Dave Swarbrick
Folk musician, Dave Swarbrick has died at the age of 75 - two decades after his obituary was mistakenly published.
According to The Guardian, Dave's family made the announcement that he had passed away earlier today. His death was prematurely announced in 1999 by the Daily Telegraph which published an obituary after he was taken to hospital suffering from emphysema.
During his next public appearance, he told fans: “It’s not the first time I’ve died in Coventry", as he signed copies of the obit. He battled the condition for years and had to undergo three tracheotomies, forcing him to perform with an oxygen canister to help him breathe.
Swarbrick, who grew up in North Yorkshire, had a double lung transplant in 2004 and continued to perform live.
Dave Swarbrick posed with fiddle and cigarette in 1977
The award-winning musician, known as Swarb, was one a virtuosic violin player and was highly regarded during the 1960s folk revival.
Swarbrick started his music career in the 1950s as a guitarist in a ceilidh band before joining Ian Campbell Folk group in Birmingham as a fiddle player.
He joined Fairport Convention in 1969 as a session musician before becoming a full-time member of the group. His most recent performance was a 17-venue tour of the UK in April and May 2014 supported by folk trio Said the Maiden, at his request.
The musician played out his final years in Mid Wales, where he lived with his wife, Jill Swarbrick-Banks.
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