Bachman-Turner Overdrive Guitarist Tim Bachman Dead at 71

Bachman–Turner Overdrive’s founding guitarist Tim Bachman has died at the age of 71. His son, Ryder Bachman, confirmed the guitarist’s death on social media. Alongside his brothers Robbie and Randy, as well as Fred Turner, the musician performed on two of the band’s defining records, Bachman–Turner Overdrive and Bachman–Turner Overdrive II.

“My Dad passed this afternoon. Thank You Everyone for the kind words,” Bachman’s son wrote. In the black-and-white photograph he shared alongside the post, the father and son stood together on a mountaintop landing. “Grateful I got to spend some time with him at the end. Grab yer loved ones and hug em close, ya never know how long you have.”

In a post from the days leading up to his death, Ryder shared that he had been told to hurry to the hospice his father was admitted to and prepare his goodbyes as they found that his brain cancer had worsened.

“Sat with Dad yesterday afternoon and reminisced about some of the good times we had,” Ryder wrote. “He was pretty out of it most of the time, but at one point looked up at me with really, big wide eyes and said, ”I love you Paxton, keep sharing the music…” and then passed back out.” He says those were his father’s last words.

Bachman–Turner Overdrive’s Robbie Bachman, who played drums in the band, died in January. Their first self-titled album as Bachman–Turner Overdrive, released in 1973, performed moderately well at its release, but was soon blown out of the water by its follow-up. Bachman-Turner Overdrive II featured their most famous song, “Takin’ Care of Business,” as well as the hit single “Let It Ride.” BTO briefly disbanded in 1979, but by 1983, the band reunited with Randy and Tim Bachman returning, though without Robbie.

While Robbie, Randy, and Turner were all inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2014, Tim — who left the band in 1974 and was replaced by Blair Thornton — was not. The same year of the induction, he faced charges for several sexual offenses, including sexual assault, sexual interference, and invitation to sexual touching dating back to the nineties.