NEW YORK CITY (CelebrityAccess) – Robert Gordon, a pioneer of the rockabilly revivalist movement, died Tuesday (October 18) in New York City at the age of 75. Gordon’s band, The Tuff Darts, was well-known in NYC’s CBGB and the punk scene of the 1970s.
Gordon’s record label, Cleopatra Records, confirmed the musician’s death via Facebook. A cause of death was not given. “Cleopatra Records would like to offer our deepest condolences to his family and friends. We liked working with Robert and will miss his powerful baritone vocal as well as his focused dedication to his music,” label VP Matt Green told the entertainment news outlet.
Born March 29, 1947, in Bethesda, MD, Gordon cut his first record at 17 with The Confidentials, but soon relocated to New York City after serving in the National Guard.
He and his band Tuff Darts, along with the likes of Patti Smith, the Ramones, Talking Heads and Blondie, became part of the downtown punk scene centered around CBGB and was included on the 1976 Atlantic Records compilation Live at CBGB.where he became a permanent fixture on the early punk scene.
He released his first solo album in 1977 and would go on to record more than 20 others. Gordon’s final album, Hellafied featuring guitarist Chris Spedding, is slated for release on November 25.
He is survived by his wife Mary Lee and two children.
