Alan Mansfield, keyboardist with renowned New Zealand band Dragon, has died.
Mansfield, 72 died in Sydney 16 October, with his partner of 40 years, musician Sharon O’Neill, and family by his side.
He had been battling cancer, but succumbed to complications after his treatment.
“Yesterday morning I lost the love of my life, Alan. His daughter Lauren and I were with him and he passed comfortably and peacefully.” wife, O’Neill wrote on Facebook.
“Alan battled for three years and although he passed away cancer free, the ravages of his radiation treatment took a toll on his poor body. He was brave and fearless and his doctors and nurses were amazed at how long he waged the war and they loved him dearly.”
American-born Mansfield was a prolific musician and producer with a career spanning decades. He spent 20 years as a member of the Australian/New Zealand rock band Dragon and 27 years in the Robert Palmer Band.
Together with Sharon O’Neill, he co-wrote songs for both Dragon and Robert Palmer, as well as for Sharon O’Neill’s albums Danced into the Fire and Edge of Winter.
Mansfield played guitar on the Johnny and Mary single from Palmer’s album Clues and worked with Bette Midler, first going to Australia in 1979 with her band.
Mansfield made Australia home in 1982.
Mansfield produced the Dragon single Rain which became a smash hit and went on to join the band, meeting his partner Sharon O’Neill, who was opening on the highly successful Dragon Body and the Beat Tour in 1984.
A multi-instrumentalist, Mansfield was a graduate of the Boston Conservatory of Music in the United States.
Mansfield was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame as a member of Dragon in 2008 and received a Legacy award with Dragon at the NZ Music Hall of Fame in 2011.
rnz.co.nz
