Andy Rourke, bass guitarist of influential rock band The Smiths, dies at 59

Andy Rourke, the bass guitar player for influential British band The Smiths, has died at 59, according to his representatives and former bandmate Johnny Marr.

Rourke died from pancreatic cancer after a lengthy illness, according to a post on Rourke's Facebook page on May 19.

Marr wrote on Instagram how Rourke's "singular talent" was an integral part of one of Britain's most influential groups during the band's existence from 1982 to 1987.

Marr also reminisced about their friendship in his Instagram post on May 19.

"Andy will always be remembered, as a kind and beautiful soul by everyone who knew him, and as a supremely gifted musician by people who love music," he wrote.

The two remained friends following the breakup of The Smiths, which came after the band released four studio albums. In his post, Marr, 59, looked back on their early days together.

"Andy and I met as schoolboys in 1975," he wrote. "We were best friends, going everywhere together. When we were fifteen I moved into his house with him and his three brothers and I soon came to realise that my mate was one of those rare people that absolutely no one doesn’t like.

"Andy and I spent all our time studying music, having fun, and working on becoming the best musicians we could possibly be," he continued. "Back then Andy was a guitar player and a good one at that, but it was when he picked up the bass that he would find his true calling and his singular talent would flourish."

Marr wrote that with The Smiths, Rourke "reinvented what it is to be a bass guitar player."

The four-piece band developed an underground following as an independent band in the post-punk era, with Rourke's bass playing a crucial role in their sound.

His style along with drummer Mike Joyce combined with the songwriting talents of singer Morrissey and Marr to create albums like "Meat is Murder" and "The Queen Is Dead" that still resonate nearly 40 years later.

"I was present at every one of Andy’s bass takes on every Smiths session," Marr wrote. "Sometimes I was there as the producer and sometimes just as his proud mate and cheerleader. Watching him play those dazzling baselines was an absolute privilege and genuinely something to behold.

"But one time which always comes to mind was when I sat next to him at the mixing desk watching him play his bass on the song 'The Queen Is Dead.' It was so impressive that I said to myself ‘I’ll never forget this moment.’"

The two remained close following the breakup of the band. Rourke also played in Sinead O'Connor's band and with The Pretenders in the 1990s.

"We maintained our friendship over the years, no matter where we were or what was happening and it is a matter of personal pride as well as sadness that the last time Andy played on stage was with me and my band at Madison Square Garden in September 2022," Marr wrote.

"It was a special moment that we shared with my family and his wife and soul mate Francesca."

This article was originally published on TODAY.com