Alan Merrill was a multi-talented American artist who excelled as a vocalist, guitarist, songwriter, actor, and model. While he was widely recognized for his vocal and songwriting abilities, Merrill was also proficient in playing the guitar, bass guitar, harmonica, and keyboards. He co-wrote and sang the first version of the song “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll,” which was recorded by the Arrows in 1975. Merrill started his career in 1966 and remained active until 2019.
Alan’s daughter, Laura, broke the news of his death via Facebook, saying “The Coronavirus took my father this morning. I was given 2 minutes to say my goodbyes before I was rushed out. He seemed peaceful, and as I left, there was still a glimmer of hope that he wouldn’t be a ticker on the right-hand side of the CNN/Fox News screen.” Recently, she mentioned that her father was in good spirits. She attended one of his shows two weeks ago and even took a photograph of him for his upcoming album. Joan Jett, who released a cover of I Love Rock and Roll, which went on to be a massive hit, expressed her thoughts and love to his family and the music community. The pandemic has spared none, and the world is losing some of the best people due to this infection.
Certainly, it’s a huge loss, and we pray for the departed soul.