According to a statement from the bandposted to Facebook, Lawton died unexpectedly on June 29.
“Contrary to reports, there was no illness involved, which makes his passing incomprehensible.
He went peacefully with his wife at his side.
Former Uriah Heep singer John Lawton has died at 74.Fin Costello/Redferns
John will be greatly missed.”
We would appreciate that the family’s privacy is respected during this difficult time."
“[But] the money just wasn’t there to keep the band going without anything else.
Fin Costello/Redferns
“I didn’t know enough about Uriah Heep before I joined,” Lawton recalled.
“We both really agreed that we should come to the end of our ways,” he said.
Having said that, we are still good friends.”
Lawton would later fill in for singer Bernie Shaw for two weeks on Heep’s 2013 European tour.
