Elvis' Drummer Dies in Colombia

Elvis Presley's drummer dies

AFP
Saturday, January 07, 2006 09:03 IST






BOGOTA: Bill Lynn, who played drums for rock ?'n' roll king Elvis Presley, has died in Colombia after suffering from lung problems, people close to the musician said on Friday.

He was 73.

Lynn died Thursday at his home in Villa de Leyva, a scenic town 200 kilometers north of Bogota where he owned the bar Legends and Superstars that featured Elvis memorabilia.

The drummer was born in Bogota but grew up in the United States.

"He had a strong flu, which got worse in the early morning, and he died," said Cristina Alarcon, a friend of Lynn's and the culture and tourism secretary for the department of Boyaca.

"The townspeople are very sad because Bill was one of those people who would come and stay. He had become one of Villa de Leyva's attractions," Alarcon said.

Lynn played drums with Elvis in the 1960 song It's Now or Never, an English version of the Italian classic O'sole mio. A year later, Elvis sent Lynn a golden record to thank him for his collaboration. He went on to be Elvis' drummer for five years.