Leslie West, Mountain singer of ‘Mississippi Queen’ fame, dies aged 75

Musician died as a result of a cardiac arrest earlier this week

Mountain perform in New York in 1971. Pictured: Felix Pappalardi (left) and Leslie West (right) (Getty Images)

Leslie West, the singer and guitarist from the US hard rock band Mountain, has died at the age of 75.

The news was confirmed by the artist’s brother, Larry West Weinstein. West died on Wednesday morning after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Mountain was formed by West, bassist and singer Felix Pappalardi, keyboard player Steve Knight and drummer ND Smart in 1969.

Their debut album Climbing!, released in 1970, featured the single “Mississippi Queen”, which became the band’s best-known song and would later feature in many films and TV series, including The Simpsons. 

West also co-wrote the song “Long Red”, which Mountain played at Woodstock in 1969 in a performance that was later released on a 1972 live album.

“Long Red” has been widely sampled in hip-hop music, with Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Public Enemy, Nas, Jay-Z, Eminem and J Cole among the hundreds of artists to have used the track.

Before forming Mountain, West enjoyed a career as a member of the rock and soul group The Vagrants.

In 1969, he released a solo album, entitled Mountain, with Cream producer Pappalardi’s involvement. Mountain disbanded in 1973, but would reform many times throughout the years.

Tributes to West have poured in on social media in the wake of his death. 

Singer-songwriter and famed Bruce Springsteen collaborator Nils Lofgren wrote: “Rest In Peace, friend. Grin opened for Mountain and West, Bruce and Lang through early ‘70’s. Sweet, bad ass blues man. Got to play together first Rock n Roll Fantasy Camp. I’ll always remember his smile as he looked me in the eye, inspired and shared his gifts. #LeslieWest.”

Rage Against the Machine star Tom Morello wrote: “Rest In Peace #LeslieWest. His guitar tone on ‘Mississippi Queen’ is hands down the BADDEST guitar tone on record.”