NASHVILLE, TN. (THECOUNT) — Keyboardist and songwriter, Gary Corbett, best known for his touring work with Kiss and Cinderella, has died after a battle with cancer.
Corbett, who wrote “She Bop,” a 1984 No. 3 Billboard hit for Cyndi Lauper, died after a battle with an aggressive form of lung cancer, according to family.
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Corbett’s death was confirmed by his sister in a post on his Facebook page:
“Those who knew Gary know that we and the world of music have all lost a very talented, funny, kind and gentle soul,” she wrote. “The pain cuts so deeply that our hearts are bleeding.”
According to UltimateClassicRock:
In mid-June, Corbett’s family revealed he was dealing with a “very aggressive form of lung cancer that has metastasized to his brain and hip.” They launched a GoFundMe campaign to help Corbett and his wife, Lenora, who were without health insurance deal with their living expenses and mounting medical costs.
Growing up in Brooklyn, in the ‘60s and ‘70s, Corbett took to music early, starting piano lessons at age four. By the time he was 10, he was earning money playing private parties on weekends. He progressed quickly, performing in a variety of bands and playing many different forms of music, including a ‘40s-style big group with members of The Tonight Show band.
In 1976 he toured with both punk singer Cherry Vanilla and Ian Hunter, who at the time was supporting his landmark solo release, You’re Never Alone With a Schizophrenic.
The Hunter gig was short-lived; Corbett was just filling in for Hunter’s regular keyboard player, Tommy Mandel. But he later said the experience gave him the chance to meet a number of key connections, including Bruce and Bob Kulick, who had just finished touring with Meatloaf.
By the ‘80s, Corbett had become an in-demand session player in the New York City area. He wrote “She Bop,” a 1984 No. 3 Billboard hit for Cyndi Lauper, and also collaborated with Debbie Gibson and Martika.
He joined up with Lou Gramm when the Foreigner singer toured in support of his debut solo album, Ready or Not, in 1987. It was Gramm who recommended Corbett to Paul Stanley when he learned Kiss were looking for a touring keyboardist.
Corbett first toured with Kiss on their 1987 Crazy Nights tour and maintained his role with the band through its 1992 travels in support of Revenge. He played offstage, joining the legion of shadow players in the ‘80s and ‘90s who were heard but not seen at Kiss shows. “There seemed to be a trend in the ’80s that bands didn’t want the image of having a keyboard player onstage,” he explained during an interview with L.A. Weekly. “Some people think keyboards aren’t as much of a rock instrument as a guitar. Gene Simmons is definitely of that mindset.”
IN the wings or not, Corbett became a valuable part of the onstage sound of Kiss, playing keys but also using synths to fatten the group’s rhythm guitars and other instruments. “Those guys put on such a show,” he said in the same interview. “Gene and Paul are running around so much, and sometimes the playing takes a backseat to the show. So in order for certain parts to never stop, you reinforce Paul’s guitar parts or you’re doubling the bass on certain things to fill out the bottom end.”
The announcement of Corbett’s passing came one day after Cinderella guitarist, Jeff LaBar, was found dead. He was 58.
LaBar’s first wife, Gaile LaBar-Bernhardt, said the musician was found dead Wednesday inside his apartment in Nashville, Tennessee.
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