Alex Ligertwood has died at the age of 79, just weeks after the Scottish rock legend’s last gig on stage.
The former Santana vocalist was instrumental in shaping the sound of the rock band, best known for tracks such as Smooth and Maria Maria.
Ligertwood died ‘peacefully’ in his sleep with his dog Bobo at his side, according to a statement from his wife Shawn Brogan.
The announcement of his death at his longtime Santa Monica home was made via Facebook on Saturday. Alongside photos of the musician, his wife wrote on Facebook: ‘Alex was loved by so many.
‘If you knew him, you loved him. He touched so many with his extraordinary voice. He was all heart and soul.’
Brogan shared that Ligertwood’s ‘favourite thing in life was to make music, sing and to share his gift’.
She went on to reflect on his final show weeks prior, writing: ‘I’m grateful for that. He did it his way, on his terms, till the end.
‘I will always love you, my sweet Alex,’ she concluded and asked fans to keep her and their children in their prayers.
Ligertwood was reportedly living with health issues in the years leading up to his death, according to the Scottish Herald.
The Glasgow-born singer was part of Santana’s rotating band line-up from 1979 to 1994, on and off through the years.
Founded in 1966 by lead guitarist Carlos Santana, who has been the only consistent member of the band, Ligertwood collaborated on albums including 1979’s Marathon and 1981’s Zebop!
His vocals are across several band tracks, including the 1979 hit You Know That I Love You and the 1981 song Winning.
Tributes have already begun pouring in for the frontman, who first picked up a guitar in the 1950s.
Fellow strummer Brandon Paul, who toured alongside him in recent years as part of Icons of Classic Rock, described him as a ‘world-class professional’.
He said: ‘His voice was a force of nature – soulful, from the heart, and legendary every single night. Beyond the music, he was an amazing human being and a dear friend.’
Since leaving Santana, Lingertwood performed with several other acts, including the tribute band The Magic of Santana.
A spokesperson for the band wrote on Facebook: ‘We are so sad! We just heard about Alex J Ligertwood passed away!
‘We had a great journey together with him and we learned so much about music, passion and friendship. He was one of the best singer on this planet and we will deeply miss him. Thank you Alex, for everything!’
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