Dragon died of kidney failure at a hospice in Prescott, Arizona on Wednesday, January 2 with Tennille by his side.
- Jan 3, 2019
AceShowbiz - The music industry is mourning the loss of one of its veteran icons today. Daryl Dragon, the keyboard-playing "Captain" of 70s group Captain & Tennille, died of kidney failure at a hospice in Prescott, Arizona on Wednesday, January 2. He was 76.
A spokesperson for the late musician, Harlon Boll, confirmed the sad news and revealed that his ex-wife and bandmate, Toni Tennille, "was with him as he took his last breath." Tennille herself has also released her own statement honoring her partner in music and husband of nearly 40 years, saying, "He was brilliant musician with many friends who loved him greatly. I was at my most creative in my life when I was with him."
Through her spokesperson, Tennille also asked his fans to "remember him as she does, with love and a grateful heart for the music they created together."
Dragon is survived by his older brother Doug and two nieces, Kelly Arbout and Renee Henn. There are no services planned per his request.
Born on August 27, 1942, Dragon came from a musical family. His father was an Academy Award-winning classical composer and conductor, while his mother was a singer. Having been trained to play piano since childhood, Dragon played keyboard for The Beach Boys from 1967 to 1972, and that was when he met his future wife Tennille.
While on tour, Dragon and Tennille began a romantic and musical relationship before forming a group called Captain & Tennille. Their song "The Way I Want to Touch You" earned them a record deal with A&M Records in 1974, while "Love Will Keep Us Together" topped the charts for eight weeks in the same year. Due to the success of the latter song, it won the Grammy for Record of the Year the following year.
In the same year, Dragon and Tennille got married before finalizing their divorce in 2014 after nearly 40 years of marriage. They remained close friends.
