Ken Orrick of Lost Highway died at his home on Saturday (1/24) after a massive heart attack.
Orrick, guitarist/vocalist with Lost Highway, a band originally from Orange County, California, was a founder member and stayed with them until the mid 1980s when the group disbanded. Lost Highway was reformed in 1996 with Orrick, who was originally from Smithville, TN, as the band leader.
He was the band’s primary lead vocalist. His approach to singing was influenced by Carter and Ralph Stanley, Larry Sparks, Lester Flatt and Melvin Goins. Fellow singer/songwriter Chris Stuart described his singing as “smooth and clear, yet distinctly bluegrass-influenced”.
As well as having a voice that has gave the band its signature sound, Orrick wrote many fine original songs, written in the best traditional style and putting Lost Highway firmly in the solid, driving, hard-core bluegrass category.
Over the 30 years in which Ken Orrick was associated with Lost Highway, he contributed great songs like Lord, Let Me Die (ironically), This Road Leads Home, Shake The Master’s Hand, Roll On River, Guilty Of Love, I Don’t Believe I’ll Fall In Love Today, Time Waits For No, I Can’t Go On Loving You, Dreams and It’s Gonna Rain. All are excellent songs that would be worthy additions to the repertoire of discerning bands in the future.
Kerry Hay, of Hay Holler Records, who released six albums on which his good friend features, remembers Orrick ……..
“I spent many hours with Ken in recording studios, at concerts and at IBMA. He was a good conversationalist and was obviously in love with the music. He was a congenial person and had good things to say about almost everybody. He had strict guidelines (e.g. dress, punctuality, practicing/rehearsals etc.) for band members, and enforced them. In recording, he was somewhat of a perfectionist. Ken and I had minor differences from time to time, but always resolved them without acrimony. I considered Ken Orrick my good friend, even after he left Hay Holler.”
Chris Stuart, who wrote the sleeve notes for Lost Highway’s album Headin’ Down That Lost Highway (HH CD 1345), says this of Orrick ‚Ķ.
“He had one of the best voices in bluegrass music. Incredible tone and feeling in his singing and I always admired him for that. I also remember travelling with him in Oman when our band and Lost Highway toured together. He always warmed up his voice before going on stage and he could always connect with an audience. He was just a natural singer and performer. Ken had his own personal demons, but on stage he was at his best. He was the source of some great stories and we’ll miss him.”
Long term enthusiast Penny Parsons is shocked by the news ……
“I had been a fan of his singing and song writing with Lost Highway for many years. I heard the band long before I saw them live. My friend Kirk Brandenberger made me a tape of some of their material in the 1980s, with Stuart Duncan on fiddle. I was immediately struck my how powerful and authentic their music was. There was something about Ken’s voice that just resonated with me. He knew how to hit the nail squarely on the head. I remember the first time I saw the band, at IBMA (don’t know the year, but it was in Owensboro), and how exciting it was to finally see them perform live. My memory is that Ken projected a vitality and a joy about the music that was contagious. I am truly saddened to learn of his passing. Bluegrass music has lost a great friend and proponent.”
