David Bowie, one of the biggest rock icons of the 20th century, has passed away after his secret 18 month battle with cancer. A statement issued on his Facebook said:
“David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18 month battle with cancer. While many of you will share in this loss, we ask that you respect the family’s privacy during their time of grief.”
January 10 2016 – David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18 month battle with…
Posted by David Bowie on Sunday, January 10, 2016
His biographer, Wendy Leigh stated that Bowie had suffered 6 heart attacks within the past year.
The legendary multi-instrumentalist released his 28th studio album Blackstar to critical acclaim on January 8.
Born David Robert Jones in Brixton in 1947, Bowie’s career spanned five decades as he became one of the most iconic musicians of all time.
He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.
He was married to Angie Bowie from 1970 to 1980 before marrying model Iman Abdulmajid in 1992.
Throughout his extensive career he worked with the likes of Queen, Mick Jagger and John Lennon.
Bowie, son to mother Margaret “Peggy” and charity worker Haywood “John” Jones, formed a number of bands after turning 16 which led to a groupd calling himself Davy Jones.
He changed his name to David Bowie – inspired by a knife developed by the 19th century American pioneer Jim Bowie – to avoid confusion with the Monkees’ Davy Jones.
The Life on Mars singer released his debut album The World of David Bowie but retreated to a Buddhist monastery in Scotland in 1967 after the album failed to gain success.
He released Space Oddity on July 11 in 1969 and reached international stardom with The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars in 1972.
Bowie’s work with Lennon on Fame earned him his first US number one in 1975.
The albums Low, Heroes and Lodger followed before he combined his music career with films in the 1980s.
David Bowie through the years: