Another member from my MTV era youth is dead: Jimi Jamison, lead singer of Survivor.
He died of a heart attack at age 63, according to TMZ.
Although the name Survivor is probably better known now as a long-running reality show, the band had a run of six top 10 hits in the 1980s. Their seminal hit "Eye of the Tiger" was sung by lead singer Dave Bickler. Jamison took over for Bixler as lead singer of the band in 1984. They later united to share singing duties. Jamison was the lead on some of Survivor's biggest hit songs including "High On You," "I Can't Hold Back," "Burning Heart," "The Search is Over and "Is This Love."
The last time I could find information of them performing in Atlanta was 2010 when they paired up with Starship at the Mable House Amphitheatre.
Back in March, 2002, a mere 12 years ago, I wrote a Peach Buzz item about Survivor headlining a special tacky prom promotion the now defunct alternative rock station 99X held. I remember interviewing both Bixler and Jamison before the concert but I must not have gotten all that much interesting out of them because I ultimately didn't use any of it. I do recall they were both very nice but otherwise, my memory is fuzzy. I called Jimmy Baron about his memories and he didn't remember Survivor at all, though he recalls what he wore:
Members of the 99X Morning Show never attended their real proms, so they created their own --- a couple decades late. Jimmy Baron showed off a salmon-pink tux with frilly shirt. Steve Barnes opted for a "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" Jeff Spicoli look: tux-imprinted T-shirt and Quiksilver shorts. Crash Clark donned an '80s-era jogging suit and suspicious white powder under his nose. (Buzz test results showed it was merely flour.)
And the headlining band hand-picked to headline the party was Survivor , the Chicago arena rock band last seen live in Atlanta 15 years ago at the Omni. This time around, the band dished out plenty of obscure tunes ("Play 'Hungry Like the Wolf!' " one bored guy yelled), a handful of hits ("I Can't Hold Back, " "The Search Is Over") and the one song that even 99X 's younger listeners knew: "Eye of the Tiger."
"This is the best time I've had in a long time, " confided Scott Siegel, 36, of Woodstock, who wore a vintage red Michael Jackson "Thriller" jacket and sequined glove. "I've had 100 people wanting to take pictures with me." He then proceeded to demonstrate one mean moonwalk.
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