Jeff Howell, a longtime musician from Central New York, has died at age 60.
Howell died March 5 after a lengthy stay at the UPMC Presby hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennslyvania, according to an obituary published last week. Howell had battled chronic Lyme disease for two decades, as well as related physical and neurological issues; in the past month, he suffered embolisms as a result of untreated kidney cancer and bleeding complications that eventually resulted in heart failure.
“Jeff fought the fight like he played bass, but it was just too much,” his obit said. “He will be missed by many.”
Jeffrey Leonard Howell was born May 30, 1961, and grew up just outside of Ithaca in Newfield, N.Y. He played multiple instruments, even tuba in the Newfield High School band, but was best known as a bassist for the Binghamton-based band Acts and nationally touring groups like Foghat, Savoy Brown and The Outlaws. He also recorded as a solo artist and started a band called The Law in Vermont, plus worked as a studio musician.
He returned to New York state with his family in 1996, settling in the Southern Tier. He gave bass instruction at several locations in Ithaca, Horseheads and Interlaken, plus continued to perform and record music, including on Foghat’s blues album “Last Train Home” in 2010.
“Today we say goodbye to our friend and one time bass player Jeff Howell who we sadly lost on March 5th,” Foghat’s official Facebook page said Friday. “Jeff was a member of Foghat in the late 80′s, early 90′s and also played on our 2010 Blues Album ‘Last Train Home’. He toured with us in 2010 in support of that release. We had a good time! In the late 80′s Jeff brought his friend (and former bandmate) Billy Davis into the band as Foghat’s lead singer/guitarist.. It is a sad day as we also remember Billy who we lost 7 years ago today. Good friends...We miss you both. Heaven is rockin’ with you two.”
Survivors include Howell’s wife, Linda; his daughter Casey and son-in-law, Jullian Demunn; his son, Cory Heitger and future daughter-in-law, Juliette Dihn; seven grandchildren; his mother, Sandra Hunter Howell Brown; father and stepmother, Robert & Evey Howell; and two brothers and sisters in law, Robert Jr. and Regine and James and Linda Howell.
Funeral services were held Saturday at Montour Falls United Methodist Church in Schuyler County. Donations are being accepted at the church or through GoFundMe “Help the Howells.”