Lee Dorman Dies: Iron Butterfly Bassist Passes Away At 70


Los Angeles, CA — Lee Dorman has died at age 70.

Dorman, who played bass for psychedelic rock band Iron Butterfly, was found dead in a vehicle on Friday morning, according to Orange County sheriff’s spokeswoman Gail Krause.

While a coroner’s investigation has already begun, authorities do not expect foul play is involved in Dorman’s death. Krause revealed it was likely that Dorman was heading out for a doctor’s appointment when he passed away.

Douglas Lee Dorman was born in September 1942 and spent his final years living in Laguna Nigel, an affluent master planned coastal city in Southern California.

Dorman was involved in Iron Butterfly from the very beginning. The band’s popularity peaked in the late-1960s, and its second album, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, sold more than 30 million copies around the world.

Along with Blue Cheer, Jimi Hendrix and Steppenwolf, the group is often namechecked as a vital influence during the period when psychedelic music began to develop into heavy metal.

The album’s title track has a series of famous notes that have featured in numerous films and TV shows, including The Simpsons and That ’70s Show. Dorman was given a co-writing credit on the track as he assisted Iron Butterfly guitarist Erik Brann with the song’s arrangement.

Scroll down to watch Iron Butterfly perform the full, 17-minute version of ‘In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida’:

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