The rock world has been dealt another blow — Greg Lake died Wednesday from cancer at age 69. The announcement was made this morning (Thursday) to give his family time to notify other family members and close friends.

Lake is the second member of Emerson, Lake and Palmer to die this year, following the suicide of Keith Emerson in March.

The singer, bass player, guitarist and producer first gained notoriety as a member of King Crimson, which he formed with his friend Robert Fripp in the late ’60s. However, his time in the band was short lived. He left after their debut album, In the Court of the Crimson King, to form ELP, although he sang on King Crimson’s second album, In the Wake of Poseidon.

He was also a proficient songwriter, responsible for such classics as “Lucky Man,” “From the Beginning,” “Watching Over You” and “I Believe in Father Christmas.”

Lake said, “The greatest music is made for love, not for money. The early ELP albums were pioneering because there is no standing still; time is always moving forward.”

After ELP went their separate ways, Greg worked on his own and with Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band, Asia, Ian Anderson, Keith Emerson, Robert Plant, Roger Daltrey, The Who, Procol Harum‘s Gary Booker, Gary Moore and Trans-Siberian Orchestra. There was also another version of ELP with drummer Cozy Powell filling in the P slot in place of Carl Palmer.