Allen Lanier
Background information
Birth name	Allen Glover Lanier
Born	January 6, 1946
Died	August 14, 2013 (aged 66)
Genres	Heavy metal, hard rock,psychedelic rock
Occupations	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Keyboards, guitar
Years active	1971 – 2006
Associated acts	Blue Öyster Cult

Allen Lanier (June 25, 1946 – August 14, 2013) was an original member of Blue Öyster Cult. Lanier played keyboards and rhythm guitar. He resided inManhattan.

Lanier wrote several songs for Blue Öyster Cult albums, including “True Confessions”, “Tenderloin”, “Searchin’ for Celine”, “In Thee” and “Lonely Teardrops”. He was a onetime romantic partner of Patti Smith.

Lanier first performed with the band (then known as Soft White Underbelly) in 1967. He left the group in 1985, and was replaced by Tommy Zvoncheck (of Clarence Clemons and Public Image Ltd fame).^[1] He returned in 1987. He retired from performing with them after the Autumn of 2006.

Without any official announcement from the Blue Öyster Cult, the band’s line-up photograph has been updated to remove Allen, and a brief mention on the page forRichie Castellano has the following to say: “Since the retirement of Allen Lanier, Richie has switched over to the guitars/keyboards position, both of which he’s quite the master!”,^[2] which would seem to indicate that Allen Lanier has retired from both Blue Öyster Cult and music, at some point between 2006 and 2009. According to the Bands Facebook Page, Allen succumbed to complications from C.O.P.D.

Allen’s death was announced by the Blue Öyster Cult on August 14, 2013. According to their official Facebook page, “Allen succumbed to complications from C.O.P.D.”

References[edit source | editbeta]

• Blue Oyster Cult FAQ

Notes[edit source | editbeta]

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