Neil Peart of Rush performs during the final show of the R40 Tour at The Forum on Saturday, August 1, 2015, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Rich Fury/Invision/AP)
Neil Peart, the drummer and lyricist of the progressive rock band Rush, has died, a family spokesman confirmed to CNN. He was 67.
Peart died in Santa Monica, California, on Tuesday after a battling brain cancer for several years, the spokesman, Elliot Mintz, told CNN.
He’s survived by his wife Carrie and daughter, Olivia Louise.
Peart joined the Canadian band in 1974, and together Rush went on to sell millions of records and develop a massive, dedicated fan base.
They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.
Despite being a world-famous drummer, Peart told Rolling Stone that he still took drum lessons as recently as 2012.
“I’ve been put in this position, and I certainly don’t underrate that,” he said. “I get to be a professional drummer … So it’s a full-time responsibility. It’s a joyous one and one I’m very grateful for.”
