Alan White, longtime drummer for prog rock’s Yes, dead at 72

By CHRIS GRYGIEL
Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) — Alan White, the longtime drummer for progressive rock pioneers Yes who also played on projects with John Lennon and George Harrison, has died. He was 72. White’s death was announced on his Facebook page by his family. The post said he died at his Seattle-area home on Thursday after a brief illness. Just days earlier Yes had announced that due to health issues White would not take part in the band’s upcoming tour of the United Kingdom. White joined Yes in 1972, replacing original drummer Bill Bruford. In a band noted for frequent lineup changes, White was a constant and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Yes in 2017.