Molly Hatchet Frontman Jimmy Farrar Dies

Jimmy Farrar, who sang with Molly Hatchet from 1980-82, has died. He was 68.

The news was confirmed by the band's bassist Tim Lindsey via Facebook. A separate page for fans of Molly Hatchet says Farrar passed away at 6:30AM today of congestive heart failure, and kidney and liver failure. He suffered three heart attacks in 2017, and had bypass surgery performed in Atlanta. Farrar's wife, who had lost her job, set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for his care.

Born on Dec. 8, 1950 in La Grange, Ga., Farrar got his start in the local Raw Energy Band where he met Rocky Manbrettie, a former roadie for Molly Hatchet. Manbrettie got Farrar's demo tape into the band manager's hand, and Farrar was offered the job shortly after Molly Hatchet parted ways with then-singer Danny Joe Brown.

He made his recorded debut on 1980's platinum-selling Beatin' the Odds, which saw Molly Hatchet moving away from the Southern rock of their first two albums in favor of a more traditional hard-rock sound. Take No Prisoners followed a year later, before Farrar split. He said he had quickly become fed up with Molly Hatchet's lifestyle.

"We had a lot of internal problems in the band, drinking and drugs and just stress from the road," Farrar told Swampland. "And living away from my family was like a living hell for me and I knew that I could not raise my family 5,000 miles away, and I made the choice to go home and raise my family."

After leaving Molly Hatchet, he sang in Predator, Section 8 and the Southern Rock All-Stars. Farrar later formed Gator Country, a band comprised of former members of Molly Hatchet.

Sad. He was a good vocalist. He did a mean Mississippi Queen.