Mountain frontman and guitarist Leslie West died today (Wednesday) due to complications from a heart attack. He was 75.
The news was announced by his longtime guitar company, Dean Guitars. West’s brother, Larry West Weinstein, had posted that West’s heart had stopped earlier this week and that the guitarist had been placed on a ventilator in a Florida hospital. In 2011, West had his lower right leg amputated as a result of complications from diabetes.
Leslie Weinstein was born in 1945 in New York City, but grew up in various suburbs around the city. His first band was the R&B-influenced The Vagrants, who had two minor hits.
Graduating from The Vagrants, he formed the trio Mountain and crafted such early ‘70s hard rock classics “Nantucket Sleighride,” “Never in My Life” and “Mississippi Queen.” His thick, distinctive guitar tone attracted attention from both fans and fellow musicians, and he performed and recorded with the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Mick Jagger, The Who, Billy Joel and Van Halen. Mountain was also among the performers at Woodstockin 1969.
After an 11-year hiatus, Mountain re-formed in 1985 and released the album Go for Your Life. While recording and touring with the band, Leslie pursued other projects. He appeared in the 1986 comedy The Money Pit with Tom Hanks and Shelley Long, and in the mid-‘90s, he voiced characters for the animated kids show Beast Wars Transformers.
West continued recording, performing and producing right up until his death. He released two more albums with Mountain — 2002’s Mystic Fire and 2007’s Masters of War — and wrote some music and lyrics for modern rockers Clutch in 2001. Mountain also gained a new generation of fans when “Mississippi Queen” was featured in the popular video game Guitar Hero Three.
In 2011, shortly before the release of his final album, The Unusual Suspects, West’s leg had to be amputated due to his diabetes.
West leaves behind his wife Jenni.
