Michael Ward: Grammy winner and former guitarist for The Wallflowers has died aged 57, bandmates announce
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Michael Ward, the guitarist known for his tenure with Jakob Dylan’s project The Wallflowers, has died at the age of 57. The news was made through The Wallflower’s Facebook page on April 3 2024 - ahead of a performance Ward was set to undertake in Las Vegas on April 5 2024.
"With love and gratitude the Wallflowers say farewell to the great and singular Michael Ward," they wrote alongside a snapshot of his custom guitar picks from the era and a few other photos from the band.
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Hide Ad"Michael’s role and talents will forever remain a crucial part of the band’s history. His contributions to music began before his time with the Wallflowers and continued long after his time with the band," their brief tribute continued. "Listening to Thin Lizzy on a sorrowful day. Rest now Mike. Much love to his family and his two children."
Ward joined The Wallflowers in 1995 at the invitation of Jakob Dylan, contributing to the album "Bringing Down the Horse, which sold over 5 million copies, earning Ward a Grammy Award for "One Headlight" in the category of Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
His tenure with The Wallflowers was marked by significant success but also personal challenges in adapting to the band's sound, diverging from his preference for a "Gibson rockin' humbucker" style to the more characteristic Vox AC-30 and Telecasters sound of the band. Despite the success, Ward experienced a sense of being creatively stifled, which eventually led to his departure from the group.
Following his time with The Wallflowers, Ward joined Ben Harper as one of the Innocent Criminals, contributing to albums such as "Both Sides of The Gun" and "Lifeline." He earned an NAACP Image Award for his work on "There Will Be A Light" with Ben Harper and The Blind Boys of Alabama.
Beyond his band affiliations, Ward was a sought-after session musician and guitar instructor based in Los Angeles, California until his death earlier this week.
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