(Burnaby) Chad Allan, founding member of legendary Canadian rock bands Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive, has died at the age of 80.
Jamie Anstey, vice president of Regenerator Records, which reissued a number of his early albums and recordings, said Mr. Allan died Tuesday, but his family had asked friends to delay announcing his death to give them time to grieve privately.
Mr. Allan had suffered several strokes since 2017. He had spent time in hospitals and a care home near his home in Burnaby, British Columbia.
Born Allan Kowbel on March 29, 1943, he adopted the stage name Chad Allan due to frustrations over his friends calling him “cowbell” and formed his first band while attending high school in Winnipeg.
The group has changed its name several times. It was called Chad Allan and the Reflections and Chad Allan and the Expressions, before adopting the name Guess Who.
Burton Cummings joined the group in 1965 and Allan left the band shortly after, fearing that his exuberant stage performances had caused him to lose his voice.
He is survived by his wife Christine, whom he married in 1999.