Del Palmer, Longtime Kate Bush Collaborator, Dies at 71

Del Palmer, a musician and engineer who worked closely with Kate Bush on the majority of her albums, has died. Bush wrote a tribute to her late collaborator on her website, praising his talent and creativity. “I’m going to miss him terribly,” she wrote. He was 71.

Palmer was a member of Bush’s early live band, and following her debut, The Kick Inside, he played bass on many of her recordings from 1978’s Lionheart up until her most recent album, 2011’s 50 Words for Snow. For many years, he was romantically involved with Bush. He was a self-taught engineer who worked behind the boards on her albums from 1985’s Hounds of Love onward. Palmer also released a series of solo albums beginning with 2007’s Leap of Faith.

Kate Bush:

Del

It’s hard to know what to say… He was a big part of my life and my work for many years.

It’s going to take a long time to come to terms with him not being here with us.

He was incredibly creative – talented in lots of different ways. He was a brilliant musician, bass player, a great artist – he was always drawing. Once he covered a whole recording consul in cartoons. It took him days and it looked absolutely stunning.

He taught himself to be a recording engineer, engineering several of my albums and later releasing his own.

The image above is a mosaic that Del made. He called it Tree of Life.

I’m going to miss him terribly.

Kate