Obituaries

Rob Grill, 67, lead singer of the underrated sixties band The Grass Roots, of complications from a fall a month ago, according to his wife Nancy.

Grill suffered from other health problems in recent years. He toured around the country fronting different musicians as The Grass Roots. I saw him in Reno two years ago in Sparks as part of the Hot August Nights celebration.

The group’s longest-serving member, Mr. Grill appeared with the Grass Roots for more than four decades: first in the group’s heyday and again as the band has enjoyed a renaissance on the oldies circuit. His voice — high, sweet and supple — was memorably urgent and beseeching in the group’s many songs of love.

He also played bass and wrote some of the group’s songs, though the Grass Roots’ best-known material was written primarily by nonmembers.

A very, very underrated band.
_____

Counterculture author Theodore Roszak, 77, died of cancer July 5.