Christopher Russell Edward Squire (4 March 1948 – 27 June 2015) was an English musician, singer and songwriter best known as the bassist and backing vocalist of the progressive rock band Yes.

As a youngster Squire took a liking to records by Lena Horne and Ella Fitzgerald that belonged to his father, though his main interest was church music.

A schoolfriend recommended that Squire take up the bass after pointing out his tall frame and large hands, thinking they were ideal for playing the instrument.

[10] In 1964, on the last day before the summer holidays, Squire's headmaster suspended him and a friend for having their hair too long and they were given two shillings and sixpence to have it cut.

[9] In 1965, following several personnel changes, Squire, Jackman and Adelman teamed with singer Steve Nardelli, guitarist John Painter, and drummer Gunnar Jökull Hákonarson to form a new group, the Syn.

[2] When the police asked him to reveal who gave it to him, Squire pretended to be disoriented and made up a story that involved an unknown Australian he met at a Wimpy restaurant beforehand.

"[11] After his discharge from hospital, Squire spent several months in his girlfriend's apartment, afraid to leave, only managing to visit the corner shop.

[2] He spent each day practising his bass playing which resulted in his distinct style,[12][2] citing bassists John Entwistle, Jack Bruce, Paul McCartney, Larry Graham,[10] and Bill Wyman as early influences.

[6] In September 1967, Squire joined Mabel Greer's Toyshop, a psychedelic group that included Peter Banks, singer Clive Bayley and drummer Bob Hagger.

[14] One evening at La Chasse, Barrie introduced Squire to Jon Anderson, a worker at the bar who had not found success as the lead singer of The Gun or as a solo artist.

[14] The two found they shared common musical interests including Simon & Garfunkel, The Association and vocal harmonies.

[3] As the band developed, Anderson and Squire brought in drummer Bill Bruford, keyboardist Tony Kaye and Banks for rehearsals.

In addition, Squire and Howe would supply backing vocals in harmony with Anderson on songs such as "South Side of the Sky" and "Close to the Edge".

[22] Following Squire's death on 27 June 2015, the band's show on 7 August of the same year marked the first Yes concert ever performed without him.

[8] A Christmas album, Chris Squire's Swiss Choir, was released in 2007 (with Johnson, J. Stacey and Steve Hackett).

[31] Squire collaborated again with Hackett, formerly of the band Genesis, to make the Squackett album A Life Within a Day, released in 2012.

In a 1973 interview for Guitar Player magazine, Squire recalled how he had obtained his distinctive tone at the time by rewiring his RM1999 into stereo and sending the bass and treble pick-ups each into a separate amplifier.

[37] Squire also made notable use of fret buzz, a normally undesirable condition caused by low string action, to create a further, growling edge to his playing.

He also played with a pick which contributed to the sharp attack as well as using fresh Rotosound Swing Bass strings for every show.

[38] Squire's intricate and complex bass playing style has influenced subsequent bassists such as Billy Sheehan, Geddy Lee of Rush, Mike Mills of R.E.M., Steve Di Giorgio of Death and Sadus, Pat Badger of Extreme,[39] Jon Camp of Renaissance, Steve Harris of Iron Maiden, Les Claypool of Primus, John Myung of Dream Theater, Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots and John Cooper of Skillet.

[43][44] Squire mentioned in a 1979 interview with Circus Weekly that he acquired this bass while working at the Boosey & Hawkes music store in London.

[45] Due to its distinctive tone, which has been compared to that of a guitar,[46] it allowed the bass to take on a more "lead" role, which created a dynamic sound, and suited Squire perfectly.

[47] Although Squire is usually associated with the Rickenbacker, he played many different models of bass guitar throughout his career, selecting each instrument according to the demands of the song and the approach of the time.

Yes' 1983 comeback single "Owner of a Lonely Heart" featured a custom green four-string designed by Jim Mouradian, while during the late 1980s Squire played a variety of Tobias four and five-string basses (using these almost exclusively on 1987's Big Generator album).

His initial choice was a prototype Rickenbacker eight-string, but from the mid-1970s onwards this was superseded by a custom instrument made by Ranney (on "Fortune Seller" from Yes' 1998 album Open Your Eyes, he played his bandmate Billy Sherwood's unique Spector 8-string).

The name seems to have mostly been initiated by bandmate Bill Bruford, who has commented on how Squire spent long periods in the bathroom while they shared a house together in Fulham[57] and how, in the early days of Yes' career, he once accidentally flooded a hotel room in Oslo, Norway, while taking a shower.

[59] On 19 May 2015, Yes announced that Squire had been diagnosed with acute erythroid leukemia, and would take a break from performing while receiving treatment.

[60][61] In the late evening of 27 June 2015, Squire died from the illness, aged 67, while receiving treatment in his adopted hometown of Phoenix, Arizona.

[65] Tributes were paid by fellow musicians Brian May, Geezer Butler, Gene Simmons and Tom Morello, as well as bandmates Geoff Downes and Bill Bruford.

In April 2016, asteroid 2002 XR80 received an official permanent name from the International Astronomical Union in honour of Squire.