Rock Icon David Bowie Passes Away

Bowie’s son, Duncan Jones, tweeted a note of sadness to his followers, remarking, “Very sorry and sad to say it’s true”.

Bowie representative Steve Martin reported early Monday that the influential British musician died “peacefully and was surrounded by family”.

The news of his death comes just three days after Bowie released his 28th studio album, Blackstar, on Friday.

A flood of celebrities and other public figures such as politicians and even the Archbishop of Canterbury rushed to pay tribute to Bowie.

Inventive to the end, Bowie, who died on Sunday aged 69, mixed rock and jazz on an album for which the famously private star gave no interviews and whose cover was a simple black star on a white background.

Bowie’s chart impact wasn’t limited to the pop tallies – he charted on Dance Club Songs, Alternative Songs, Mainstream Rock and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

Bowie made a surprise comeback in 2013 when he suddenly released a new single on his 66th birthday with an album out just weeks later, his first for 10 years.

Rock star David Bowie, whose groundbreaking music inspired generations during a career spanning six decades, has died at the age of 69 after being diagnosed with cancer.

“He would ask our opinion at soundchecks – I’d be in the empty amphitheatre watching and he’d say, ‘What do you think, Kelly?'”

Mr Wyburn said: “I woke up around 6am and saw the news break on social media”.

“David’s friendship was the light of my life”, Jim Osterberg, otherwise known as Iggy Pop, said.

A family who pay tribute to David Bowie in a leading cover act have paid respects to the artist in the wake of his death. “Farewell, David Bowie”, he wrote.

Kanye West hailed Bowie as one of his “most important” inspirations. Taking everyone by surprise, it was hailed as a “classic Bowie release” – which of course means as unexpected as was to be expected. Bowie also did movie roles such as “Labyrinth“, “The Hunger”, “Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence” and Christopher Nolan’s “The Prestige”.

Seaham teacher Ed Blaney, 58, appeared as Ziggy-era Bowie when he appeared on ITV’s Stars In Their Eyes in 2005, and now leads Ultimate Bowie as he and wife Christina, 63, tour the country with their band. They had a son, Duncan Jones, together before divorcing in 1980. Never have. I can do it and, if my mind’s on the situation, do it quite well. “Lazarus”, the title track from Blackstar, was also the basis for a stage musical that opened in New York City last week.