Longtime Malibu resident Dennis Dragon died unexpectedly on Sept. 25 in Williams, Oregon.
Dennis was born Jan. 6, 1947 in Los Angeles. He was the youngest son of world-famous arranger, composer and conductor Carmen Dragon and opera soprano Eloise Dragon. Shortly after his birth, the Dragon family moved to Malibu, where they became a local fixture for 50 years.
At five, Dennis was “bangin’ on the drums” with brothers Doug and Daryl at the keys. From an early age, he played in various bands. One of his first, The Malibu Music Men plus One, featured his neighbor, a very young Natalie Cole, as lead vocalist.
In the mid-’70s, he got a call from Daryl to engineer the first Captain & Tennille record at A&M Records. The result was a long string of hits and a 1975 Grammy Record of the Year award for “Love Will Keep Us Together.” He established his own recording studio in Malibu and was “booked solid.”
In 1976, he formed the rock band The Surf Punks. He produced, engineered, drummed, sang, wrote tunes and produced videos for the band. The group was signed to Epic Records in 1980 and had a “wild” 10-year run.
In 1990, he moved to Montecito where he married and had two boys, Cody and Jack.
“He was truly happy in Montecito, taking his boys down to Miramar every afternoon,” a loved one said.
In the final years of his life, he moved to Oregon to build his dream studio.
“Watching the local musicians come alive around him was a true testament to the amazing effect he had on those he worked with,” a loved one said. In winter, he hopped over to Hawaii for an extended stay with his good friend John Hunt.
“His journey spanned decades, but he was most proud to be a father to his amazing sons,” a loved one recalled.
Dennis was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Kathy and Carmen. Dennis is survived by his former wife Heather and their children.
A paddle out will be held Sunday, Nov. 19 at 11 a.m. on Carbon Beach. For more details, RSVP to dennisdragonmemorial@gmail.com.