Renaissance bassist Jon Camp has died, aged 75

Jon Camp
(Image credit:  Paul Natkin/Getty Images)

Renaissance bassist Jon Camp has died, aged 75

Camp, who also sang for the band, notably the male lead on 1975's Song Of Scheherazade (from the album of the same name) as well as handling occasional guitar duties for the band, was part of the perceived classic line-up, who he joined in 1972, alongside vocalist Annie Haslam, guitarist Michael Dunford, keyboard player John. Tout and drummer Terry Sullivan.

Camp featured on every Renaissance album from 1972's Prologue through to 1983's Time-Line as well as featuring on Annie Haslam's 1977 debut album Annie In Wonderland. He also worked with Roy Wood throughout the 70s and early 80s.

Camp also featured on UK melodic rocker Robin George's solo debut album Dangerous Music and also formed the band Cathedrale, an 80s amalgam of pop and progressive rock that also featured Lifesign's mainman John Young. Their sole album was eventually released through Angel Air Records in 2017.

Young paid tribute to Camp, saying, "Sorry to hear of the passing of JC. Thoughts are with Jon's family and friends. We worked together in the 80's in a band called Cathedrale (together with Brett Wilde and Tony Bodene) which came very close to making that last step up the ladder. They were heady times and I thank Jon for his friendship and love. He continued to use 'our' picture here on Facebook something I'm very proud of. Back in the 70s I used to go and see him play with Renaissance and even booked the band once for a show in Liverpool so I was a fan and a friend. An immense talent."

Jerry Ewing

Writer and broadcaster Jerry Ewing is the Editor of Prog Magazine which he founded for Future Publishing in 2009. He grew up in Sydney and began his writing career in London for Metal Forces magazine in 1989. He has since written for Metal Hammer, Maxim, Vox, Stuff and Bizarre magazines, among others. He created and edited Classic Rock Magazine for Dennis Publishing in 1998 and is the author of a variety of books on both music and sport, including Wonderous Stories; A Journey Through The Landscape Of Progressive Rock.