Wilfred Gibson

Wilfred Gibson (28 February 1945[1] — 21 October 2014) was an English violinist, session musician, and early member of the Electric Light Orchestra, born in Dilston, Northumberland.[1]

In 1970, Wilfred played lead violin on Centipede's 1970 album Septober Energy.[1][2] The following year, he gave multiple contributions to King Crimson's fourth studio album Islands. He played violin in a small orchestra which performed "Prelude - Song of the Gulls", of which he was practically the leader, due to the fact that band leader and composer of the track, Robert Fripp was less then qualified as a orchestral conductor (even to the extent of using a pencil as the baton[3]). He also added violin in other places such as on the opening track "Formentera Lady". Despite his contributions, he went uncredited. [4]

Wilfred replaced original ELO violinist Steve Woolam in 1972[1] and performed in their first live concert. He later made contributions to the ELO II album and performed on the songs "Roll Over Beethoven", "Showdown" and "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle" playing with cellists Colin Walker and Mike Edwards. He was replaced in 1973 by Mik Kaminski, declining an invitation to join King Crimson as a replacement for violinist David Cross.[4]

In 1989 he was the violinist in the BBC Radio 3 musical drama Notes from Janàcek's Diary. He contributed to the Hothouse Flowers album Home (1990),[5] and to The Beloved's Happiness (1995) as well as appearing on the Oasis hit "Whatever".[1]

He was one of the ten members of Alan Gout's Berkeley Square Society Band, which plays 1920s and 1930s music, and released an album Gershwin in London Town on the Zah Zah record label in 1998. In 1999 he played on the musical soundtrack of the film, The Last September.

Gibson died in 2014 after a short illness.[6][7][8]