MONTREAL - Jim Clench, a bassist and vocalist who played with Canadian rock bands April Wine and Bachman Turner Overdrive, has died at 61.
April Wine bandmate Brian Greenway says Clench died Tuesday in a Montreal hospital after fighting Stage 4 lung cancer.
Clench was not married and had no children.
Clench joined April Wine in 1970 after the release of the band's first album and played bass and added vocals to the mix until 1975.
He went on to join Bachman Turner Overdrive, before returning to April Wine in 1992 and staying with the band through 2006. He also wrote songs for the band, including fan favourite "Oowatanite."
His funeral is expected to be held next week in St. John's, N.L., Greenway says.
Sadly, Clench's bandmates in April Wine had only found out about his illness a day before he died, and didn't get a chance to see him one last time.
"He was a very private person, when he left the band he sort of stayed on his own and we were travelling a lot -- and as happens with bands when you change members, you sort of lose contact sometimes," Greenway said, and noted that he's received well over 100 notes of condolences from fans.
"There's another one up there jamming with the guys," he said in tribute to Clench.
