> DENIS PAYTON, MUSICIAN, DEAD AT 63
>
> Denis Payton, one of the founding musicians in the Dave Clark
> Five, died December 18, at the age of 63 in Bournemouth,
> England, after having been sick for many years. Payton played
> saxophone, harmonica and guitar for the popular 1960s band,
> which sold more than 100 million records and had 30 hit
> singles before they broke up in the 1970s, the BBC reported
> Monday. In a statement, Dave Clark called Payton "a very dear
> friend who I've known since we were teenagers." "Denis was
> extremely brave and not afraid of death. He had an amazing
> philosophy on life and will be greatly missed by me and all
> who knew him," he added. Payton died of cancer Sunday, only
> weeks after it was announced that the Dave Clark Five had been
> nominated for induction into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall Of Fame.
> Clark talked to Payton about the induction, "He said, 'I know
> I won't be around but it was an amazing part of my life that
> I am very proud of.'"