LEGEND GONE

The Yardbirds Co-Founder Dies at 79

Chris Dreja played the rhythm guitar and bass for the British rock band.

Chris Dreja, one of the original members of British rock band The Yardbirds, has died at 79. Dreja’s sister-in-law, Muriel Levy, confirmed his death on Threads, explaining the star “passed away after years of health problems.” Dreja was one of the founding members of the band after his brother introduced him to guitarist Top Topham, and the two formed the Metropolitan Blues Quartet. Lead vocalist Keith Relf, drummer Jim McCarty, and bassist Paul Samwell-Smith later joined the duo and renamed to The Yardbirds in 1963. Samwell-Smith left the band and was replaced by Led Zeppelin legend Jimmy Page. When Page switched to lead guitar, Dreja moved to bass. Other notable band members over the years include Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck. After playing for the spin-off band Box of Frogs in the 80s, The Yardbirds were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. In 2010, the band made Rolling Stone’s list of “100 Greatest Artists of All Time.” Dreja left the band in 2013 after suffering a series of strokes in the past year.