Glen Buxton | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Glen Edward Buxton |
Born |
Akron, Ohio, US |
November 10, 1947
Died | October 19, 1997 Clarion, Iowa |
(aged 49)
Genres | Rock, hard rock, heavy metal |
Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
Instruments | Guitar |
Associated acts | Alice Cooper, Virgin |
Notable instruments | |
Gibson SG Custom Gretsch Duo-Jet Rickenbacker 381 Gibson Les Paul |
Glen Edward Buxton (November 10, 1947 – October 19, 1997) was an American musician, and guitarist for the original Alice Cooper band. In 2003, Rolling Stone ranked Buxton number 90 on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. In 2011, he was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Alice Cooper band.
Born in Akron, Ohio, Buxton moved to Phoenix, Arizona and in 1964, while attending Cortez High School, made his debut in a rock band called The Earwigs. It was composed of fellow high school students Dennis Dunaway and Vincent Furnier. They were popular, and changed their name to The Spiders in 1965 and later to The Nazz in 1967. In 1968, to avoid legal entanglements with the Todd Rundgren-led Nazz, Buxton's band changed their name to Alice Cooper.
Buxton was the co-writer of hit songs like "School's Out", "I'm Eighteen", "Elected," and "10 Minutes Before the Worm". He is credited as lead guitarist on seven albums by Alice Cooper, including the chart-topping Billion Dollar Babies. His final album with Alice Cooper was 1973's Muscle of Love
Throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, Buxton maintained a low profile, playing only occasional club gigs with bands like Shrapnel and Virgin. In the 1990s, Buxton lived in Clarion, Iowa, performing with local artists.
A few weeks before his 50th birthday, he died of complications from pneumonia at a hospital in nearby Mason City, Iowa. He had recently spent time with old bandmates Michael Bruce and Neal Smith. Buxton is buried in Evergreen cemetery in Clarion, Iowa.