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Introduction
Rick Parfitt, the iconic rhythm guitarist of Status Quo who passed away on December 24, 2016, left behind a musical legacy that continues to resonate with rock fans worldwide. As one half of the legendary partnership with Francis Rossi that spanned five decades, Parfitt helped define the unmistakable boogie-rock sound that made Status Quo one of Britain’s most enduring bands.
Born Richard John Parfitt on October 12, 1948, in Woking, Surrey, his journey to rock stardom began in the early 1960s playing in pubs and holiday camps. His fateful meeting with Francis Rossi occurred at Butlins in Minehead, where Parfitt was performing with a cabaret trio called The Highlights. Rossi, who was playing with a band called The Spectres (soon to be renamed Traffic Jam), was impressed by Parfitt’s talent, and in 1967, Parfitt joined what would become Status Quo.
The band’s early success came with the psychedelic hit “Pictures of Matchstick Men,” featuring Parfitt’s distinctive phased-up guitar intro. This would be their only U.S. hit, reaching number twelve on the Billboard Hot 100. However, it was in the 1970s that Status Quo truly found their signature sound with hits like “Paper Plane” (1972), “Caroline” (1973), “Down Down” (1975) – their only UK number one single – “Rain” (1976), “Rockin’ All Over the World” (1977), and “Whatever You Want” (1979), many of which Parfitt co-wrote.
Parfitt’s contribution to Status Quo went beyond his rhythmic guitar playing. He was a prolific songwriter, penning some of the band’s greatest hits, often in collaboration with keyboard player Andy Bown. The story behind “Mystery Song” exemplifies the band’s creative process – Rossi reportedly laced Parfitt’s tea with amphetamine sulphate during recording sessions, resulting in Parfitt playing the same riff continuously until they returned to the studio the next day!
Throughout his career, Parfitt was known for his energetic stage presence and his iconic white 1965 Fender Telecaster. As Francis Rossi poignantly stated after his death, “Rick was the archetypal rock star, one of the originals. He never lost his joy, his mischievous edge and his penchant for living life at high speed, high volume, high risk.”
The rock lifestyle took its toll on Parfitt’s health. At the height of the band’s fame, he and Rossi were notorious for their excessive drinking and drug use, with Parfitt claiming to have spent up to £1,000 a week on cocaine and £500 a week on vodka. After suffering a quadruple heart bypass in 1997, doctors warned him to change his lifestyle. Despite subsequent health issues, including a throat cancer scare in 2005 and several heart attacks, Parfitt continued performing with Status Quo until 2016, when health problems forced him to retire from touring.
Beyond Status Quo, Parfitt participated in charitable projects like Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” in 1984, and that same year, Status Quo memorably opened Live Aid with a rousing performance of “Rockin’ All Over the World.” He recorded a solo album in 1985 that was never released, and in his later years, he ventured into business, setting up a real estate company in Spain.
At the time of his death, Parfitt was working on a solo album, “Over and Out,” which was released posthumously in 2018. The album featured collaborations with Brian May of Queen, Chris Wolstenholme of Muse, and former Status Quo bassist Alan Lancaster, among others. It entered the UK charts at number 3 and the German album charts at number 10, a testament to Parfitt’s enduring appeal.
Rick Parfitt’s legacy lives on through Status Quo’s extensive catalog of hits and the countless musicians he inspired. As Brian May eloquently put it after Parfitt’s death, “You truly joyfully rocked our world.” For five decades, Parfitt helped create a sound that defined an era of British rock, earning him and Rossi OBEs in the 2010 New Year Honours for their services to music and charity.
In the words of his longtime partner Francis Rossi, “Without doubt the longest relationship of my life, this was also the most satisfying, frustrating, creative and fluid.” Rick Parfitt may be gone, but his music and influence continue to rock on.