Keith Relf born 22 March 1943

Keith Relf (22 March 1943 – 12 May 1976) was an English musician, best known as the lead vocalist and harmonica player for rock band the Yardbirds. He then formed the band Renaissance with his sister Jane Relf, the Yardbirds ex-drummer Jim McCarty and ex–The Nashville Teens keyboardist John Hawken.

When people remember the Yardbirds, the British blues-based band that came to prominence in the mid to late 60s, what they remember most is the triumvirate of guitar players that used the group as a launching pad to stardom: Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and future Led Zeppelin founder Jimmy Page. While there is no doubt that these now world-famous guitarists contributed greatly to the Yardbirds’ sound, another less-famous member gave the group voice, performing presence, and direction. That man was Keith Relf.

William Keith Relf was born in Richmond, Surrey, England. He was the eldest child and only son of William Relf and Mary Vickers. He Ched onto American rhythm and blues as a teenager. Influenced by the likes of Sonny Boy Williamson, Relf began to play harmonica in school and then in bands around the summer of 1956 as also a singer and guitarist. e was in a band with Paul Samwell-Smith called The Metropolitan Blues Quartet. They met Chris Dreja, Jim McCarty and Top Topham and backed Cyril Davies at Kingston Art School, which led to the forming of The Yardbirds in 1963, the name which was apparently first chosen by Relf according to McCarty which he likely chose from Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road, where it referred to railroad yard hobos.

                                    

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

Most of Relf's recordings 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. His debut solo single, "Mr. Zero", peaked at No. 50 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1966. That year he married April Liversidge. They had two sons, Danny and Jason.

After the Yardbirds broke up in July 1968, Relf formed the acoustic duo Together, with fellow Yardbird Jim McCarty, followed immediately by Renaissance (which also featured his sister Jane Relf). After leaving Renaissance in 1970, he started producing other artists: Steamhammer, folk rock band Hunter Muskett, the acoustic world music group Amber, psychedelic band Saturnalia, and blues rock band Medicine Head (with whom he also played bass guitar).

Armegeddon

In 1974, he formed progressive/rock group Armageddon. Their self-titled debut, Armageddon, was recorded in England and released in the United States on A&M Records. The album's original liner notes used the term "supergroup"; their personnel (besides Relf) included drummer Bobby Caldwell (previously a member of Captain Beyond and Johnny Winter's band), guitarist Martin Pugh (from Steamhammer, The Rod Stewart Album, and later of 7th Order), and bassist Louis Cennamo (also formerly of Renaissance and Steamhammer).Following the breakup of Armageddon, Relf and Cennamo reassembled the original line-up of Renaissance, now under the name Illusion because a new line-up of Renaissance was still using the original name. Relf's final recordings before his death were a series of demos by Illusion. 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."

Relf was a lifelong chronic asthmatic and nearly died on three occasions as a child during a bad asthma attacks. 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. In his last years he developed emphysema.

Keith and sister Jane Relf

On 12 May 1976, Relf died in the basement of his home at age 33 from electrocution while playing an electric guitar. He was discovered by his son Daniel. He may have been taking medications such as theophylline, commonly used to treat respiratory diseases at the time, and these drugs may have led to tachycardia and/or arrhythmia which possibly contributed to his inability to survive the electric shock. His death was announced two days later on 14 May, which is sometimes erroneously listed as the date of his death. He was only 33 years old. He was buried in Richmond Cemetery.

In 1989 a single was released on MCCM in the US only. Together Now" / "All The Fallen Angels" – MCCM 89 002 (1989) 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. His's posthumous 1992 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction with the Yardbirds was represented by his widow April, and sons Danny and Jason ("Jay").

(Edited from Wikipedia & Biography.com)