Former Morphine, Treat Her Right Drummer Billy Conway Dies at 65
- “He (was) the time, the rhythm, the pulse of the life-blood in the music,” collaborator Chris Smither says
Billy Conway, the former Treat Her Right and Morphine drummer, has died of cancer at age 65.
His Dec. 19 death was announced by his former bandmates in Vapors of Morphine.
“We are devastated to learn of the passing of Morphine/Treat Her Right drummer Billy Conway,” Vapors said on social media.
“One of the best drummers and most stalwart friends, Billy succumbed to a long battle with cancer. We love you, Billy. Give (late Morphine frontman) Mark (Sandman) our love. RIP.”
After Sandman’s 1999 death and Morphine’s disbandment, Conway went on play with a number of artists, including Jeffrey Foucault, John Statz and Chris Smither. The latter recalled telling his sister the drummer was “a prince,” and her asking what Smither meant by that honorific.
“I said, ‘He’s someone who makes you feel good just by being around,’” Smither wrote on Facebook “ … ‘Because … he is the time, the rhythm, the pulse of the life-blood in the music. He deals in matters of the heart.’
“We’ve lost him now, and my heart is heavy, indeed,” Smither said. “Rest in peace, Billy.”
12/20/21
