R.I.P. George Tickner, founding member and original guitarist of Journey
George Ticker, who eventually left the band to pursue a career in medicine, was 76 years old
George Tickner, a founding member, songwriter, and original rhythm guitarist for the band Journey, has died. Tickner’s former bandmate and co-founder, Neal Schon, announced his death in a Facebook post late Tuesday night. No cause of death has been released. He was 76 years old.
“Godspeed, George…thank you for the music. We will be paying tribute to you on this page indefinitely… Fly free above the stars, Sir,” Schon wrote in his post.
Schon and Tickner founded Journey in 1973 along with singer Gregg Rolie, bassist Ross Valory, and drummer Prairie Prince (replaced the next year by Aynsley Dunbar). Prior to joining Journey, Tickner was a member of the psychedelic rock band Frumious Bandersnatch along with Valory; the band was also road-managed by Herbie Herbert, who would go on to manage Journey as well.
Tickner received a number of writing credits on Journey’s early albums, including “Topaz,” “Mystery,” and “Of A Lifetime,” on their 1975 self-titled debut, the latter of which Schon called “one of my favorite songs ever” in his Facebook post.
Tickner left the band after the release of Journey’s debut to earn his PhD in medicine from Stanford University on a full scholarship. Upon his departure, Schon took over as sole guitarist until Jonathan Cain joined the band in 1981.
While Tickner never re-joined the lineup, he was also given writing credits on a handful of songs that appeared on the band’s next two records, including “You’re On Your Own” and “I’m Gonna Leave You” from 1976's Look Into The Future and “Nickel And Dime” on 1977's Next.
He also stayed involved in the music industry by opening a recording studio called The Hive, as well as forming a short-lived band called VTR with Valory and keyboardist Stevie ‘Keys’ Roseman that released a single album, titled Cinema, in 2005. That album served as a Journey reunion of sorts, featuring past and present members including Schon, Steve Smith, and Prairie Prince. Tickner also reunited with his former bandmates in 2005, when Journey received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.