Guitarist Drake Levin dead at 62

CHICAGO, July 8 (UPI) -- Drake Levin, a blues musician and former member of the rock band Paul Revere & the Raiders, has died at his home in San Francisco.

He was 62.

The Chicago Tribune said his longtime friend and former fellow Raiders member Phil Volk confirmed Levin lost his long battle with cancer last Saturday.

The Idaho native, who was born Drake Maxwell Levinshefski, was with the Raiders when they recorded their hits "Just Like Me," "Kicks," "Hungry" and "Good Thing" in the 1960s.

"I've lost my dear friend, my Raider buddy, and the music world has lost a guitar icon," Volk, who also performed with Levin in the bands the Surfers and the Brotherhood, said in a message posted on his Web site.

Levin also collaborated with organist Lee Michaels and singer-songwriter Emitt Rhodes, performed as a blues player on his own and headed the groups Billy Dunn and Bluesway, the Tribune said.

The musician is survived by Sandra, his wife of 37 years; sons David and Darby; his mother, Charle; his brother Jeff and his sister Lori.