Dan McCafferty — the former lead vocalist and co-founding member of Scottish hard rockers Nazareth — has died. McCafferty's Tuesday (November 8) passing was confirmed by bassist and backing vocalist Pete Agnew, though a cause of death was not revealed. He was 76.
In a statement shared via the band's social media profiles, Agnew wrote, "This is the saddest announcement I ever had to make. Maryann and the family have lost a wonderful loving husband and father, I have lost my best friend and the world has lost one of the greatest singers who ever lived. Too upset to say anything more at this time."
McCafferty formed Nazareth alongside Agnew, guitarist Manny Charlton and drummer Darrell Sweet in Dunfermline, Scotland in 1968. The group made their debut with a self-titled album in 1971, and achieved their greatest success with sixth studio LP, 1975's Hair of the Dog.
Along with its title track, Hair of the Dog scored Nazareth a hit with the inclusion of "Love Hurts," a cover of the Everly Brothers' song reimagined as a power ballad. For their version, the band would also make a lyrical adjustment, changing the original line, "Love is like a stove / It burns you when it's hot," to "Love is like a flame / It burns you when it's hot."
After jumping to No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, "Love Hurts" would go on to be featured in episodes of King of the Hill and That '70s Show, in addition to films like Dazed and Confused, Click, Wayne's World, This Is Spinal Tap, High Fidelity, The Full Monty and many more.
Before "Love Hurts," McCafferty and Nazareth also found chart success in bringing their Scottish rock flavour to Joni Mitchell's "This Flight Tonight," which first appeared on her 1971 classic Blue. As bassist Agnew told The Independent in 2002, "We used to listen to Joni as we were travelling 'round in the van. 'This Flight Tonight' was a big favourite."
Agnew recalled how Nazareth landed in the US to start an American tour while Mitchell was cutting Blue at A&M studios in Los Angeles. "We all happened to be in the studio the day ["This Flight Tonight"] was released [as a single], so we were introduced to her and told her what we had done. She said, 'What, with a rock band?'" The bassist added that after Mitchell's song became a hit for the band, "She was playing a gig in London and told the audience: 'I'd like to open with a Nazareth song'!"
McCafferty appeared on all of Nazareth's albums up to 2014, and toured with the band for 45 years until announcing his retirement from the road in 2013 due to health issues. Those issues included his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that made him leave a stage in Switzerland in late August 2013 after performing three songs, and a burst stomach ulcer that saw him collapse during a concert in Cranbrook, BC, in July 2013.
McCafferty also recorded and release music as a solo artist, beginning with a self-titled album in 1975. Sophomore LP Into the Ring would follow in 1987, ahead of third and final LP Last Testament arriving in 2019.
In a statement shared via the band's social media profiles, Agnew wrote, "This is the saddest announcement I ever had to make. Maryann and the family have lost a wonderful loving husband and father, I have lost my best friend and the world has lost one of the greatest singers who ever lived. Too upset to say anything more at this time."
McCafferty formed Nazareth alongside Agnew, guitarist Manny Charlton and drummer Darrell Sweet in Dunfermline, Scotland in 1968. The group made their debut with a self-titled album in 1971, and achieved their greatest success with sixth studio LP, 1975's Hair of the Dog.
Along with its title track, Hair of the Dog scored Nazareth a hit with the inclusion of "Love Hurts," a cover of the Everly Brothers' song reimagined as a power ballad. For their version, the band would also make a lyrical adjustment, changing the original line, "Love is like a stove / It burns you when it's hot," to "Love is like a flame / It burns you when it's hot."
After jumping to No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, "Love Hurts" would go on to be featured in episodes of King of the Hill and That '70s Show, in addition to films like Dazed and Confused, Click, Wayne's World, This Is Spinal Tap, High Fidelity, The Full Monty and many more.
Before "Love Hurts," McCafferty and Nazareth also found chart success in bringing their Scottish rock flavour to Joni Mitchell's "This Flight Tonight," which first appeared on her 1971 classic Blue. As bassist Agnew told The Independent in 2002, "We used to listen to Joni as we were travelling 'round in the van. 'This Flight Tonight' was a big favourite."
Agnew recalled how Nazareth landed in the US to start an American tour while Mitchell was cutting Blue at A&M studios in Los Angeles. "We all happened to be in the studio the day ["This Flight Tonight"] was released [as a single], so we were introduced to her and told her what we had done. She said, 'What, with a rock band?'" The bassist added that after Mitchell's song became a hit for the band, "She was playing a gig in London and told the audience: 'I'd like to open with a Nazareth song'!"
McCafferty appeared on all of Nazareth's albums up to 2014, and toured with the band for 45 years until announcing his retirement from the road in 2013 due to health issues. Those issues included his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that made him leave a stage in Switzerland in late August 2013 after performing three songs, and a burst stomach ulcer that saw him collapse during a concert in Cranbrook, BC, in July 2013.
McCafferty also recorded and release music as a solo artist, beginning with a self-titled album in 1975. Sophomore LP Into the Ring would follow in 1987, ahead of third and final LP Last Testament arriving in 2019.
