Beloved Blood, Sweat & Tears Singer David Clayton-Thomas Passes Away at 84

While finding his footing with groups like The Shays and The Bossmen, David Clayton-Thomas didn’t catch the spotlight until joining Blood, Sweat & Tears. Joining forces, the singer watched as songs like “Spinning Wheel” dominated the charts, landing No. 1 in the United States and Canada. With his career spanning decades, Clayton-Thomas was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Sadly, on June 24, the famed songwriter passed away at 84. 

With no cause of death released at this time, the singer’s publicist noted that Clayton-Thomas passed away peacefully at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. But even with the singer passing away, his legacy lives on through not just his voice but also his contributions to Blood Sweat & Tears. 

The addition of Clayton-Thomas to the lineup of Blood, Sweat & Tears came thanks to folk singer Judy Collins. When watching Clayton-Thomas perform, Collins was impressed with his talent and called drummer Bobby Colomby. And while Clayton-Thomas first met the group decades ago, he never forgot the feeling of the room. “The first time I walked in and sang with that band, we were in shock. It was one of those electrical things that happen.”

[RELATED:How “Spinning Wheel” Launched Blood, Sweat & Tears to the Peak of Pop Music]

David Clayton-Thomas Couldn’t Sell “Spinning Wheel”

Throughout his time in the spotlight, Clayton-Thomas often discussed the road that led him to fame. And one of those moments came when releasing “Spinning Wheel.” But it might come as a shock to some to know that Clayton-Thomas wrote the song before joining Blood, Sweat & Tears. 

According to Clayton-Thomas, he couldn’t get the music industry to buy the song. “I wrote it a couple of years before. I had been carrying it around in my guitar case trying to get a record company interested. All the record companies said, ‘We can’t sell that. It’s jazz. Jazz doesn’t sell.’ They were all looking for rock and roll hits.” 

Not fitting the sound the music industry was looking for at the time, Clayton-Thomas turned to Fred Lipsius. “I played it for [BS&T saxophonist] Fred Lipsius and he said, ‘Oh, I know exactly what to do with that.’ And he basically just took the guitar demo and voiced it out for horns and it became our biggest hit ever.”

From transforming Blood, Sweat & Tears into one of the defining bands of its era to helping create “Spinning Wheel,” David Clayton-Thomas might be gone, but his timeless voice will continue to inspire and entertain. 

(Photo by Isa Foltin/Getty Images for Man Doki Soulmates)