Photo: Hans-W. Schultze / CC BY-SA 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Ian Bairnson was a guitarist, singer and saxophonist. Ian Bairnson was born on August 3, 1953 in Lerwick, United Kingdom. Death is recorded on April 7, 2023, at the age of 69.
My Take
Bairnson is exactly the kind of musician I love to champion: a craftsman who shaped records without ever crowding the frame. As guitarist for Pilot and the Alan Parsons Project, he layered the textured, atmospheric sound those albums are known for, and famously played with a sixpence instead of a pick, a small wink of personality I find endearing. A multi-instrumentalist from Lerwick who could turn to saxophone or keyboards when needed, he passed in 2023 but left his fingerprints all over a distinctly polished era of British rock. The supporting virtuoso deserves more credit than history usually grants.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Ian Bairnson
- Name (Japanese)
- イアン・ベアンソン
- Reading
- いあん・べあんそん
- Born
- August 3, 1953 – April 7, 2023
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Leo / Snake
- Origin
- Lerwick, United Kingdom
- Occupation
- guitarist / singer / saxophonist
2. Links
- Official sitehttps://www.ianbairnson.com/
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian%20Bairnson
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2277515
3. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-23
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Ian Bairnson born?
Born August 3, 1953.
When did Ian Bairnson die?
Died April 7, 2023, aged 69.
Where was Ian Bairnson from?
Ian Bairnson was from Lerwick, United Kingdom.
What did Ian Bairnson do?
Ian Bairnson worked as guitarist, singer, saxophonist.
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