Reg Webb

Reginald William "Reg" Webb (17 May 1947 – 28 January 2018)

Early life Webb was born on 17 May 1947 in Chelmsford, Essex, England. He became blind at the age of 13 months after being diagnosed with bi-lateral retinoblastoma, which resulted in surgery to remove both of his eyes. His father was also blind from the same condition.

Webb credited his early interest in music to his father and educational trends for blind students during his childhood. His father encouraged Webb to pursue classical piano. He claimed to have never received formal lessons in jazz music. Webb attended Worcester College for the Blind, now New College Worcester, with fellow musician Pete Jacobsen. Webb played drums in school and named Tony Williams as his main influence. While still a student, he formed a band called the W Brothers with fellow musician Andy Woods and future broadcast journalist Peter White.

His father, a factory worker, died in 1966 at age 46. Fusion disbanded in 1982.

Webb worked freelance gigs and studio sessions for musicians Robin Trower, David Essex, and Andy Piercy. This led to playing keyboards for the Outfield on their 1985 debut album Play Deep, and joining the band on their first US tour.

In the 1990s, he toured with Lenny Kravitz, Vanessa Paradis, and Suzi Quatro.

He formed a Motown-inspired soul and pop duo called Short People with his second wife, Kate Pace. When the marriage ended, he continued with Colchester singer Laura Jepp in the early 2010s. Around the same time, Webb found session work was difficult to come by and so he "[gigged] relentlessly."

In 2016, Webb performed at the Colchester Arts Centre Jazz Club's Relaunch Night with guitarist John Etheridge.

Personal life and death Webb moved to San Francisco after marrying an American named Heather. Difficulties in securing his permanent residency in the US led to friction in the marriage. When they divorced, he returned to the UK. Webb has a son named Paul from his first marriage.

Webb married a second time to singer Kate Pace, which lasted thirteen years before ending in divorce.

Webb died on 28 January 2018 at St Helena Hospice in Essex; he was 70. His cause of death was a pulmonary embolism, a consequence of metastatic bladder cancer.

In 2019, Steve Wright of the Colchester Arts Centre Jazz Club organized a fundraising concert in honor of Webb.