Metallica posted a tribute on their official website to the father of the late bassist Cliff Burton , Ray Burton , who died last week at the age of 94.
The Burton family confirmed the sad events that occurred last Sunday, the 19th, and on Monday, Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield, Robert Trujillo , and Kirk Hammett expressed their condolences in a joint statement and in individual posts.
“It is with great sadness that we said goodbye to Cliff’s father, Ray Burton, last week,” the statement read, “For 38 years we were fortunate to have Ray’s energy, wisdom and light in our lives. His eternal youthfulness with his positive and relentless smile was incredibly powerful and honest.”.
They continue, saying: “His death leaves a feeling of sadness and loss, but we know Ray wouldn’t want us to grieve for long. So, in his honor and in honor of the man he was, we want to celebrate the 94 years of life he gave to everyone.”
Ray Burton was present in many moments of Metallica after the death of his son. He was always considered a father figure to all the band members. Read below the statements from the band members in tribute to him and the free translation.
"Mr. Ray Burton is my hero.
In his earthly form he is gone.
He navigated so many difficult storms.
A strong compass.
True and gracefully worn.
Until his last breath, I never saw a man so positive.
And there was no fan more loyal to his son than he.
He leaves the world to be with his children and wife.
I feel so blessed to have had him in my life.
In his earthly form he is gone.
Mr. Ray Burton is my hero
. May peace be with you.
With love and respect,
James."
Ray…
Thank you for lighting up every place you enter, for inspiring us all with your positive energy, your perseverance, your simplicity, and for always making everyone feel comfortable in your presence… And of course, thank you for giving the world the gift that Cliff was with his unique talent. I feel honored to have played alongside you.
Rest in peace.
Lars
"In my 55 years of existence on Earth, I have met many wonderful people and many not-so-wonderful people.".
Recently, and certainly ever since I've been with Metallica, I've been asked about my inspiration, and my answer is always, 'I want to be like Mr. Ray Burton.' Ray is the father figure we all want and need. His positive energy and support for what we do is a powerful gift he has blessed us with.
Always smiling and always sincere, he was someone to learn from. Ray's love for all musical genres was incredible. He told me a lot about jazz and artists from his youth, always sharing his opinions on why they were so special. I will always remember him telling my son, 'Practice, play piano, Tye, always remember that this is very important for your music. Cliff played the piano all the time.'.
My family, the Metallica family, and the whole world will miss Ray Burton, that's undeniable. Ray was a warrior and he would want us to face life like him, with the desire to be the best you can be, inside and out. Be humble and always smile!
We love you and will miss you, Ray.
Rest in peace.
Robert
"Much love, Ray.
May you finally be with Cliff and Jan."
Kirk
