Tim Bachman dead at 71: Bachman-Turner Overdrive guitarist was a classic rock legend

Tim Bachman, co-founding guitarist and vocalist for Bachman-Turner Overdrive, has died, his son confirmed on social media. He was 71.

The veteran guitarist died on Friday following complications with cancer “riddled all throughout his brain,” Ryder Bachman shared on Facebook.

“My Dad passed this afternoon. Thank You Everyone for the kind words,” Ryder wrote. “Grateful I got to spend some time with him at the end. Grab yer loved ones and hug em close, ya never know how long you have.”

He shared that his father’s last words were: “I love you Paxton, Share the Music.”

“I sat with Dad yesterday afternoon and reminisced about some of the good times we had. He was pretty out of it most of the time, but at one point looked up at me with really, big wide eyes and said, ‘I love you Paxton, keep sharing the music…’ and then passed back out,” Ryder posted Friday.

“It’s really hard watching your parent lay in bed helpless and sick and there’s nothing you can do to help them. Breaking my heart.”

Bachman formed the Canadian rock band with his brothers Randy and Robbie — who died in January at age 69 — along with Fred Turner in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada in 1973.

Some of their hit songs include “Takin’ Care of Business,” “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet” and “Roll On Down the Highway.”

Tim played with BTO on their first two albums “Bachman–Turner Overdrive” and “Bachman–Turner Overdrive II,” both released in 1973.

He left the group in 1974 and was replaced by Blair Thornton, but rejoined a decade later in 1984 for their reunion tour and continued to perform on tour through the 80s.

After his music career, Tim worked as a realtor in Alberta, Canada,

Bachman-Turner Overdrive was inducted into the Canadian Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.

Tim Bachman is survived by his son.