Ray Manzarek, a founding member and keyboardist of 1960s rock group The Doors, has died.
Manzarek died in Germany on Monday following a battle with bile duct cancer, the band said in a statement. He was 74.
Manzarek formed The Doors in 1965 after a chance meeting at Venice Beach in Los Angeles with the poet Jim Morrison, who became the lead singer.
The Doors sold more than 100 million albums, and Manzarek's keyboard work would go on to be a touchstone of hits like Break On Through to the Other Side and Light My Fire.
The Doors guitarist Robby Krieger said he was was deeply saddened at the passing of his friend and bandmate.
"I'm just glad to have been able to have played Doors songs with him for the last decade. Ray was a huge part of my life and I will always miss him."
Manzarek was born in Chicago in 1939. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy, two brothers, a son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren, Reuters reports.
The Doors broke up after Jim Morrison died in 1971.
