After ten days in the hospital, drummer to the stars Ricky Lawson has died at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center after being removed from life support. On December 13, Ricky became disoriented during his Christmas show at the Spaghettini Restaurant & Lounge in Seal Beach, California. Ricky died surrounded by family members, and according to Paul Riser, Ricky Lawson's uncle: "He expired as soon as they took him off life support."
Ricky was born as Richard David Lawson in Detroit, Michigan. Within a few years of starting to play drums at sixteen, Ricky's natural talent skyrocketed him into a major career and he became one of the music industry's most sought-after studio and tour musicians in the 1980's. He was a founding member of the Yellowjackets and, in 1986, he won a Grammy Award for their recording of And You Know That.
Affectionately known throughout the music industry as the 'drummer to the stars', Ricky worked with some of the world's greatest artists including Eric Clapton, Earth Wind & Fire, Phil Collins, Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Robben Ford, and Steely Dan, to name a few.
Paul Riser also said memorials will be held in Detroit and Los Angeles. Full details about services will be announced in coming days. Lawson's organs were donated for possible transplant to others.
