Original Voice Of RIOT Passes Away

November 9, 2003

The original voice of RIOT, Guy Speranza, passed away Saturday morning (Nov. 8) at a Florida hospital after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 47 years old.

Speranza, who was often regarded as the best RIOT vocalist, sang on the group's first three full-length albums — "Rock City" (1977),"Narita" (1979) and "Fire Down Under" (1981) — before being replaced by Rhett Forrester (Forrester himself left in the mid-'80s to pursue a solo career, only to be murdered on January 22, 1994 in Atlanta). He eventually moved to Florida, where he worked as an exterminator before being diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer last spring.

Guy is survived by a wife and two daughters (aged 17 and 20).

BLABBERMOUTH.NET would like to extend our condolences to Speranza's family and friends on their tragic loss.

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