Jon Lord

A musician, and composer. Lord is best known as a co-founder of the heavy rock band Deep Purple, in which he was a member from 1968 to 1976, and again, following the reformation of Deep Purple, from 1984 to 2002. He was also a member of Whitesnake from 1978 to 1983. His trademark keyboard sound on the Hammond organ played loud & sometimes distorted, fusing rock with classical or baroque, helped define heavy metal.

Born: 9th June 1941, in Leicester, England.

Died: 16th July 2012, in London, England. [aged 71, of pancreatic cancer].