FIREHOUSE Lead Singer CJ Snare Has Passed At Age 64
FIREHOUSE lead singer,” CJ Snare,” passed away Friday, April 5th at age 64. No cause of death has been revealed, but it was known he was battling Stage IV colon cancer.
FIREHOUSE released the following statement via social media: “Today is a sad day for Rock’ n Roll. “It is with great sorrow that we are letting the world know we have lost our brother: CJ Snare, the rock and roll warrior, lead vocalist, and founding member of FIREHOUSE.
When it came to lead vocalists from that era, “C.J.” had incredible vocal talent. He hit high note after high note effortlessly and held that high note for 34 years with the band.
CJ Snare from FIREHOUSE
CJ Diagnosed With Stage IV Colon Cancer
“In September of 2020, he was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer. The first outlook wasn’t looking good, but that never stopped him. “C.J.” went for a second opinion in September of 2021, which also included an operation that might have just extended his life for a time. C.J. always had a positive outlook for the future.
Remembering The FIREHOUSE Concert At The Ritz In Roseville
On March 1st, 1991, FIREHOUSE played the Ritz in Roseville, Michigan, to a full house. Touring on their debut self-titled album, they put on an incredible show. It was the band’s first time in Michigan, and a sold-out venue of fans already could not wait to see the band live. The backdrop behind the band was the picture on their debut album, FIREHOUSE.
vocalist/keyboardist C. J. Snare, guitarist Bill Leverty, drummer Michael Foster, and bassist Perry Richardson,
The Band FIREHOUSE
Their debut self-titled album FIREHOUSE was released in 1990, and the band shot to stardom in record time. The album scored double platinum in a short period. The album produced four hit singles that rock radio and MTV Music television had in heavy rotation. Helped the bands success and tour dates all over the world
FIREHOUSE was formed in 1984 in Richmond, Virginia, and signed to Epic Records in 1989. “Reach for the Sky”, “Don’t Treat Me Bad” and “All She Wrote”, and what the 90s called power ballads, “Love of a Lifetime.” In 1992, the American Music Awards won the “Favorite New Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Artist” award. C.J. played keyboards and sang on all seven albums the group has released
Guitars with Names: 5 Every Rock Fan Should Know
Frankenstein (Eddie Van Halen)
Before the release of Mammoth WVH’s self-titled debut, Wolfgang shared a funny story about the iconic Frankenstein, which he actually played on Mammoth WVH.
In a May 2021 interview with Total Guitar, Wolfgang recalled a time when Frankenstein was taken out of its safe. He said his Dad picked up the guitar, played it a bit, said it “feels about the same” and then just tossed the historic guitar on a nearby couch.
“Everyone just gasped when he did that, ” said Wolfgang. “To Dad, it’s just a little piece of junk that he built himself, but to us, it’s the most famous thing in the world.”
An Eddie Van Halen guitar on display as part of Julian Auctions Presents Icons And Idols: Rock ‘N’ Roll, Hollywood and Sports at Julien’s Auctions on November 23, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Blackie (Eric Clapton)
Blackie is the beloved 1956 Fender Stratocaster that belonged to Eric Clapton. According to Fender, Clapton acquired Blackie in 1970. He purchased the guitar from a shop in Nashville. In fact, he came across a rack of six 1950s-era Stratocasters. Clapton recalled in 2004’s The Stratocaster Chronicles, “They were so out of fashion you could pick up a perfectly genuine Strat for two hundred or three hundred dollars—even less! So I bought all of them.”
In 2004, Blackie went up for auction at Christie’s. It was estimated to sell for between $100,000-$150,000. The final selling price was $959,500.
Eric Clapton performs at The Forum on September 18, 2017 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Micawber (Keith Richards)
Micawber is a 1953 Fender Telecaster that was gifted to Keith Richards by Eric Clapton. According to Fender, Clapton gave Richards this classic guitar for his 27th birthday. Ever since, it’s been used a many iconic recordings, from “Start Me Up” to “Brown Sugar.” To this day, Micawber is part of Richards’ rotation of guitars when the Rolling Stones are on tour.
Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones performs on the Pyramid Stage during day 3 of the 2013 Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm on June 29, 2013 in Glastonbury, England. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images)
