TLC Mourn Lopes

On Friday, shortly after learning the news of Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes' death, TLC band mates Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas released a brief statement expressing their grief. "We had all grown up together and were as close as a family," it read. "Today we have truly lost our sister."

Antonio "L.A." Reid, the president of Arista Records (TLC's label), also issued a statement: "No words can possibly express the sorrow and sadness I feel for this most devastating loss. Lisa was not only a gifted and talented musical inspiration, but more importantly, she was like a daughter to me. My thoughts and prayers are with Lisa's family and friends. Her legacy will be remembered forever."

Lopes had been on vacation in Honduras when she died in a car accident on April 25th. The crash happened near Jutiapa, 150 miles (240 kilometers) north of Tegucigalpa, the Honduran capital. Seven other people had been in the car at the time of the accident, but Lopes was the only fatality.

"The car rolled for reasons that we still don't know and that are being investigated," said police spokesman Luis Aguilar.

TLC had been in the studio working on their new record, which was due for release this summer.

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Song Stories

“All Along the Watchtower”

The Jimi Hendrix Experience | 1968

Jimi Hendrix got hold of Bob Dylan's early John Wesley Harding tapes and in late 1967 recorded a version of "All Along the Watchtower" with the Experience in London. Dissatisfied with that first development, Hendrix brought those tapes with him to New York in early 1968 when he began work on Electric Ladyland. Eddie Kramer, Hendrix's engineer at the time, told Rolling Stone that Hendrix "was still looked upon by his basically white audience as the mammoth black guitar hero. There was a constant fight within him to expand himself." Hendrix's successful take on Dylan's work has long been recognized by the songwriter. "I liked Jimi Hendrix's record of this and ever since he died I've been doing it that way," Dylan wrote in the liner notes to his Biograph box set. "Strange how when I sing it, I always feel it's a tribute to him in some kind of way."

More Song Stories entries »

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