# Keith Relf

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English musician (1943–1976)

Keith Relf Relf in January 1966 Background information Born William Keith Relf (1943-03-22)22 March 1943 Richmond, England Died 12 May 1976(1976-05-12) (aged 33) Hounslow, Greater London, England Genres Blues rock hard rock psychedelic rock folk rock progressive rock Occupations Musician singer songwriter Instruments Vocals guitar harmonica bass Years active 1956–1976 Formerly of The Yardbirds Renaissance Medicine Head Armageddon Website keithrelf.com

Musical artist

**William Keith Relf** (22 March 1943 – 12 May 1976) was an English musician, best known as the lead vocalist and harmonica player for [rock](/source/Rock_music) band [the Yardbirds](/source/The_Yardbirds). He then formed the band [Renaissance](/source/Renaissance_(band)) with his sister [Jane Relf](/source/Jane_Relf), the Yardbirds ex-drummer [Jim McCarty](/source/Jim_McCarty) and ex–[The Nashville Teens](/source/The_Nashville_Teens) keyboardist [John Hawken](/source/John_Hawken).

## Early life

Relf was born in the Richmond Institution on 22 March 1943 to Mary Elsie Vickers and William Arthur Percy Relf.[1] Keith had a sister [Jane](/source/Jane_Relf). His father was a builder, while his mother was a housewife.[2]

## Musical career

### The Yardbirds

Relf and Jim McCarty, early 1966

Relf started playing in bands around the summer of 1956 as a singer, guitarist, and harmonica player.[3] He was in a band with [Paul Samwell-Smith](/source/Paul_Samwell-Smith) called The Metropolitan Blues Quartet. They met [Chris Dreja](/source/Chris_Dreja), [Jim McCarty](/source/Jim_McCarty) and [Top Topham](/source/Top_Topham) and backed [Cyril Davies](/source/Cyril_Davies) at Kingston Art School, which led to the forming of [The Yardbirds](/source/The_Yardbirds) in 1963,[4][5] the name which was apparently first chosen by Relf according to McCarty which he likely chose from [Jack Kerouac](/source/Jack_Kerouac)'s novel *[On the Road](/source/On_the_Road)*, where it referred to railroad yard [hobos](/source/Hobo).[6]

Keith Relf singing in mid-1966

Relf co-wrote many of the original Yardbirds songs ("[Shapes of Things](/source/Shapes_of_Things)", "I Ain't Done Wrong", "[Over Under Sideways Down](/source/Over_Under_Sideways_Down)", "[Happenings Ten Years Time Ago](/source/Happenings_Ten_Years_Time_Ago)"), later showing a leaning towards acoustic/folk music as the sixties unfolded ("Only the Black Rose").[7] He also sang an early version of "[Dazed and Confused](/source/Dazed_and_Confused_(Jake_Holmes_song))" in live Yardbirds concerts, after hearing musician [Jake Holmes](/source/Jake_Holmes) perform the song, which was later recorded by the band's successor group [Led Zeppelin](/source/Led_Zeppelin).[8]

His debut solo single, "[Mr. Zero](/source/Mr._Zero_(song))", peaked at No. 50 in the [UK Singles Chart](/source/UK_Singles_Chart) in May 1966.[9]

### 1970s

After the Yardbirds broke up in July 1968, Relf formed the [acoustic](/source/Acoustic_music) [duo](/source/Duet_(music)) Together, with fellow Yardbird [Jim McCarty](/source/Jim_McCarty), followed immediately by [Renaissance](/source/Renaissance_(band)) (which also featured his sister [Jane Relf](/source/Jane_Relf)).[10] After leaving Renaissance in 1970, he started producing other artists: [Steamhammer](/source/Steamhammer_(band)), folk rock band [Hunter Muskett](/source/Hunter_Muskett), the acoustic [world music](/source/World_music) group [Amber](/source/Amber_(band)), psychedelic band Saturnalia,[11] and blues rock band [Medicine Head](/source/Medicine_Head) (with whom he also played bass guitar).[12]

In 1974, he formed progressive/rock group [Armageddon](/source/Armageddon_(A%26M_band)). Their self-titled debut, *[Armageddon](/source/Armageddon_(Armageddon_album))*, was recorded in England and released in the United States on [A&M Records](/source/A%26M_Records). The album's original liner notes used the term "[supergroup](/source/Supergroup_(music))"; their personnel (besides Relf) included drummer [Bobby Caldwell](/source/Bobby_Caldwell_(drummer)) (previously a member of [Captain Beyond](/source/Captain_Beyond) and [Johnny Winter](/source/Johnny_Winter)'s band), guitarist [Martin Pugh](/source/Martin_Pugh_(musician)) (from [Steamhammer](/source/Steamhammer_(band)), *[The Rod Stewart Album](/source/The_Rod_Stewart_Album)*, and later of [7th Order](/source/7th_Order_(band))),[13] and bassist [Louis Cennamo](/source/Louis_Cennamo) (also formerly of Renaissance and Steamhammer).[14]

Following the breakup of Armageddon, Relf and Cennamo reassembled the original line-up of Renaissance, now under the name [Illusion](/source/Illusion_(band)) because a new line-up of Renaissance was still using the original name.[15] Relf's final recordings before his death were a series of demos by Illusion.[15] Illusion went on to record a series of albums after Relf died, with Cennamo later commenting, "In some way, we did so as a tribute to Keith."[16]

## Personal life and death

Relf was a lifelong chronic asthmatic and nearly died on three occasions as a child during a bad [asthma](/source/Asthma) attack.[17][18][19] His respiratory problems led to him losing a lung; in 1964, Relf passed out during the Yardbirds' first U.S. tour after a lung collapsed, resulting in the lung being removed.[20][21][18][19][22] In his last years he developed [emphysema](/source/Emphysema).[18]

In 1966, he married April Liversidge. They had two sons, Danny and Jason.[23]

On 12 May 1976, Relf died in the basement of his home at age 33 from [electrocution](/source/Electrocution) while playing an electric guitar.[24] He was discovered by his son Daniel.[19] He may have been taking medications such as [theophylline](/source/Theophylline), commonly used to treat respiratory diseases at the time, and these drugs may have led to [tachycardia](/source/Tachycardia) and/or [arrhythmia](/source/Arrhythmia) which possibly contributed to his inability to survive the [electric shock](/source/Electrical_injury).[25][26] His death was announced two days later on 14 May, which is sometimes erroneously listed as the date of his death.[27]

He was buried in [Richmond Cemetery](/source/Richmond_Cemetery).[28]

## Legacy

Relf's posthumous 1992 [Rock and Roll Hall of Fame](/source/Rock_and_Roll_Hall_of_Fame) induction with the Yardbirds was represented by his widow April, and sons Danny and Jason ("Jay").[29]

## Solo singles discography

Most of Relf's [recordings](/source/Sound_recording_and_reproduction) were released under the name of the group he was in at the time. However, an early attempt was made to establish him as a solo musician, and two singles came out under his own name in 1966.[30]

- "[Mr. Zero](/source/Mr._Zero_(song))" / "Knowing" – UK [Columbia](/source/Columbia_Graphophone_Company) DB7920 / U.S. [Epic](/source/Epic_Records) 10044 (May 1966)

- - [A-side](/source/A-side_and_B-side) written by [Bob Lind](/source/Bob_Lind)

- "Shapes in My Mind" / "Blue Sands" – UK Columbia DB8084 / US Epic 10110 (November 1966)

- - [B-side](/source/A-side_and_B-side) is an [instrumental](/source/Instrumental) credited to Relf, but actually performed by the Outsiders (not to be confused with the US band, [the Outsiders](/source/The_Outsiders_(American_band)), who performed "[Time Won't Let Me](/source/Time_Won't_Let_Me)"). The US single featured the same version as the UK single; US promotional copies (on red vinyl) featured a complete re-edit of the song.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

A further single appeared in 1989:

- "Together Now" / "All The Fallen Angels" – MCCM 89 002 (1989)

- - US release only. The A-side was originally recorded in 1968 by Together. The B-side was recorded on 2 May 1976, ten days before Relf's death.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Perfect Sound Forever: Keith Relf"](https://www.furious.com/perfect/keithrelf.html). *www.furious.com*. Retrieved 14 August 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** French, David; Cooper, Alice (2020). [*Heart full of soul Keith Relf of the Yardbirds*](http://public.eblib.com/choice/PublicFullRecord.aspx?p=6213703). McFarland. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-4766-4046-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4766-4046-4). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [1156990166](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/1156990166).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Keith Relf Biography: Singer (1943–1976)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180315155613/http://www.biography.com/people/keith-relf-20892269). *Biography.com*. A&E Television Networks. 2 April 2014. Archived from [the original](http://www.biography.com/people/keith-relf-20892269) on 15 March 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["From the Deep South of Kingston Upon Thames…. | Art Gallery Clothing"](https://www.artgalleryclothing.co.uk/from-the-deep-south-of-kingston-upon-thames-%e2%80%a8/). Retrieved 14 August 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Keith Relf Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More ..."](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/keith-relf-mn0000098278) *AllMusic*. Retrieved 14 August 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Page 62 of *Nobody Told Me: My Life with the Yardbirds* by [Jim McCarty](/source/Jim_McCarty), 2018

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Greg Prato. ["Keith Relf - Biography - AllMusic"](http://www.allmusic.com/artist/keith-relf-mn0000098278). AllMusic. Retrieved 15 January 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Morgan Young (9 August 2013). ["On The Flip-Side: Tower Records Spotlight: Jake Holmes - Dazed and Confused"](http://ontheflip-side.blogspot.com/2013/08/tower-records-spotlight-jake-holmes.html). Ontheflip-side.blogspot.com. Retrieved 15 January 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-British_Hit_Singles_&_Albums_9-0)** Roberts, David (2006). *British Hit Singles & Albums* (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 458. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-904994-10-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-904994-10-5).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Elliot, Russell W. (10 November 2002). ["The History of Renaissance"](http://www.jtl.us/nlightsweb/lib/renhist.htm). *Northern Lights*. Joe Lynn & Russ Elliot. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20120203105649/http://www.jtl.us/nlightsweb/lib/renhist.htm) from the original on 3 February 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Richie Unterberger. ["Saturnalia - Biography - AllMusic"](http://www.allmusic.com/artist/saturnalia-mn0001357602/biography). AllMusic. Retrieved 15 January 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Keith Relf"](http://first-thoughts.org/on/Keith+Relf/). First-thoughts.org. Retrieved 15 January 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["7th Order Home Page"](http://www.7thorder.com). 7thorder.com. Retrieved 15 January 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Forgotten series: Armageddon featuring the Yardbirds' Keith Relf – Armageddon (1975) - Something Else!"](http://somethingelsereviews.com/2013/05/01/forgotten-series-armageddon-featuring-the-yardbirds-keith-relf-armageddon-1975/). *Something Else!*. May 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2015.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Cherry2010_15-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Cherry2010_15-1) Powell, Mark (2010). *Illusion* (Booklet). Renaissance. Cherry Red Records Ltd. pp. 4–14.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** Leroy, Aymeric. ["From Renaissance to Illusion —A Profile of the Relf / McCarty Renaissance"](http://www.expose.org/index.php/articles/display/from-renaissance-to-illusion-a-profile-of-the-relf-mccarty-renaissance.html). *Exposé Online*. Retrieved 10 December 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** chuckhicks (27 July 2017). ["After the Silver Cord is Loosed: Armageddon"](https://progarchy.com/2017/07/27/after-the-silver-cord-is-loosed-armageddon/). *Progarchy*. Retrieved 14 August 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_18-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_18-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_18-2) Anderson, Erich B. (29 January 2023). ["Tragic Details About The Yardbirds"](https://www.grunge.com/1177421/tragic-details-about-the-yardbirds/). *Grunge*. Retrieved 14 August 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_19-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_19-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:1_19-2) Simmonds, Jeremy (2012). [*The encyclopedia of dead rock stars : heroin, handguns, and ham sandwiches*](http://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofde0000simm). Internet Archive. Chicago, Illinois : Chicago Review Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-61374-478-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-61374-478-9).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** Sharp, Ken (8 July 2016). ["Q&A: Jim McCarty Discusses the Yardbirds' Legacy"](https://rockcellarmagazine.com/qa-jim-mccarty-discusses-the-yardbirds-legacy/). *Rock Cellar Magazine*. Retrieved 14 August 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** Unterberger, Richie (4 June 2020). ["KEITH RELF: WHEN A YARDBIRD FLEW SOLO"](https://pleasekillme.com/keith-relf-yardbird-solo/). *PleaseKillMe*. Retrieved 14 August 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** LeValley, Jason (25 November 2021). ["Interview: Jim McCarty of The Yardbirds"](https://psychedelicscene.com/2021/11/25/interview-jim-mccarty-of-the-yardbirds/). *Psychedelic Scene Magazine*. Retrieved 14 August 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-23)** ["International Relf Society: Let's Rock & Roll"](http://members.madasafish.com/~relf/rock.html). Members.madasafish.com. 2 April 2002. Retrieved 28 June 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-24)** "Yardbird Relf dies". *Derby Evening Telegraph*. 15 May 1976. p. 2.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-25)** Simmonds, Jeremy (2006). [*The Encyclopedia of Dead Rock Stars: Heroin, Handguns, and Ham Sandwiches*](https://books.google.com/books?id=PtpkCgAAQBAJ&q=keith+relf+earthed&pg=PA88). Chicago, Illinois, USA: Chicago Review Press, Incorporated. p. 88. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781613744789](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781613744789).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-26)** Bittar (1991). "The arrhythmogenicity of theophylline. A multivariate analysis of clinical determinants". *Chest*. **99** (6): 1415–1420. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1378/chest.99.6.1415](https://doi.org/10.1378%2Fchest.99.6.1415). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [2036824](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2036824).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-27)** French, David (2020). *Heart full of soul Keith Relf of the Yardbirds*. Foreword by Alice Cooper. Jefferson: McFarland. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-4766-4046-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4766-4046-4). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [1156990166](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/1156990166).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-28)** Beach, Darren (2013). *London's Cemeteries*. London: Metro Publications. pp. 216–219. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781902910406](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781902910406).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-29)** ["The Yardbirds"](http://rockhall.com/inductees/the-yardbirds/). Rockhall.com. Retrieved 15 January 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-30)** [""Golden Eggs" bootleg Interview '75"](http://www.keithrelf.com/relf.html). Keithrelf.com. Retrieved 15 January 2015.

## External links

- [The Yardbirds official website](http://www.theyardbirds.com/)

- [Keith Relf](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mn0000098278) at [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic_(identifier))

v t e The Yardbirds Original members (1963–1968): Keith Relf Paul Samwell-Smith Chris Dreja Jim McCarty Top Topham Eric Clapton Jeff Beck Jimmy Page Later members (since 1992): John Idan Gypie Mayo Alan Glen Jerry Donahue Ben King Johnny A. Kenny Aaronson Myke Scavone Studio recordings For Your Love Having a Rave Up Roger the Engineer Little Games Birdland Live albums Five Live Yardbirds Sonny Boy Williamson and the Yardbirds Live Yardbirds! Featuring Jimmy Page Live! Blueswailing July '64 Anthologies The Yardbirds Greatest Hits Shapes of Things Ultimate! Glimpses 1963–1968 Yardbirds '68 Soundtracks Blow-Up – The Original Sound Track Album Bootlegs Golden Eggs More Golden Eggs Singles "I Wish You Would" "A Certain Girl" "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" "For Your Love" "Heart Full of Soul" "Evil Hearted You" "I'm a Man" "Shapes of Things" "You're a Better Man Than I" "Boom Boom" "Over Under Sideways Down" "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" "Ha Ha Said the Clown" "Ten Little Indians" Other songs "Let It Rock" "Who Do You Love" "You Can't Judge a Book by Looking at the Cover" "Too Much Monkey Business" "Smokestack Lightning" "Five Long Years" "The Sky Is Crying" "My Girl Sloopy" "The Train Kept A-Rollin'" "Spoonful" "The Stumble" "Dust My Blues" "White Summer" "Drinking Muddy Water" "Stealing Stealing" "Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)" "Dazed and Confused" "Knowing That I'm Losing You" "I'm Waiting for the Man" Related Discography Members John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers Cream Blind Faith Derek & the Dominoes Jeff Beck Group Beck, Bogert & Appice Led Zeppelin The Honeydrippers The Firm Coverdale - Page Page & Plant Renaissance Box of Frogs

v t e Renaissance Annie Haslam Rave Tesar Mark Lamberts Frank Pagano Leo Traversa Geoffrey Langley John Hawken Jane Relf Keith Relf Louis Cennamo Jim McCarty Danny McCulloch Frank Farrell John Wetton Jon Camp Michael Dunford Terry Sullivan John Tout Gavin Harrison Mickey Simmonds Tom Brislin David J. Keyes Studio albums Renaissance (1969) Illusion (1971) Prologue (1972) Ashes Are Burning (1973) Turn of the Cards (1974) Scheherazade and Other Stories (1975) Novella (1977) A Song for All Seasons (1978) Azure d'Or (1979) Camera Camera (1981) Time-Line (1983) Tuscany (2001) Grandine il vento (2013) Live albums Live at Carnegie Hall (1976) In the Land of the Rising Sun: Live in Japan 2001 (2002) Songs "Mother Russia" (1974) "Northern Lights" (1978) Related articles Band members The Yardbirds The Nashville Teens Illusion Betty Thatcher Nevada

v t e Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – Class of 1992 Performers Bobby Bland Booker T. & the M.G.'s Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Al Jackson Jr., Booker T. Jones, Lewie Steinberg Johnny Cash The Isley Brothers Ernie Isley, Marvin Isley, O'Kelly Isley Jr., Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley, Chris Jasper The Jimi Hendrix Experience Jimi Hendrix, Mitch Mitchell, Noel Redding Sam & Dave Sam Moore, Dave Prater The Yardbirds Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Chris Dreja, Jim McCarty, Jimmy Page, Keith Relf, Paul Samwell-Smith Early influences Elmore James Professor Longhair Non-performers (Ahmet Ertegun Award) Leo Fender Bill Graham Doc Pomus

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND FAST WorldCat National United States France BnF data Italy Israel Artists MusicBrainz People Deutsche Biographie Other IdRef Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Keith Relf](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Relf) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Relf?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.