Keith Relf

Birth Name:

William Keith Relf

Birth Date:

March 22, 1943

Birth Place:

Richmond, Surrey, England

Death Date:

May 12, 1976

Place of Death:

Hounslow, London, England

Age:

Cause of Death:

Electrocution while playing an ungrounded electric guitar

Cemetery Name:

Richmond Cemetery

Claim to Fame:

Music

Keith Relf was the vocalist and guitarist for The Yardbirds, an English rock band that had a string of hits in the mid 1960s, including "For Your Love", "Over Under Sideways Down" and "Heart Full of Soul". The group is notable for having started the careers of three of rock's most famous guitarists: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page, all of whom were in the top fifteen of Rolling Stone's 100 Top Guitarists list [1] (Clapton as #4, Page as #9, and Beck as #14). A blues-based band that broadened its range into pop and rock, The Yardbirds were pioneers in the guitar innovation of the '60s: fuzz tone, feedback, distortion, backwards echo, improved amplification, etc. The band's disintegration led to the formation of the rock band Led Zeppelin, by Jimmy Page in 1968. Unfortunately Keith Relf is better know for his tragic, accidental death.

In The End …

On 12 May 1976, Relf died in the basement of his home at age 33 from electrocution while playing an ungrounded electric guitar. When his son found him the next morning, he was slumped over with headphones on and looked like he was asleep.

Cemetery Information:

Final Resting Place:

Richmond Cemetery

Grove Road, Richmond

Surrey, , TW10 5BJ

England

Europe

Map:

Map of Richmond Cemetery in Surrey, England

Grave Location:

Section 21, Plot 301A

Grave Location Description

The headstone is located in the back of Section 21 just to the left of the path that borders Sections 21 and 22. As you enter the cemetery on Lower Grove Road, go straight, through the first intersection and then to the second intersection with the large turnaround. Turn left (Section 21 will be on you right) and walk to the end of the road. Turn right and walk 3 full rows and his headstone can be found right on the road on the right.