The great Terry Sullivan, most famous for his drumming with RENAISSANCE died yesterday after a short illness – an immense loss for everyone who knew him. Terry wasn’t a mere drummer – he played an acoustic guitar, too, and he co-wrote the wondrous “Forever Changing” for the ensemble – Sullivan has a huge, warm presence on the scene and beyond.
While associated only with one band, Terry actually worked with a couple more, including DRY ICE, which he founded with future PLUTO guitarist Paul Gardner and had Ian McDonald play on their only album that would be released many years later. But of course, Sullivan had to join RENAISSANCE in 1972 and stay until the end of that decade – and return in 2000 for "Tuscany" and subsequent tour of Japan – to reveal the full scope of his talents and dynamic breadth demonstrated with equal effect within the group per se and on their recordings, studio opuses like "Ashes Are Burning" and concert platters, with symphonic orchestras. Not too active on a solo front, he nevertheless issued "South Of Winter" with a project called RENAISSANT back in 2004 and recently mentioned his desire to put out its sequel.
What’s much more important, however, was Sullivan’s love for his family and friends. He quit the collective soon after John Tout, who passed away in 2015, and remained in touch with Jon Camp, who left us in 2025; and he spent a great amount of time lately with his wife, son Lee, also a drummer, and grandkid. Terry will be sorely missed.
