Big Big Train’s David Longdon has died aged 56

David Longdon, the frontman of British prog rock band Big Big Train, has died aged 56.

Longdon died following an accident, the band confirmed in a statement shared with Prog.

“Big Big Train are extremely saddened to announce the death of David Longdon this afternoon in hospital in Nottingham, UK at the age of 56 following an accident in the early hours of Friday morning,” the band wrote. “He is survived by his two daughters Amelia and Eloise, his mother Vera and his partner Sarah Ewing.”

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The band’s bassist and founder Greg Spawton said: “It is unspeakably cruel that a quirk of fate in the early hours of yesterday morning has deprived him and his loved ones of a happy future together and all of the opportunities, both personal and musical, that awaited him next year and beyond.”

Steve Hackett, former guitarist with Genesis, tweeted: “I’m very sad to hear of David Longdon’s passing. He was a lovely guy and had a wonderful voice. He sounded fabulous singing on the vocal version of Spectral Mornings.”

“We are so terribly sorry to hear this news,” Marillion said in a short statement. “He was a kind and lovely man. We shall miss him. Sending love to his family and friends.”

Big Big Train formed in Bournemouth in 1990, with Longdon joining the band alongside Nick D’Virgilio in 2009. ‘The Underfall’s Yard’ was the first album that marked Longdon’s on-record appearance with the band. Their latest studio album ‘Common Ground’ was released in July 2021 and Longdon will feature on the forthcoming Big Big Train record ‘Welcome To The Planet’, due for release in January 2022.

Last year, Longdon released a collaboration with the late folk musician and Fairport Convention singer Judy Dyble under the name Dyble Longdon. The album ‘Between A Breath And A Breath’ was released shortly after Dyble’s death from lung cancer. According to the band’s statement, Longdon had been in the studio working on a new solo album the day before his accident.

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Read more tributes to Longdon below:

The band said they would issue a further statement soon about their 2022 concerts, including their long-delayed debut US tour.