Pete Bardens, 57; Keyboardist With Many Rock Bands

Pete Bardens, 57, a rock keyboardist who was a founding member of the group Cheynes with Mick Fleetwood and Peter Green, died Tuesday of lung cancer at his home in Malibu.

Born in London, Bardens also played in the Blues Messengers with Ray Davies, the Shotgun Express with Rod Stewart, and Them with Van Morrison.

In 1972, Bardens formed the progressive rock band Camel and stayed with it through the late 1970s.

Bardens also had a successful solo career starting in the late 1970s, releasing several records, including “Speed of Light.” He moved to the United States in 1987 and settled in Malibu.

In an interview with The Times some years ago, Fleetwood, who had gone on to found the hugely successful Fleetwood Mac, credited Bardens with giving him his start in the music business.