Legendary musician David Bowie has died following a battle with cancer just days after his 69th birthday, his son confirmed.
“Very sorry and sad to say it’s true,” Bowie’s son, Duncan Jones, tweeted. “I’ll be offline for awhile. Love to all.”
Bowie’s death was first announced on a verified Facebook and Twitter account associated with the glam rock star. A rep said in a brief message that Bowie been fighting cancer for nearly two years.
“David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18 month battle with cancer,” the statement read. “While many of you will share in this loss, we ask that you respect the family’s privacy during their time of grief.”
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The WB/Frank Ockenfels II/TLPDavid Bowie died at age 69 following a battle with cancer, according to his family.
Iman, his wife of 24 years, did not immediately comment on Bowie’s illness.
The reclusive singer’s death follows rumors of poor health dating back to 2004 when he collapsed backstage at a music festival in Germany. He underwent surgery for a clogged artery.
Bowie had just released a new album, “Blackstar,” two days earlier on his birthday, Jan. 8. It was the 27th album of a distinguished career that spanned nearly six decades.
His latest album was a welcome to longtime fans, who considered Blackstar Bowie’s rebirth.
“I grew up listening to and watching the pop genius David Bowie,” wrote UK prime minister David Cameron in a statement. “He was a master of re-invention, who kept getting it right. A huge loss.”
Born as David Jones in South London in 1947, he changed his last name to Bowie professionally to avoid being confused with The Monkees lead singer Davy Jones.
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Michael Ochs ArchivesNEW YORK – 1973: Rock and roll musician David Bowie poses for a portrait dressed as ‘Ziggy Stardust’ in a hotel room in 1973 in New York City, New York. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
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David Bowie Heroes album cover photos3f
David Bowie style changed from decade to decade, encompassing the glam rock god ‘Ziggy Stardust’ to showing off his cool, collected demeanor.
After releasing his first mega-hit, the 1969 song “Space Oddity,” nobody could confuse him with anyone else.
The 1972 album, “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars,” birthed an alter ego of the same name. And with it, his music became buoyed by his look: futuristic costumes, jarring makeup and dyed hair that contrasted the hippy culture of the late ‘60s.
Through the seventies, a string of his anthems dominated the decade, including “Rebel, Rebel,” “Young Americans” and “Changes.”
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ullstein bild via Getty ImagesDavid Bowie from Germany.
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Evan Agostini/Getty Images For Tribeca Film Fe
Bowie arrives for the Vanity Fair 2007 Tribeca Film Festival party at The State Supreme Courthouse April 24, 2007 in New York City.
Bowie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.
But as the era changed, his androgynous, glam “Ziggy Stardust” persona gave way to an MTV-friendly, dapper image and poppy hits such as “Modern Love” in the ’80s.
“What I have is a malevolent curiosity,” Bowie told the Daily News in 2002. That’s what drives my need to write and what probably leads me to look at things a little askew. I do tend to take a different perspective from most people.”
Bowie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.
Music didn’t seem to be enough for the multi-hyphenate artist; he starred in more than two dozen movies, including the leading role in the 1976 sci-fi drama, “The Man Who Fell to Earth.” Bowie’s son, filmmaker Duncan Jones, credits a childhood visit to see his father on the set of the 1986 Jim Henson-directed fantasy ‘Labyrinth’ with sparking his own interest in the medium.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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