Loose Music‘s statement:
“Robert Fisher of Willard Grant Conspiracy died of cancer yesterday. He had been suffering throughout 2016 but typically of the man he never made any fuss whatsoever. He was busy still holding down his day job and recording tracks for his 11th album. We first heard his music back in 1996 when Loose were doing press for Slow River/Rykodisc. The album was called “3am Sunday @ Fortune Otto’s”. It totally blew us away – this was music from another planet…and the voice…Robert Fisher sang as though he had already seen, understood and lived through the big picture. A booming baritone, capable of both immense power and heart-breaking subtlety. Loose worked the press for his early albums and then were honoured to start releasing his albums ourselves, starting with the out and out classic Regard The End in 2003. Willard Grant Conspiracy were a collective, with as many as 30 members coming and going over the years, as Robert himself said “if someone says they play with us they probably do”. But it was Robert who was the beating heart of the band, in fact many people thought he was called Willard. So now Robert has gone, it’s awful, it’s sad, it’s difficult to come to terms with. But we have his music, music that was often pre-occupied with death, but as Andrew Mueller commented “was also strangely life-affirming”. So put on a WGC album, crank up the volume – and wish him well.”
Official Statement from the family of Robert N. Fisher:
“The Fisher family is shocked and deeply saddened by the passing of our son and brother Robert after a long fight with cancer. While the outpouring of sympathy and remembrances are greatly appreciated we ask that the family’s privacy be respected at this time. Robert was first our son, brother, and best friend as well as an amazingly creative artist and musician whose love and talent touched many in California, New England, and around the world.
A memorial will be planned in the Boston area in the coming months. In lieu of flowers or other gifts, a memorial fund is being established to advance Robert’s interest and desire for the preservation and enjoyment of his life’s work and music. We will announce how a gift may be made in the near future.
We would especially like to thank the close friends who helped Robert during these trying times. We would also like to thank the dedicated doctors and staff at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital for their care which Robert particularly appreciated.
Please direct any thoughts, comments, or questions to rffriendsandfamily@gmail.com and we will forward them to the appropriate person(s).
Thank you.”
One of the key members of the Willard Grant Conspiracy collective, Robert Fischer, passed away a few days ago, after losing the battle with the cancer ‘beast’. Having been active for well over two decades, the alternative country outfit released 10 studio albums and succeeded in leaving their stigma on the alt. country/ americana genre with the distinctive musicianship and the immediacy of their compositions. 2003’s ‘Regard The End‘ is considered their most critically acclaimed album to date, featuring an 18(!) musicians’ collaboration. Willard Grant Conspiracy’s future remains unknown…
**Having lost a close relative of mine from the ‘illness’ pretty recently, at least Robert got freed form suffering…**
R.I.P. Robert Fischer…
Christos Doukakis