JACK STARR AND KK DOWNING LEAD TRIBUTES TO SAVOY BROWN’S KIM SIMMONDS

Christmas and the holiday season is a time for reflection and a time to remember those we have lost. I was very upset to hear of the passing of Kim Simmonds of Savoy Brown a few weeks ago and have been thinking how to best celebrate his influence, talent and wonderful personality.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Kim a few years in support of Savoy Brown’s last album ‘Ain’t Done Yet’. Kim told me that Savoy Brown was the only band he’d ever been in and talking to him, you could tell that music and the band were lifelong passions.

Listen to me chatting to Kim in 2020 below:

Formed in London in 1965 by Kim, Savoy Brown has been a staple in the blues scene ever since. The band helped spawn the 1968 UK Blues Rock boom and later opened the eyes of many 1970s American teenagers to their own home territory blues artists.

Throughout the 70’s and 80’s, songs such as “I’m Tired”, “Train to Nowhere”, “Tell Mama” and “Lay Back In The Arms Of Someone” became Hot 100 entries.

Two of the band’s albums in the 1970s, “Looking In” and “Hellbound Train”, appeared on the Billboard Top Forty charts. 

Along the way, Savoy Brown has toured continuously, making it one of the longest running blues rock bands in existence. Through the years, the band has headlined concerts at many prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, the Fillmore East, the Fillmore West, and London’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall.

Savoy Brown, having established national status in the 1970s, provided other groups opportunity. Kiss opened the bill on a Savoy Brown national tour as did ZZ Top, The Doobie Brothers and many, many more acts. In 1981 Savoy Brown played with Judas Priest and KK Downing takes a moment to remember Kim;

“It’s with great emotion that I say these few words in honour of Kim Simmonds. I first saw Kim with Savoy Brown at the Kingfisher Country Club, just outside of Wolverhampton, I guess that must’ve been around 1967 or ‘68 and the reason I date it there is because Kim was playing what must’ve been a brand new ‘67 Flying V which was the next batch after the 58/59 models that Gibson made. There were 111 models made, Gibson did produce some in 1966, and I was 16 seeing Savoy Brown play and what an experience. I’ve just just heard the sad news, what a great person Kim was. 

Kim did open up for us in the 80s so I had the pleasure of meeting him. He was a lovely guy and a very talented musician and it’s very very sad to have lost one of our own. May he rest in peace and his music will live on. Rest in Peace Kim Simmonds” – KK Downing

Savoy Brown’s final two albums were on American label Quarto Valley records. The current line up of the band featured Kim alongside Pat DeSalvo on bass and Garnet Grimm on drums. This trio has established itself as the longest-running consistent line-up in the band’s history, now going strong for more than 10 years.

“We had 34 plus year relationship in which I was involved on 16 recordings and numerous tours on over 4 continents.

What I learned from the man Kim Simmonds was to be humble not that he told me to. But through his actions. He also made me a better player… he was a great coach and knew how to get you to be a better all around musician.

He validates my career.” – Patrick DeSalvo 

Drummer Garnet Grimm adds;

“These last several days I’ve gone between feelings of grief and gratitude – I feel that I have to approach Kim’s passing in this way. Please let me explain.  On a personal level, I feel I’ve lost an incredible friend and bandmate.  After so many years together and so many miles we covered, it really feels like I have lost a family member.  It’s Heartbreaking.   My time with Kim goes back to the 1990’s.  Pat Desalvo and I were hired to play on one of Kim’s solo projects.  It was the ” Blues like Midnight ” recording.  We did a few gigs together as an acoustic trio.  This was a side project for Kim apart from Savoy Brown.  We all became friends during this period.  But it wasn’t until much later,  2009 that Pat and I joined the band as part of Savoy Brown.  The transition was pretty easy because of our friendship and we were familiar with how each other played.  The fit felt good.  

Kim was very genuine, honest and open both on and off the stage. If he liked what you were playing, he would say so.  If he wanted something different from you, he would talk to you about what he was looking for from you as a player.   Kim would often send songs he was working on to both Pat and myself to review,  ask us for our thought’s opinions etc.. He would ask us how could we make this or that work musically.  Kim had a way of really bringing you into the creative process.  Often times he would introduce a song to the band on the road. We might talk about the structure while we were driving to a gig and to my surprise, he would ask us to play it at soundcheck that evening.  It was both fun and intimidating at the same time.  I think much of “Witchy Feeling” was constructed in this manner.  Because we had run thru those songs so many times at sound checks, Kim had a feel for which songs were “keepers” and which got pushed to the side for later review.  By the time we recorded we had the songs polished.  

I am filled with much gratitude.  I was given the opportunity to get close to this creative giant.  To have been able to play behind this legendary Blues/Rock pioneer for close to 14 years was more than I could have hoped for in my music life.   Kim was always writing, always working.   Never stopped trying to improve as a guitar player and song writer.  It was impressive to watch.  I learned so much by just observing him.  It never was lost on me that by the time I had joined the band I was benefiting from all of the hard work that Kim had done getting Savoy Brown to the name brand legendary recognition the band enjoyed.  I felt my job was to uphold the high standard set before me.  So many great musicians got their start with the band.   It has been an honor for me to be a part of that history.  Savoy Brown became a launching pad for so many.   I was once standing at the Merch. table with Kim after a gig, this gentleman said to him.  ” hey, excuse me were you in Fog Hat’?  And Kim politely responded,  ” no sir, Fog Hat was in Savoy Brown” .  Thought that was a great response.   

It is hard to believe that this creative force has now been silenced.  I understand that the circle of life must turn but it doesn’t always feel good?   I will miss him sending me all those demos, I will miss him calling me to check in on me just to talk about life.  We have lost a true international treasure.   

But thankfully for us all Kim has left us his music and art.” – Garnet Grimm

Kim truly was a creative force, who’s influence stretched far and wide and who’s passing has touched people right across the globe. An email I received the night of Kim’s passing with words that inspired me to put this tribute together came from guitarist Jack Starr of the band Burning Starr;

“Totally saddened by the news of Kim Simmonds passing, without any exaggeration. Kim was the biggest influence on my playing bar none and he made me go out and buy a Flying V when I was 17 years old. I saw him play many times when I was starting out, he was a great role model not just for his playing but also his stage presence. What I loved about Kim’s playing is that it was blues but with the intensity of hard rock, I met him a few times including at my friend’s guitar shop (Guitar Haven) ten or so years ago and he was always a gentleman and was very modest even though he was a virtual encyclopedia of the blues!

His passing for me would be as devastating as if Jeff Beck, Clapton or Page died. For me he was as important as them. May he Rest in Peace” – Jack Starr

Savoy Brown and Kim Simmonds have a body of work that is matched by only a small portion of musical artists. Bruce Quarto, CEO of Californian record label Quarto Valley Records shares a few thoughts and memories about his time with Kim;

“Quarto Valley Records was very fortunate to release Savoy Brown’s 40th, 41st and soon to be released 42nd album. Now I really need to buy his other 39 albums! My gosh… What a legacy of phenomenal music this man created!

If I could sum it up in one short sentence, I would say that Kim was one of the kindest human beings I’ve ever met. I remember the first time we met at one of his shows, my older brother and I went backstage to meet the band before they went on.

Most musicians are not real keen to meeting people just before they go on stage as they need to get into their zone. Kim was so gracious, he talked to us for 25 minutes or so… and even listened to me play a few chords on his beautiful guitar. 

I never expected that he would let me play his guitar but when I told him that I too play guitar and that I was just a picker and a grinner, nothing like him, he said Please… let me see what you got. 

After I stumbled through a song I had written long ago… he graciously smiled and said: Well there ya go… that’s all the chords you really need to know!

As my brother and I asked him questions and chatted a bit, the time quickly flew by and before we knew it, his band mates, Pat & Garnett, walked into the room and said: Kim… You know that we are on in less than 5 minutes! Kim cheerfully said: Oh… well I better put on my shirt and get my chops up then! A few minutes later he hit the stage and blew the entire crowd off their feet. Best show ever!

My older brother simply could not believe that he just met Kim Simmonds of Savoy Brown, a group he used to listen to in the late sixties!

From that point on Kim and I used to talk on the phone at least once a week. He once told me that he was so blown away that I would just call him and shoot the sh*t… and never about business either.

He stated that no other record company executive in his entire career ever bothered to just call him up and talk about stuff. We became truly great friends over the last few years. Kim was an amazing man and one of the finest musicians, songwriters, slide and harp players I ever met.

He was a true gentleman and yes… he really loved people… especially his fans.

I also grew to love his beautiful wife Debbie just as much. She is such a sweetheart. Kim really found his soulmate… that I am sure of.

I will truly miss my dear friend. Thank You for all the fine music you have given us. Goodbye for now, but we will meet again” – Bruce Quarto, President. Quarto Valley Records

As you have read, Kim was a real gentleman and created a musical legacy across his career that is unmatched. 41 albums, 50 plus years of music and yet despite this legacy, he had time for his fans and truly loved talking them. Thank you Kim for the music, thank you for taking the time to talk to me and that great gig in the sky is certainly rocking a little bit harder now!

Kim Simmonds – 5 December 1947 – 13 December 2022 – Rest in Peace