Guy LeBlanc, a Canadian keyboard player who had been a member of the British progressive band Camel since 2000, died Monday after a battle with kidney cancer. He was 54.
The band issued a short statement on their official website:
**IMPORTANT NEWS**
It is with a hugely heavy heart that we announce the gentle passing of our friend and keyboard player, Guy LeBlanc, on 27th April at 4:05pm EDT.
We are unable to adequately express the sorrow we are experiencing at this time. Our hearts are with his family, Shirley, Natasha and Kayleigh LeBlanc.
LeBlanc was born in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada and started his formal musical training at the age of 4. When he was 11, he moved from classical playing to composing and playing modern electronic music.
After almost a decade of playing keyboard in local bands, LeBlanc formed Nathan Mahl, which played a combination of progressive rock and jazz fusion music. Between 1983 and 2014, the band has released ten, mostly high-concept, albums with LeBlanc participating even while a member of Camel.
LeBlanc joined Camel in 2000 after Ton Scherpenzeel left the band but had to take time off in 2003, right before the band embarked on the “farewell tour”, when his wife suffered a series of heart attacks. Over the next decade, he continued work with Nathan Mahl, recorded solo material and worked with other bands.
In 2013, LeBlanc joined his other former Camel members for the “Retirement Sucks Tour” and for their album In the Cold; however, he was not able to tour in support of the album due to his cancer diagnosis.
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