Paul Buckmaster R.I.P.

It's going around on Facebook. Paul's work with Elton John and his arrangement for Nilsson's "Without You" is legendary. R.I.P.

 

RIP Paul Buckmaster, very Sad news!

 

Thank you for your great music Mr Buckmaster -
Rest In Peace

Paul Buckmaster was the Orchestral/ String Arranger on some of my favorite songs:
Nilsson's "Without You"
Bowies's "Space Oddity"
Elton's "Border Song" "Tiny Dancer" "Your Song" "Levon"
Carly Simon's " You're So Vain"

...and one of the most grand and epic Rock songs:
Rolling Stones "Moonlight Mile"

 

He was a genius! Madman Across The Water, "Levon," listen to it.

Also worked with Train on "Drops Of Jupiter" and made me like that song, and also won the Grammy for his arrangement on that tune. Not that I care about Grammys, really, but just read that on wikipedia.

Years ago I was out at a bar and "Drops Of Jupiter" came on, and I'd heard it before, and I kept thinking, "What''s going on with this song, why does it seem familiar?" I'm not sure how I found out that it was Paul Buckmaster, but he certainly had an imprimatur.

 

Cool, I didn't know he did "Space Oddity". A timeless arrangement that exists in it's own space and time.

 

Sad to hear this. I love all of his early Elton John stuff (I enjoy the ENTIRE Friends album). Bee Gees Odessa cello. And he was working with Miles Davis during an amazing period. I always felt he was underappreciated - he was a giant.

 

Paul worked on the orchestral arrangements for Street Of Dreams, There Was A Time, Madagascar and Prostitute for GN'R. RIP

 

If that had been the only song Paul arranged, he'd still have been considered a master. His strings are the perfect addition to that track.

 

Very sad news. He was a great talent. RIP.

 

Urgh. I really loved his stuff. He was beyond brilliant. RIP to an amazing talent.

 

RIP

 

Man...the greats are dropping like flies. A brilliant orchestral arranger and occasional composer. I've always loved his string arrangements particularly on "Sixty Years On".

 

I looked up who did the string arrangement when I heard the song on the radio because it was so great and saw it was Paul. RIP to a supremely talented musician.

 

Big loss. Not as well known to the public as the artists whose music he arranged, but arguably more important to many of those tracks than the name artists themselves.


RIP

 

He also made considerable contributions to several of Shawn Phillips' albums.
I always appreciated his work, his arrangements always were sensitive to supporting the artist's vision.

 

I couldn’t imagine early Elton without Paul. IMO his contributions on that stuff are just as important as Elton and Bernie’s. Just amazing stuff.

 

As others have pointed out Paul Buckmaster's work on the early Elton John albums is very special. A sad day for music. RIP.

 

We were playing "The Thorns" one and only album in the store and at some point two guys come back to the counter to see what is playing. I hand over the case and get back to whatever useful nonsense I was engaged in, suddenly I hear "F-ck-r, I told you that was Buckmaster, pay up b-t-ch". Dude handed me the case back and walked away $20.00 richer. Amazing work with Elton and many others, hell I'll even listen to "Drops of Jupiter" for a little bit to hear the strings. R.I.P.

 

Genius work with The Rolling Stones on Sticky Fingers
Sway
Moonlight Mile

He worked with an amazing array of artists from many genres, a very impressive discography.

 

Very sad news. He was an incredible talent who made a huge impact on some of rock and pop’s greatest songs. R.I.P.

 

He's got a legacy that will live on! Rest in peace to a master. I'll spin some "Moonlight Mile" tonight in his honor.

 

So many brilliant arrangements. He had an instantly recognizable style.

He did some arrangements on Leonard Cohen’s SONGS OF LOVE AND HATE. When the strings kick in on Avalanche you know it’s Buckmaster. Interestingly enough, he referred to some of the songs on Cohen’s album as unarrangable, but managed nonetheless.

 

Gonna listen to Friends right now. I probably would not be into Elton John as much as I am without this man. RIP.

 

I'm sorry to be "that guy," but is there a legitimate source for the news of his passing?

 

I just googled, and went to his website, and I see nothing about a death. I so hope this thread isn't a send-up. Not that I want him dead. I'm not on Facebook, which is where someone here saw it, allegedly.