Bobby Tench

Bobby Tench
Bobby Tench
	Tench performing in 2009
Background information
Also known as	Bob Tench, Bobby Gass
Born	Robert Tench; 21 September 1944; Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago
Died	19 February 2024 (aged 79); London, England
Genres	Rock; blues rock; electric blues; funk;
Occupations	Musician
Instruments	Guitar; bass; vocals; keyboards;
Years active	1960s–2024
Labels	A&M; Atco; Epic; Jet; Mercury; Parlophone; Polydor; RCA; RSO; Sanctuary; Stiff; Vertigo;
Formerly of	Alan Price & The Electric Blues Company; The Gass; Catch My Soul; Gonzalez; Ginger Baker; Freddie King; Junior Marvin's Hanson; Humble Pie; Van Morrison; The Jeff Beck Group; Streetwalkers; Hummingbird; Topper Headon;

Robert Tench (21 September 1944 – 19 February 2024) was a British singer, guitarist, sideman, songwriter and arranger.

Tench was best known for his work with Freddie King and Van Morrison, as well as being a member of the Jeff Beck Group, Humble Pie and Streetwalkers. At the start of his career he performed and recorded with the Gass and also appeared with Gonzalez, before joining the Jeff Beck Group. He recorded with Ginger Baker before touring with Beck, Bogert & Appice as vocalist and recording sessions with Linda Lewis. Associations with Wailer Junior Marvin and blues guitarist Freddie King followed.

He signed to A&M Records and formed Hummingbird, later joining Roger Chapman and Charlie Whitney in Streetwalkers. During this period he had brief associations with Boxer and Widowmaker, recording album tracks with each before working with Van Morrison. When his commitments with Morrison came to an end he moved on to work and record with Eric Burdon also Axis Point, before Steve Marriott included him as an official band member in a new lineup of Humble Pie. Tench continued to record and make live appearances, until his death in February 2024 at the age of 79.