Metallica have paid tribute to Ray Burton, the father of late bassist Cliff Burton, who passed away on Wednesday (15th).
The heartfelt message started out as a full statement from the band expressing how his “beaming face would regularly greet” them:
“It is with incredible sorrow that we said farewell to Cliff’s dad Ray Burton last week. For 38 years, we were lucky enough to have the energy, wisdom and light of Ray in our lives. His eternal youth with his drive, positivity and relentless smile were both incredibly powerful and stirringly honest. From coast to coast and overseas too, Ray’s beaming face would regularly greet us, offering warmth and anchor to our travels, and when it came to the entire Metallica family, band, crew and fans, he viewed us all as his own. That he has passed away leaves an indefinable feeling of sadness and loss, but equally, we know Ray wouldn’t want us “moping around on our darn keisters” for too long. So, in honor of him, and the kind of man he was, we also want to truly celebrate the 94 years of life Ray gave everyone, knowing in certainty that a glint of his light, wisdom and energy will always be with us all wherever we go.
We love you Ray,
Rest in peace”
Following the collaborative note, each member shared their own tribute to the late Ray:
Kirk Hammett:
“ Lots of Love Ray , May you finally be with Cliff and Jan”
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🖤🖤🖤 Lots of Love Ray , May you finally be with Cliff and Jan 🖤🖤🖤 #RayBurton
Lars Ulrich:
“Ray…
Thank you for lighting up every room you walked into, for inspiring all of us with your positive energy, your perseverance, your effortlessness and for always making everyone feel comfortable in your presence… and of course, thank you for giving the world the gift of Cliff and his unique talents. I’m honored and humbled to have played and stood beside him.
Rest In Peace.”
James Hetfield:
“Mr. Ray Burton is a hero of mine
In earthly form, his end of the line
He weathered many a difficult storm
A strong compass
true and gracefully worn
To his last breath, I’ve not met a more positive man
And to his son there was not a more loyal fan
So he leaves the material world to be with his sons and wife
I feel so very blessed to have had him grace my life
In earthly form, his end of the line
Mr. Ray Burton is a hero of mine
May peace be yours.
Love and Respect,
James”
Rob Trujillo:
“In my 55 years of existing on this earth I’ve met so many wonderful people, and not so wonderful people.
In recent times, and most definitely since I’ve been in Metallica, I’ve been asked who is an inspiration to me and/or who do I aspire to be like, and my reply is, “I want to be like Mr. Ray Burton!” Ray is the father we all want, or need to have; his positive energy, and support for how and what we do is a powerful gift that he blessed us with.
Always smiling, and always telling it like it is; someone to learn from. Ray’s love for all styles of music was passion driven, telling me about various big band jazz artists from his youth, sharing his thoughts on how and why these musicians were so special. I’ll always remember him telling my son, “You practicing, you playing piano Tye, remember that’s very important for your music; Cliff played piano all the time.”
My family, the Metallica family, and the world will miss Ray Burton, that goes without saying. Ray was a warrior, and would want us to face life the way he has, with that desire to be the best you can be from the inside out, stay humble, and keep smiling!
We love you, and we will miss you Ray.
R.I.P
Robert”
Members in the metal community including Megadeth, Faith No More, and Exodus have responded to Ray’s passing:
Just woke to the sad news of Ray Burton’s passing. He was such a kind & sweet soul who always took such an interest in me, Dave and Megadeth. It was so wonderful to see him keep Cliff’s legacy alive and truly become… https://t.co/P4vwj5AW86
— David Ellefson (@ellefsondavid) January 20, 2020
R.I.P. to The Great Ray Burton.
Hard to put into words My gratitude to Him for all of His kindness and His incredible character. What a huge gift to have had that in My life for 45 years. Truly one of a kind.
— Mike Bordin pic.twitter.com/r6w71NqQIt— Faith No More (@FaithNoMore) January 20, 2020
Sorry to hear about the passing of cliffburtonfamily #RayBurton. He always so friendly and gracious to myself and all fans and musicians I saw him meet. He took great responsibility in representing #CliffBurton and… https://t.co/qj0CbRr2AW
— Chris Jericho (@IAmJericho) January 20, 2020
