ELO member Mike Edwards dies
Cellist died instantly in 'tragic accident' in England
Mike Edwards, a founding member of the rock group Electric Light Orchestra, has died in a freak accident in Britain.
The cellist was driving in southwest England when a 600-kilogram bale of hay rolled down a field and crushed his van. The 62-year-old died instantly.
"This was a tragic accident," Sgt. Steve Walker of the Devon and Cornwall police traffic unit told BBC News.
The accident happened on Sept. 3 and news is just coming out of his death.
Edwards recorded several studio albums with ELO between 1972 and 1975. He left the band in 1975 to become a Buddhist and changed his name to Deva Pramada.
Edwards had been living in Totnes, Devon, and had worked on different musical arrangements, including operas at Sadler's Wells in London.
ELO sold more than 50 million albums worldwide and had 20 Top 20 singles in the U.K. in its 40-year history. Its hits include Can't Get It Out of My Head, Strange Magic, Don't Bring Me Down, Share a Little Love and Hold on Tight.
Former ELO drummer Bev Bevan called his ex-bandmate "a chubby little chap with a big black beard and the most amazing grin."
Bevan praised Edwards for adapting quickly from a classical music style to a rock style.
"He used to play [Bach's] Air on a G String using an orange instead of a bow," Bevan told BBC News.