Legendary NBA player Bill Walton passed away at the age of 71 earlier this week. Pearl Jam paid tribute to him while performing for their ongoing tour in Seattle, where they debuted ‘Man of the Hour’ and dedicated the track to Walton. Eddie Vedder reminisced about him, describing the NBA icon as a big man with a huge heart who always left a trail of peace and love behind him. Vedder further expressed his love for Walton and wished him the best in the next journey.
The surviving members of the Grateful Dead also honored the late Walton, who was an avid supporter of the band. Walton saw them perform for the first time when he was 15 years old in 1967, the same year they released their debut album ‘The Grateful Dead.’ He had been to over 800 of their performances in 48 years. NME gave Pearl Jam’s ‘Dark Matter’ a glowing four-star review, describing it as some of their best work in recent memory. Drummer Matt Cameron has also recently recounted the time when he received a cease-and-desist letter from KISS as a teenager.
Pearl Jam announced a tour of the UK and Europe, including Manchester’s Co-Op Live, London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and Dublin’s Marlay Park. The tour is part of their ‘Dark Matter World Tour,’ which NME describes as one of their best works to date. Vedder believes the band has “one or two” quality albums left in them, and their goal is to keep making great music.
Walton’s unexpected demise leaves a void not only in the NBA community but also in the music industry, where he found himself close to the hearts of famous bands like the Grateful Dead and Pearl Jam
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