Greg Lee, a co-signer of the stalwart L.A. ska group Hepcat, is dead. The 54-year-old died on March 19th in a hospital after days of hospitalization. However, he had suffered a brain aneurysm followed by a cardiac arrest on March 17th at his home.
His partner, Mandie Becker, broke the news in an Instagram post. She wrote, “He has touched the lives and hearts of so many people all around the world through music and travel. His songs with Hepcat helped so many of us in both joyous and even depressing times.”
“He has inspired so many to create, dance, sing, and love. Myself included. His unique talents and presence will forever be unmatched.” He was to perform with his group at the highly anticipated SoCal festival No Values at the Pomona Fairplex on June 8th.
The singer was an original member of Hepcat. With his other members, they formed the group in the late 1980s and have been active for over 30 years. In a genre like ska that’s not as popular as others, they introduced many people to the beauty of their music. Over the past three decades, the eight-piece band has released six records.
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They gathered fans from different walks of life with Lee and co-singer Alex Désert’s soulful harmonies and dynamic, synchronized dances. Lee once told L.A. Weekly in 2017, “When [audiences] accept Hepcat in, it becomes a piece of the story of their lives. Then other people in that age group find it and do the same thing, and it repeats itself.”
Grey Narvas also spoke about his band members’ passing, calling him a “pure ball of energy.” “I’ve learned a crucial lesson, as a performer, that whatever vibe the band exudes, the crowd absorbs — and exudes back as well. It’s a mutual chemical reaction,” he said.
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“ And Lee made sure that no matter what, every single time, his vibe was 100% pure positivity — I mean like a huge freakin’ sunbeam that he broadcast from the stage, warming everyone in its path,” Narvas said.
In addition, “That’s what I’ll miss most. It really is like having a flame extinguished. Just like that. So it’s up to us to keep the fire burning — and we will.”
Becker also said in her post, “Gregory will also live on in every piece of music he wrote and recorded, in every photo and video you took at a Hepcat show or scooter rally, and in every memory you have of him.”
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After news of his passing hit social media, many people put up remembrance posts for the late singer. “Thank you for the energy and life you have left with us. Thank you for your support of the scene and my projects,” wrote musician and promoter Bubba Sanchez.
Virginia’s SuperNova Ska Festival also posted a short message remembering Lee. “We are devastated to hear about the passing of Greg Lee from Hepcat.
Greg’s contributions to the ska scene have been monumental, and his voice has shaped the sound and soul of ska for decades,” they wrote. “Please send your love and support to his family, friends, and Hepcat family.”
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