It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the passing of musician Ken Burgess z”l. He was 77 years old.
Born November 26, 1944, Ken was a British-Israeli producer, composer, songwriter, singer and painter.
Born and raised in Dagenham, London, Burgess produced and wrote songs for various bands and singers in England, France, America and Israel. His songs reached the top of the charts worldwide. In total, Ken was registered as the producer and writer of over 500 songs.
Ken taught himself guitar at the age of 9, and at the age of 14 joined his first rock group, the Teenbeats.
Ken converted to Judaism over 30 years ago.
Later on, Ken famously worked with a number of frum singers, most notably Mordechai Ben David, Dudu Fisher, Yishai Lapidot, Amiran Dvir, and Yeedle Werdyger.
Ken owned the recording studio “United Studio” in Eretz Yisroel and after retirement pursued his other passion of painting landscapes and biblical events.
Yehi zichro boruch.
{Matzav.com Israel}
He played on my 1st album in 1969, ‘Moshiach is Almost Here’ Get Ready Mentchen’
A true talent.
BD”E. Who can forget ‘there will be no lonely people’ from The Ohel Concert and ‘this time’ from MBD English Collection.
I met Ken on a radio show on Radio Kol Chai in Israel nearly 30 years ago. It was a weekly show dedicated to Jewish music, and hosted different Frum music personalities every week. Meeting so many of these people I was struck repeatedly by the realization that Ken, a Ger Tzeddek, embodied much more Yiddish charm, humility, and eidelkeit than many of the FFB members of the “Jewish music scene”.
יהי זכרו ברוך
Ken was my very good friend and co writer with my band Tomorrow, we were both born in Dagenham England and were in the same band from a very young age 14 ish…..The Teenbeats.
Ken was a hospital porter and I encouraged him to leave that job and work with me, as I was having great success with my career at the time. We wrote many songs together and I was sad to see him leave England at the time to pursue his new found faith in Israel. The last time we spoke he was very ill and I am so glad to have caught up with him after so many years and very sad to hear of his forthcoming fate.