Spirit Drummer
Ed Cassidy Dies

Ed Cassidy, the drummer for 1960s psychedelic band Spirit  has died.

The drummer who had played with artists ranging from Ry Cooder to Dexter Gordon was 89. Cassidy died Dec. 6 in San Jose, Calif., the New York Times reported.

The newspaper said his former wife Beverley Cassidy confirmed the drummer succumbed to cancer.

Already a veteran musician when Spirit formed in 1967, Cassidy’s stepson, Randy Wolfe, was the band’s guitarist.

Wolfe was dubbed “Randy California” by Jimi Hendrix after the two had met in a New York City music store. Wolfe drowned in 1997 in Hawaii. Spirit’s biggest hit was the 1968 single “I’ve Got A Line On You.”

Nicknamed “Mr. Skin” because of his shaved head, the moniker was also the name of the band’s 1970 hit.

Bob Irwin, whose Sundazed Records has reissued several Spirit albums said Cassidy always drove the band to push the envelope.