Tim Bachman of Bachman-Turner Overdrive dies after cancer battle

Bachman Turner Overdrive. Photo / Gems / Redferns via Getty Images

Tim Bachman has died aged 71 after a cancer battle.

The passing of the co-founding guitarist and vocalist of the Bachman-Turner Overdrive group was confirmed on Facebook on Friday by his son, Paxton Bachman.

He said about his dad – who played with BTO from 1973 until 1974, before he reunited with the band 10 years later – died as a result of complications with cancer “throughout his brain”.

Paxton added: “My Dad passed this afternoon. Thank You Everyone for the kind words.

”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.”

Recalling the final moments he spent with his dad, he added: “I sat with Dad yesterday afternoon and reminisced about some of the good times we had.

”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.

”It’s really hard watching your parent lay in bed helpless and sick and there’s nothing you can do to help them. Breaking my heart. Thankful for the time we got to spend together.”

Tim’s death comes after his brother and fellow bandmate Robbie died in January aged 69.

Their brother Randy, 79, announced the news on Twitter, calling the loss ”another sad departure”, and adding: “The pounding beat behind BTO, my little brother Robbie has joined Mum, Dad and brother Gary on the other side. Maybe Jeff Beck needs a drummer!

”He was an integral cog in our rock ‘n’ roll machine and we rocked the world together.”

Tim helped form BTO in 1973 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, after Randy left the band The Guess Who.

He featured on the group’s two albums from 1973 – Bachman-TurnerOverdrive and Bachman-Turner Overdrive II – for which he wrote the songs Down and Out Man, Blown and I Don’t Have to Hide.

He was replaced by Blair Thornton, 72, but came back to the band for a 1984 reunion tour and stayed until the late 1980s.

BTO’s self-titled debut album reached No 9 in Canada and No 70 on the Billboard rock chart, with its follow-up Bachman–Turner Overdrive II getting to the Top 10 in the US and Canada.

It had one Top 40 single, Let It Ride, as well as one of the group’s best-known tracks, Takin’ Care of Business.

The band’s third album included You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet and Roll on Down the Highway, a hit single co-written by Robbie Bachman and Fred Turner that was originally produced for a car advert.

After 1979, Bachman–Turner Overdrive briefly split before regrouping in 1983, but without Robbie, who sued the new band for trademark infringement for its continued use of the name, resulting in a royalties pay out.

Robbie briefly rejoined the band for a 1988 reunion and in 2014, Bachman–Turner Overdrive were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.