Bassist Victor Bailey dies at 56
Victor Bailey, bassist in Weather Report from 1982 - 1986, has lost his long battle against a hereditary illness.
Bassist Victory Bailey has died aged 56 after complications from a hereditary illness that affects the nervous system called Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. He had been battling against it for over twenty years.
Victor Bailey was a member of ground-breaking fusion group Weather Report from 1982 to 1986. He also recorded and toured with Lenny White, Mike Stern, Kenny Garrett, Jeff Lorber, Pharoah Sanders and Patrice Rushen as well as releasing several albums under his own name.
He joined Weather Report thanks to his life long friend, drummer Omar Hakim, and became very close to founder band member Joe Zawinul and also enjoyed career success as session bassist in pop and R&B including with Madonna and Lady Gaga. Indeed, his father Morris was a Philadelphia R&B heavyweight who wrote and arranged for Teddy Pendergrass, Billy Paul and Harold Melvin.
On the 28th October he posted on his Facebook page, “In the past days I heard from Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, Ralphe Armstrong, Daryl Jones, Randy Jackson, Hadrien Feraud, and Chulo Gatewood. I am pinching myself to be sure this is only bass player heaven LOL."
Bassist Marcus Miller said, “We lost a dear brother this morning (11 Nov.) Victor Bailey has passed. Vic's spirit was strong and passionate.”