Leeway vocalist Eddie Sutton has died. The tragic news came via Sutton's social media:
"Edward Anthony Pomponio Passed 4/19/24 peacefully in his sleep. We would like to invite all his extended family to come say good bye to our son and brother. The wake will be held Tuesday, 4/23/24 at Farenga Funeral Home 3808 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, Queens NY 11105. From 3pm-8pm"
The singer, also known as Eddie Leeway, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2021, and had been in hospice care when Leeway were announced for this summer's This Is Hardcore festival. On the This Is Hardcore Podcast, Joe Hardcore explained that he booked it with optimism before Eddie went into hospice, and he said that if it turns out Eddie cannot play, he will discuss with Eddie's family if and how they could move forward with the Leeway set being some sort of tribute.
In addition to fronting Leeway on their classic, influential records including 1988's Born to Expire and 1991's Desperate Measures, Sutton also fronted Merauder on their 1998 demo. Leeway were revered by their peers and they've also been name-dropped as an influence on countless newer bands, ranging from Turnstile to Power Trip.
The late Power Trip vocalist Riley Gale once told The Guardian, "I would say the first big record that was a huge influence on the band in the early days was the second Leeway record, Desperate Measures… It was kind of groovy, and Eddie [Sutton] had this really wild vocal style that I never even tried to capture." Arthur Rizk, who produced both Power Trip records and has played in countless great hardcore bands (including Cold World, War Hungry, and more), has cited Leeway as a life-changing influence.
Multiple hardcore musicians recently included Leeway in their top four hardcore albums of all time lists on the HardLore Podcast, including Scott Vogel of Terror, Dan Seely of King Nine, Dim Roc of Crown of Thornz, and Mike Milewski of Bulldoze.
For years, the hardcore community has been raising money for Eddie via various GoFundMe campaigns, and through this he's continued to perform – you can watch a full-set video of Leeway from 2022 below.
Rest in peace, Eddie. Your impact won't be forgotten.
This article was originally published on BrooklynVegan.com and has edited by Revolver.
