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Zombies guitarist dead at 58

Paul Atkinson also signed ABBA, Bruce Hornsby

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Paul Atkinson, who played guitar in the British invasion band The Zombies and later became a successful music industry executive who signed such acts as ABBA, died Thursday, said his publicist Susan Clary. He was 58.

Born in Cuffley, England, Atkinson had lived in Los Angeles for the past 20 years.

He started his music career with The Zombies, which had hits in the 1960s with "She's Not There," "Tell Her No" and "Time of the Season."

Later, he went on to work as an artists and repertoire executive, signing acts including ABBA, Bruce Hornsby, Mr. Mister, Michael Penn, Judas Priest and Patty Smyth.

In January, Atkinson received the Recording Academy's President's Merit Award at a tribute and benefit concert in his honor at the House of Blues in Los Angeles.

The event included a reunion of The Zombies.

You're a few days late with this, Luke.

I spoke to him once. Nice guy. Perhaps an indication of the one time in British Invasion lore where the guitarist was the *least important member* of the group--Rod wrote and played distinctive keyboards, Colin had his distinctive voice, Chris wrote amazing stuff and played bass, and you can't exactly delete the drummer--but rose on to far, *far* more prominent things afterwards, and it's really a shame to lose him.

Hey, blame CNN.