Former Santana Vocalist Alex Ligertwood Dies At 79

Singer Alex Ligertwood, champion known for providing lead vocals for Santana complete respective decades, has died. He was 79.

Ligertwood’s woman and agent, Shawn Brogan, announced successful a Saturday evening Facebook post that nan vocalist died astatine his Santa Monica home.

“It’s pinch awesome sadness and heartache to denote nan passing of my saccharine beloved Alex Ligertwood, my hubby of 25 years, we knew each different for 36 years,” Brogan wrote. “Alex passed peacefully successful his slumber pinch his doggy Bobo by his broadside yesterday.”

Ligertwood’s origin of decease was not revealed.

Alex Ligertwood, left, and Jorge Santana of nan set Santana execute Oct. 9, 1993, astatine Shoreline Amphitheater successful Mountain View, Calif.

(Tim Mosenfelder / Getty Images)

“Alex was loved by truthful many. If you knew him, you loved him. He touched truthful galore pinch his bonzer voice. He was each bosom and soul,” Brogan’s connection continued. “His favourite point successful life was to make music, singing and to stock his gift pinch us. He performed his past show conscionable 2 weeks ago. I’m grateful for that. He did it his way, connected his terms, till nan end.”

The vocalist had 5 abstracted stints arsenic Santana’s lead vocalist betwixt 1979 and 1994.

He famously served arsenic nan group’s vocalist erstwhile it performed astatine Live Aid successful 1985. His sound was notably featured connected nan tracks “You Know That I Love You,” “Winning,” “All I Ever Wanted” and “Hold On.”

Ligertwood besides co-wrote specified songs arsenic “Somewhere successful Heaven” and “Make Somebody Happy,” among others.

Aside from his contributions to Santana, Ligertwood played alongside guitar fable Jeff Beck arsenic portion of nan Jeff Beck Group successful nan early ‘70s. He besides played successful jazz-rock keyboardist Brian Auger’s set Oblivion Express.

Auger, who has played pinch Rod Stewart and Jimi Hendrix, paid tribute to Ligertwood successful a Facebook post Saturday evening.

“To me, Alex aka ‘Wee Eck’ was simply nan champion vocalist to ever do it. In each my years of music, I ne'er heard anyone who possessed that benignant of scope aliases that effortless, carefree expertise to soar done a melody. He didn’t conscionable singing songs; he lived them,” Auger wrote. “The world feels overmuch quieter coming without his voice, and I will miss my friend much than words tin say. The large set successful nan entity conscionable sewage infinitely amended pinch Alex’s arrival.”

The vocalist besides appeared connected records pinch French jazz group Troc successful nan 1970s, American stone set nan Dregs successful nan 1980s, and nan Grateful Dead spinoff task Go Ahead successful nan precocious 1980s.

Ligertwood was calved successful Glasgow, Scotland, connected Dec. 18, 1946.

He grew up successful a musical household arsenic his begetter was an amateur drummer. His earliest philharmonic influences were nan swooning Motown singers of nan ‘50s and ‘60s, including Otis Redding, Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye. He first performed arsenic a vocalist arsenic portion of his school’s choir and astatine family events.