Davis' wife, Angela, confirms that the veteran rocker passed away at the Enloe Medical Center in Chico, California on Friday, February 17 after battling liver disease for a month.
- Feb 20, 2012
AceShowbiz - MC5 have just lost another of their members. Michael Davis, the veteran rocker who joined the band as a replacement for original bass player Pat Burrows in 1964, lost his month-long battle against liver disease on Friday, February 17. His wife, Angela, said that he passed away at the Enloe Medical Center in Chico, California after suffering liver failure.
Davis was diagnosed with Hepatitis C back in 2005. When talking about his battle against the disease in his blog, the 68-year-old put the blame on years of heavy alcohol and drug use. His death came more than 15 years after the passing of two other original members, Rob Tyner in 1991, and Fred Smith in 1994.
Upon learning about Davis' passing, surviving guitarist Wayne Kramer took to his Facebook account to bid his final farewell. The 63-year-old posted a black-and-white photo of the bassist along with a short note that read, "So long, old pal."
Davis played with MC5 until the group disbanded in 1972. He took part in brief reunions in 2003 and 2005, while the band reformed in 2004 with singer Handsome Dick Manitoba. After surviving a motorcycle crash that left him with a serious back injury in 2006, he co-founded the non-profit Music Is Revolution Foundation to support music education in public schools.
Davis is survived by his wife, their three sons, and a daughter from a previous marriage. His wife additionally noted that memorial plans were pending.
