(CelebrityAccess) – Robbie Bachman, co-founding member and drummer of Bachman-Turner Overdrive, or BTO, died Thursday (January 12). A cause of death has not been revealed. He was 69.
The news of his death was announced by his brother and bandmate, Randy Bachman, in a social media post. “Another sad departure. The pounding beat behind BTO, my little brother Robbie has joined Mum, Dad & brother Gary on the other side. Maybe Jeff Beck needs a drummer! He was an integral cog in our rock’n’ roll machine, and we rocked the world together.”
Another sad departure. The pounding beat behind BTO, my little brother Robbie has joined Mum, Dad & brother Gary on the other side. Maybe Jeff Beck needs a drummer! He was an integral cog in our rock ‘n’ roll machine, and we rocked the world together. #RIP #littlebrother #family pic.twitter.com/XASj6CVXzA
— Randy Bachman (@RandysVinylTap) January 13, 2023
BTO was formed in Canada in 1973 from the defunct band Brave Belt, which Randy formed after leaving The Guess Who. The original BTO lineup included Randy Bachman (guitar, lead vocals), Fred Turner (bass, vocals), Tim Bachman (guitar, vocals), and Robbie Bachman (drums). Tim departed the band soon after and was replaced by Blair Thornton on lead guitar. Their hits, “Takin’ Care of Business,” reached No. 12 in the US and “You Ain’t See Nothing Yet,” was a No. 1 hit. The band was extremely popular in Canada, winning numerous Juno awards and being inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
Randy left the group in 1977, and it had several iterations after his departure. They shortened their name to BTO with a few full and partial group reunions over the years. Bachman and Turner reunited in 2010, calling themselves Bachman and Turner with a merry-go-round of other musicians filling in. Randy and Turner were inducted into the Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame in 2011.
Robbie was born Robin Peter Kendall Bachman in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on February 18, 1953. He’s been credited with designing BTO’s logo and co-writing with Turner the BTO rock song “Roll On Down the Highway,” which hit No. 14 in 1975.
RIP.
