Tommy Eyre
Tommy Eyre (5 June 1949 – 23 May 2001) was an English session keyboardist from Sheffield, England. He is renowned for his work with a wide array of artists, including Joe Cocker, John Martyn, Gary Moore, Michael Schenker, the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Greg Lake, B.B. King, John Mayall, Ian Gillan, Gerry Rafferty, Tracy Chapman, and Wham!. Eyre's notable contributions include the organ introduction on Joe Cocker's UK chart-topping "With a Little Help from My Friends" and playing synthesizer and keyboards on Gerry Rafferty's "Baker Street" and "Right Down the Line".
Eyre began his musical journey with piano lessons at the age of four and picked up the guitar in his teens. In 1968, he joined Joe Cocker's Grease Band, later moving to London to work with the Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation and Blue Whale. His career included stints with bands like Juicy Lucy, Mark-Almond, and Riff Raff, the latter of which he co-founded. Eyre also played with ZZebra and The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, and worked with John Martyn and Greg Lake in the early 1980s.
One of his most successful collaborations was with the pop duo Wham!, where he served as musical director and contributed to the album "Make It Big" and the iconic singles "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" and "Careless Whisper". Eyre's session work extended into the late 1980s and 1990s, during which he collaborated with artists such as Ian Gillan and Gary Moore. He also recorded several albums with his wife, American violinist Scarlet Rivera, and produced solo albums featuring instrumental piano music.
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