Rob Tyner (December 12, 1944 – September 17, 1991) was an American musician best known as lead singer for the proto-punk rock band MC5. Born Robert Derminer, his adopted surname was in tribute to the jazz pianist McCoy Tyner. It was Tyner who issued the infamous rallying cry of "kick out the jams, motherfuckers" at the MC5's live concerts. Tyner had originally auditioned as the bass player, but the band felt his talents would be best used as a lead vocalis
In 1977, Tyner collaborated with Eddie & the Hot Rods for a 7-inch release coinciding with a promotional UK tour to promote MC5 vinyl reissues. Simultaneously back in the United States, Tyner had launched "the New MC5" which later operated as the Rob Tyner Band and laid the foundation for "Rob Tyner & the National Rock Group", a project which was prolific but issued no recordings. In 1985, Tyner donated his talents to a benefit LP for Vietnam Veterans. Tyner dipped into the song catalog of the National Rock Group for his Blood Brothers CD (1990) and plans were afoot to play more live shows, (including plans with Blackfoot drummer Jakson Spires) when he died in 1991
On September 17, 1991, Tyner suffered a heart attack in his home town of Berkley, Michigan. He was taken to Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, where he died, leaving his wife, Becky, and three children
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