Grammy Award-winning bass guitarist, vocalist, and founding member of
YES,
Chris Squire, has died after a battle with Acute Erythroid Leukemia (AEL), an uncommon form of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). He was 67 years old.
Chris had been receiving treatment in his hometown of Phoenix since he was diagnosed with the disease in May.
Squire's
YES bandmate
Geoff Downes wrote on
Twitter: "Utterly devastated beyond words to have to report the sad news of the passing of my dear friend, bandmate and inspiration
Chris Squire."
YES has also released a statement on
Squire's passing. It reads: "It's with the heaviest of hearts and unbearable sadness that we must inform you of the passing of our dear friend and
YES co-founder,
Chris Squire.
Chris peacefully passed away last night in Phoenix Arizona, in the arms of his loving wife
Scotty.
"For the entirety of
YES' existence,
Chris was the band's linchpin and, in so many ways, the glue that held it together over all these years. Because of his phenomenal bass-playing prowess,
Chris influenced countless bassists around the world, including many of today's well-known artists. Chris was also a fantastic songwriter, having written and co-written much of
YES' most endearing music, as well as his solo album,
'Fish Out Of Water'. Outside of
YES,
Chris was a loving husband to
Scotty and father to
Carmen,
Chandrika,
Camille,
Cameron, and
Xilan.
"With his gentle, easy-going nature,
Chris was a great friend of many … including each of us. But he wasn't merely our friend: he was also part of our family and we shall forever love and miss him."
Read more at
http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/founding-yes-bassist-chris-squire-dead-at-67/#jeEIeIXoyfQBhkoQ.99