918?__cft__[0]=AZVOKFWJuMtMR2uwOI6jAHYs4Stohsl434dcKZzcMhFBRxRBhd1XHvrS6EQxrDSobbr232J9vvrmjd_yT4Qi58pkEtye6BRqkwuC7e-EYjnmGg&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

The above is an update to our February 2021 story about Lasley needing help with mounting medical bills after significant health issues. Here’s the rest of that original story. 

A GoFundMe page set up by Lasley’s friend and musical colleague Arnold McCuller is up at this link accepting donations to help support Lasley’s recovery, which will be extensive. Here’s more on the situation, straight from the GoFundMe campaign:

My beloved, dear friend David Lasley needs our love and support. 

A severe illness has recently left David as a surviving amputee. David is still recovering in a medical facility. He faces a lengthy period of rehabilitation and physical therapy even after his release. All things considered David is in great spirits but the road to recovery will be a long and costly one. 

Upon David’s safe return home, his house will have to be remodeled and equipped with wheelchair accessible ramps, widening entryways, bathroom remodel, and much more. The funds raised from this campaign will be used towards his mounting medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, home care treatment, home renovations and more. 

How can you help? Every donation will help alleviate the stress of his financial burden so David can focus on the journey he now faces as a motivated, surviving amputee. If you can’t afford to give anything please share this message to help spread the word. 

Many of you have been asking for an update on how you can join James in helping and supporting James’s friend, band member and vocalist extraordinaire, #DavidLasley. See @ArnoMac's tweet, and thanks for your love and support ❤️ #JT #JamesTaylor https://t.co/NnQKg24FA9

— James Taylor (@JamesTaylor_com) February 22, 2021

Many of you know David and myself from our time with James Taylor, however David is an accomplished singer/songwriter that has recorded, toured, and written songs for Bonnie Raitt, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle, Dionne Warwick, Boz Scaggs, Todd Rundgren, and numerous other musicians. 

Our history. David was the first professional singer songwriter I ever met. We’d sit and sing oldies in ballrooms of hotels we were staying in. That was 1970 when we joined the Mercury tour of the Broadway Musical “HAIR”! So yes we sang “What a Piece of Work is Man”, David played Margaret Mead, and we lived and worked with Luther Vandross in NYC after the tour ended and became the singers in demand. Singing with Cissy Houston, Pattie Austin, Valerie Simpson, and all the other divas of the 70’s and 80’s.

Please join me in helping David through these times and giving him all the love and support we can. Thank you for acknowledging this friendship 51 years and counting!

Love and Light,
Arnold