Keith Relf

Keith Relf

Keith William Relf (22 March 1943 – 14 May 1976) was a musician best known as the lead singer and harmonica player of The Yardbirds. After the Yardbirds broke up Relf formed the acoustic duo Together, with fellow Yardbird Jim McCarty, followed by Renaissance, which also featured his sister, singer Jane Relf, then hard rock group Armageddon. Relf also produced tracks for artists such as folk-rock band Hunter Muskett, the acoustic world music group Amber, psychedelic band Saturnalia and blues-rock band Medicine Head, with whom he played bass guitar.

His debut solo single, "Mr. Zero", peaked at No. 50 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1966.

Relf was 33 when he died from electrocution, at his home, while playing his improperly grounded electric guitar. At the time, Relf was rehearsing new material for the regrouping of the original Renaissance line-up, called Illusion.

Relf's posthumous 1992 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction with the Yardbirds was represented by his widow April, and son Danny.