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Greg Lake, progressive-rock pioneer and the voice and co-founder of ‘70s prog-rock phenomenon Emerson, Lake & Palmer, died Wednesday after a long battle with cancer. He was 69.

Lake’s passing comes just nine months after the tragic death of band mate and ELP co-founder Keith Emerson in a year that has seen the passing of pop rock icons David Bowie and Prince, and David Bowie and Glenn Frey, founding member and guitarist of the Eagles.

“It is with great sadness that I must now say goodbye to my friend and fellow band-mate, Greg Lake,” Carl Palmer wrote on the Emerson, Lake & Palmer Facebook page. “Greg’s soaring voice and skill as a musician will be remembered by all who knew his music and recordings he made with ELP and King Crimson.

“I have fond memories of those great years we had in the 1970s and many memorable shows we performed together. Having lost Keith this year as well, has made this particularly hard for all of us. As Greg sang at the end of Pictures At An Exhibition, “death is life.” His music can now live forever in the hearts of all who loved him.”

Lake, a multi-instrumentalist who sang and played guitar in ELP, was an important figure in the rise of progressive rock. Before for formation of ELP in 1970, Lake sang and played bass guitar on King Crimson’s debut album, In the Court of the Crimson King; he is also listed as one of the work’s composers.

In a recent interview with Sound & Vision, Lake discussed the recently released three-disc collection, The Anthology (Manticore/BMG), and made know his dislike of the label progressive rock. “The actual word ‘progressive’ has become elitist, and in some ways, pretentious. That aspect of it, I don’t like. But the underlying intention is to make music that hasn’t been made before; it’s to try and be original. So I would rather use that word…”

“It doesn’t matter what style it is, how old it is, or who did it—music is either from the soul and from the heart and it’s sincere, or else it’s commercial trash. In the end, I think the music itself is the thing that matters. One of the great gifts I’ve had in this life is to be able to make music, and it’s something that will outlive me. That alone is a phenomenally gratifying and rewarding thing. To have left a mark—just that alone is a real privilege.”

Also see:

Mike Mettler’s interview with Lake

greglake.com.

RollingStone.com

RIP: Keith Emerson, Founder and Keyboardist of ELP

Keith Emerson: Lord of the Keys