Leslie West, born Leslie Weinstein, passed away on December 23rd. The iconic guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and storyteller has left a legacy that to this day is celebrated by peers and fans across the world. Savatage / Trans-Siberian Orchestra guitarist Chris Caffery has posted the following tribute to West.

"Our all star band of angels has yet another member.

Leslie West was someone I knew on and off for many years. Mostly through friends. On our second Beethoven’s Last Night tour with TSO he showed up in Mississippi to play 'Mississippi Queen' with us. Al Pitrelli had known Leslie for a long time as well as me. I spent most of that day hanging out with him at the hotel and on our bus. He was literally such a huge influence to so many of us. When I was 16 my club band with my brother called Anti opened for Mountain. This was at a rock club called JB’s Rock 3 in Middletown, New York. That day Leslie spent a lot of time showing me how he had his sounds together. Also one of the multiple times he schooled me on his picking technique. That was one of my most memorable shows with that childhood band. 'Never In My Life' was actually a song that was usually in my band's line set: that night we obviously didn’t play it! Over 35 years ago I first met and shared a stage and a gig with this incredible musician.
 
That day in Mississippi he was asking me again if I worked on that picking technique of his since the last time I saw him. The way a pick could talk and squeal different ways . Priceless knowledge from a true legend. 

He had also taught a good friend of mine for years how to play. Al B Romano. We did that Sun Red Sun record together. Al B was given a Gibson V by Leslie. The white Korina V you just saw in the live stream happens to be that guitar. When Al B was teaching me some of the things his mentors showed him he passed that V onto me! 

Rest In Peace, my friend. You were such an inspiration and a blessing to all of us guitarists. A genuinely kind soul with that priceless smile and incredible sense of humor.  

The Heavens will definitely be smiling and laughing when you walk through that gate!" 

Weinstein was born in New York City, and first emerged in the scene as a member of The Vagrants. A few years later he and Felix Pappalardi formed Mountain, a band that was amongst the first to pioneer the genre later to become known as heavy metal. Hits that include “Mississippi Queen,” “Theme From An Imaginary Western,” and others established an indelible voice and guitar tone that remains legendary to this day. In 1969, West brought his presence to the stage at Woodstock.

As the decade turned, he formed West, Bruce and Laing with his band-mate from Mountain drummer Corky Laing and Cream’s Jack Bruce. In, 1971 West contributed to The Who’s Who’s Next sessions in the city, performances which can be heard on the 1995 and 2003 reissues of that cornerstone album.

Alongside his significant contribution to pop culture as the face of Mountain, West appeared in films that include Family Honor (1973) and The Money Pit (1986).  He was a regular guest on the Howard Stern Show, and over the course of decades remained a periodic visitor alongside enjoying a decades-long friendship with the talk show host.

West was inducted in to the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and appeared on dozens of other recordings from a vast universe of artists. Samples of his performances lived a secondary life on the masters of a who’s who of hip-hop and rap stars.

The guitarist is renowned for helping popularize the Gibson Les Paul Jr. model with P-90 pick-ups to create a tone that is undisputedly his own. More recently, he enjoyed a long relationship with Dean Guitars, releasing several signature models.

Leslie West is survived by his wife Jenni, whom he married on stage after Mountain’s performance at the Woodstock 40th Anniversary concert in Bethel, NY on August 15, 2009. And, brother Larry and nephew Max.

From 1964 through today, few artists have left a more significant mark on music as we know it. Guitarists across the globe together will unite in sadness as the world says goodbye to a true original.

Stay tuned, as tributes to Leslie West are expected to pour in over the coming hours and days. Everyone here at BraveWords offer our sincere condolences to all of Leslie West's family, friends, and fans. R.I.P.

(Photo - Justin Borucki)