Reggae "pioneer" Drummie Zeb has died, band members have said. The lead singer of Aswad, passed away at the age of 62.
The cause of the star's death has not been revealed. The news was released by the band in a statement issued on Friday, reports the Mirror.
They said: "It is with deepest regret and profound loss that we have to announce the passing of our brother Angus ‘Drummie’ Gaye. Drummie was the lead vocalist for the iconic band Aswad and is much loved and respected by both family, friends and peers alike.
"More information will be given at a later time but on behalf of his family and Aswad - we ask that their privacy is respected at this heart-breaking time. Drummie has left us to join our ancestors and leaves a huge void both personally and professionally."
Tributes poured in for the singer following his death, with UB40's Ali Campbell leading the heartfelt messages. He wrote on Twitter: "Very sad to hear the passing of Aswads Drummie Zeb. We’ve lost another U.K Reggae pioneer.
Drummie, born Angus Gaye, was the drummer and lead singer for the reggae band Aswad, as well as being a record producer. Born to Grenadian parents, Drummie attended Holland Park school in London, which is where he met his bandmates.
The band rose to fame in the 1970s and released 21 albums. Their catalogue of hits include Don't Turn Around in 1988 and Give a Little Love.
In 1989 they performed together with Cliff Richard the song Share a Dream. After 16 years, bandmember Forde left the band in 1996 for spirtual reasons, leaving Drummie as the only founding member.
The band has toured around the world performing on stage in some of the biggest venues from London's Royal Albert Hall to West Africa and Japan. Aswad released their most recent material in 2009, with the album City Lock.
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