Jerry Leach has died. The Not Leaving Sober bassist was found pinned under a vehicle outside his New Jersey home on March 10, Daily Voice reported. He was 32.
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Not Leaving Sober paid tribute to Leach on Instagram, writing, “This devastating news comes as a shock to all of us.”
“Jerry was far more than a bass player to us—he became a brother who we got to know very closely,” the band wrote. “Jerry started as a friend of the band who answered the call when he heard we were looking for a bassist and quickly learned 60-some-odd songs in the matter of a few weeks, and really started his time with us with 2 long road trips out of state to Maryland and then New Hampshire.”
“At the time, these gigs were a hard sell. We hadn’t really made much of a name for ourselves yet and joining a new band going away for multiple weekends probably wasn’t the most appealing,” the statement continued. “Multiple times during those weekends, Jerry just kept repeating ‘I just want to help you guys,’ but that was just the kind of person he was.”
Not Leaving Sober Pays Tribute to Jerry Leach
Now, four years and 300 shows later, the band wrote that their group “never have reached the heights it has without Jerry and his contributions.”
“He loved being a part of the writing process and his signature style is easily recognizable on the songs he wrote and recorded with us,” the statement read, before fondly recalling Leach’s “peculiar, wild sense of humor and his on-stage antics.”
The statement then moved to Leach’s life off the stage, calling him “a genuine friend not just to us, but to all of the people who came out to the shows and everyone he came in contact with.”
“Jerry would give you the shirt off his back and the last dollar he had in his wallet—something every member of the band can say he did in some form or another at some point,” the statement read. “… Jerry’s kind nature and his dark, macabre humor were and always will be his trademark.”
The statement continued, “More than words, we will miss the long road trips, the drunken nights in hotel rooms and glancing to our left on stage to catch a glimpse of our friend tearing it up and laughing—often with a mischievous grin.”
While the band acknowledged that “the next few months are going to be extremely tough” for them, they noted that they “owe to it Jerry to keep going.”
“Jerry was very clear that he just wanted to see the band succeed and for us, the only way to honor him is to keep that promise,” the statement concluded. “We will never forget our friend. He will be a part of every show, every practice, every cheers, every celebration. We love you, Jerry and don’t worry. We will Never Trust the Suits.”
Photo by Johner Images / Gettyimages.com
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