Obituary for Kyle Peter Garrahan
Kyle Peter Garrahan, 72, was born on the 27th of April, 1945 in Providence and died on the 5th of January, 2019 in Brockton. He was the second son of William Henry and Angela Marie Paterra Garrahan, both deceased. He is survived by his brother Buzz Garrahan (William H. Jr.), his twin sister Lesley Ann Garrahan Fain, two nephews Bradford Glenn and William Glenn Phelps and William’s two daughters Sofia Garrahan and Evelyn Louise Phelps. Deceased are his sister Jane Angela Garrahan Phelps and her husband Barrie Glenn Phelps.
Kyle’s driving force in life was music. He wrote, arranged, played and sang at various stages in his development of his talent. Kyle was a gifted musician with a soulful voice, an extraordinary lead guitarist, an accomplished pianist and jazz guitarist and a brilliant lyricist.
He started learning and playing in prep school and then later went to New York’s Greenwich Village where he was active in the burgeoning folk scene. For a time he would play at a club in Providence called the Tete-a-Tete.
His next move was to Boston’s Berklee College of Music and shortly thereafter joined as the lead guitarist for a garage band in Boston originally formed at Goddard College by Ted Myers, Willie Loco Alexander, Walter Powers lll and Lee Mason. This group, The Lost, became one the top regional groups in the middle 60’s. They recorded three singles for Capitol Records and toured with the Beach Boys before parting ways in 1967. While a member of The Lost, Kyle was recorded playing back-up "harp" (harmonica) with Richard and Mimi Farina at the historic 1965 Newport Folk Festival.
He then moved back to New York again and joined Ted Myers’ new group called Chamaeleon Church which recorded an album for MGM records.
Kyle was under contract with Bosstown Sound producer Alan Lorber and released a solo 45 “I Shall Be Released/Shame” for Janus Records in 1970.
In the fall of ’72 he hooked-up with his brother and assisted as a deck crewman in sailing Buzz’s schooner the “Joseph W. Russell” from Grand Cayman to Miami. Upon their arrival he was shocked to find that he had real calluses on his hands.
From there he moved to Los Angeles and hooked up with two cousins in their group. Next he briefly rejoined forces with Ted Myers on the west coast.
In the mid-seventies Kyle moved to Paris, France where Kyle not only learned to speak French but he sang and played in a local group.
In the late 70’s Kyle moved to initially live with his brother on St. Croix in the Caribbean and again played in the local clubs. He became the premier rock’n’roll DJ at the local Christiansted radio station. It was in St. Croix that Kyle met the love of his life Lilly.
When it was time to move on, he and Lilly moved back to New York, where he and Lilly lived in Astoria and later to Roosevelt Island. There in Manhattan Kyle played as a solo or occasionally with one or two other guys that included the Wallace Garrahan Duo, playing mostly background music for diners.
He was deeply in love with Lilly who died of multiple brain tumors over an extended period during this time. Shortly after Lilly’s death Kyle moved to Taunton where he continued to work on his music.
In 1999, the Lost reformed for one sold out performance at the Paradise Club in Boston, and shared the stage with Boston rock legends Barry & the Remains and the Rising Storm.
Throughout the 2000’s, Kyle taught as a substitute teacher at Bristol County Agricultural High School in Dighton along with teaching guitar at Mack’s Music in Middleboro and New Bedford.
Kyle was prolific as a songwriter and produced over 2-dozen original songs at his home studio in Taunton, MA.
So goodbye Kyle Garrahan; bad boy, sinner, saint, matinee idol, and jaw-dropping musical talent. We won’t soon see the like of you again.
(Written by Buzz Garrahan, Erik Lindgren, Ted Myers, and Walter Powers lll)
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Kyle’s driving force in life was music. He wrote, arranged, played and sang at various stages in his development of his talent. Kyle was a gifted musician with a soulful voice, an extraordinary lead guitarist, an accomplished pianist and jazz guitarist and a brilliant lyricist.
He started learning and playing in prep school and then later went to New York’s Greenwich Village where he was active in the burgeoning folk scene. For a time he would play at a club in Providence called the Tete-a-Tete.
His next move was to Boston’s Berklee College of Music and shortly thereafter joined as the lead guitarist for a garage band in Boston originally formed at Goddard College by Ted Myers, Willie Loco Alexander, Walter Powers lll and Lee Mason. This group, The Lost, became one the top regional groups in the middle 60’s. They recorded three singles for Capitol Records and toured with the Beach Boys before parting ways in 1967. While a member of The Lost, Kyle was recorded playing back-up "harp" (harmonica) with Richard and Mimi Farina at the historic 1965 Newport Folk Festival.
He then moved back to New York again and joined Ted Myers’ new group called Chamaeleon Church which recorded an album for MGM records.
Kyle was under contract with Bosstown Sound producer Alan Lorber and released a solo 45 “I Shall Be Released/Shame” for Janus Records in 1970.
In the fall of ’72 he hooked-up with his brother and assisted as a deck crewman in sailing Buzz’s schooner the “Joseph W. Russell” from Grand Cayman to Miami. Upon their arrival he was shocked to find that he had real calluses on his hands.
From there he moved to Los Angeles and hooked up with two cousins in their group. Next he briefly rejoined forces with Ted Myers on the west coast.
In the mid-seventies Kyle moved to Paris, France where Kyle not only learned to speak French but he sang and played in a local group.
In the late 70’s Kyle moved to initially live with his brother on St. Croix in the Caribbean and again played in the local clubs. He became the premier rock’n’roll DJ at the local Christiansted radio station. It was in St. Croix that Kyle met the love of his life Lilly.
When it was time to move on, he and Lilly moved back to New York, where he and Lilly lived in Astoria and later to Roosevelt Island. There in Manhattan Kyle played as a solo or occasionally with one or two other guys that included the Wallace Garrahan Duo, playing mostly background music for diners.
He was deeply in love with Lilly who died of multiple brain tumors over an extended period during this time. Shortly after Lilly’s death Kyle moved to Taunton where he continued to work on his music.
In 1999, the Lost reformed for one sold out performance at the Paradise Club in Boston, and shared the stage with Boston rock legends Barry & the Remains and the Rising Storm.
Throughout the 2000’s, Kyle taught as a substitute teacher at Bristol County Agricultural High School in Dighton along with teaching guitar at Mack’s Music in Middleboro and New Bedford.
Kyle was prolific as a songwriter and produced over 2-dozen original songs at his home studio in Taunton, MA.
So goodbye Kyle Garrahan; bad boy, sinner, saint, matinee idol, and jaw-dropping musical talent. We won’t soon see the like of you again.
(Written by Buzz Garrahan, Erik Lindgren, Ted Myers, and Walter Powers lll)
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