The Emerson, Lake and Palmer founding member was found dead in his Santa Monica, Calif., home at age 71
Keith Emerson died from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, police confirmed on Friday afternoon. He was 71.
“At about 1.15 a.m. [PT], officers were called to his home on the 400 Marine Avenue block of Santa Monica, and his body was found with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head,” Sgt. Camarena of the Santa Monica Police told TheWrap.
“His death is being investigated as a possible suicide.”
Also Read: Keith Emerson, Founding Member of Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Dies at 71
The body of the Emerson, Lake and Palmer founding member and keyboardist was discovered by his live-in girlfriend, who has not yet been named by police.
“We regret to announce that Keith Emerson died last night at his home in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, aged 71. We ask that the family’s privacy and grief be respected,” a message on the band’s official Facebook page read earlier on Friday.
Emerson’s former bandmate, Carl Palmer, also paid tribute to the keyboard legend on Facebook, saying: “Keith was a gentle soul whose love for music and passion for his performance as a keyboard player will remain unmatched for many years to come.
“”He was a pioneer and an innovator whose musical genius touched all of us in the worlds of rock, classical and jazz.”
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Born in Todmorden, Yorkshire in England, Emerson learned classical western music as a child, and went on to become one of the greatest keyboardists of his generation.
Emerson, Palmer and producer Greg Lake formed the progressive rock supergroup in 1970, and after a breakout performance at the Isle of Wight festival, the trio signed with Atlantic Records’ Ahmet Ertegun. The band released their landmark album “Brain Salad Surgery” in 1973, and Emerson served as co-writer on its most enduring track, “Karn Evil 9.”
Other notable ELP projects include “Works Volume 1” and “Volume 2,” “Love Beach,” “Black Moon” and “In the Hot Seat” in 1994.
Hollywood's Notable Deaths of 2016 (Photos)
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Vilmos Zsigmond, the Academy Award-winning cinematographer for "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," died in Big Sur, California on Jan. 1 at the age of 85.
Getty ImagesCraig Strickland, frontman for the country band Backroad Anthem, was found dead from hypothermia on Jan. 4. He was last seen on Dec. 27 when his boat capsized while duck hunting in Oklahoma. He was 29.
Clayton TaylorRobert Stigwood, former manager of Cream and The Bee Gees, died in London on Jan. 4 at the age of 81. He produced the smash hit albums "Saturday Night Fever" and "Grease."
Getty ImagesPat Harrington Jr. died from complications of Alzheimer's on Jan. 6. He is best known for playing superintendent Schneider on the 1970s CBS sitcom "One Day at a Time."
CBSSian Blake, who starred in the British soap "EastEnders" in the 1990s, was found buried in her garden with her two children on Jan. 5. Police were investigating the deaths.
Metropolitan PoliceIconic singer-songwriter and style icon David Bowie died on Jan. 10, two days after the release of his 25th album "Blackstar." He was 69 years old.
Getty ImagesAlan Rickman, the British film icon known worldwide for roles in "Die Hard" and the "Harry Potter" films, died on Jan. 14 from cancer. He was 69.
Getty ImagesCeline Dion’s husband and former manager, René Angélil, died on Jan. 14 following a battle with cancer. He was 73.
Getty ImagesGlenn Frey, the singer, guitarist and founding member of The Eagles, died on January 18 at 67. The musician and co-writer of hits like “Hotel California” and “Take It Easy” had been struggling with intestinal issues.
Getty ImagesAbe Vigoda, star of "The Godfather" and "Barney Miller," died on January 26 at 94. Vigoda earned three Emmy nominations for his performance as a police detective in "Barney Miller" and became famous beyond the screen for numerous false reports of his death. Vigoda kept taking acting jobs until 2014.
ABCJoe Alaskey, legendary voice actor, died on February 3 at 63. Alaskey began voicing several Looney Tunes characters, including Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, in 1989 following the death of original Looney Tunes voice actor Mel Blanc. Alaskey's performance as Daffy in the cartoon "Duck Dodgers" earned him an Emmy in 2004.
Getty ImagesPaul Kantner, founding member of Jefferson Airplane, died January 28 at 74. Kantner was the only member of Jefferson Airplane to also appear on all the albums of the band's successor, Jefferson Starship.
Getty ImagesMaurice White, founder of Earth, Wind, and Fire, died on February 3 at age 74. Under White's leadership, Earth, Wind, and Fire won six Grammys and reached the top of the charts through songs like "Shining Star" and "In the Stone." Though a Parkinson's diagnosis ended his touring career in 1994, he remained an active part of the music industry until his death.
Verdine WhiteDenise Matthews, a.k.a. Vanity, died on February 15 at 57. Matthews was known as the protege of Prince and a member of Vanity 6. Matthews had long suffered from kidney failure and was being treated for abdominal illness shortly before her death.
Rolling StoneGeorge Gaynes, star of the "Police Academy" films, died on February 15 at 98. Gaynes played Commandant Eric Lassard, the head of the titular academy. He also had famous roles as the grumpy foster father Henry Warnimont in "Punky Brewster" and as an actor smitten with a cross-dressing Dustin Hoffman in "Tootsie."
Warner Bros. Harper Lee, author of the literary classic "To Kill a Mockingbird," died in her sleep in her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama during the early morning hours of Feb. 19. She was 89 years old.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images; HarperCollinsGeorge Kennedy died of a heart ailment on Feb. 28 at age 91. He won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for "Cool Hand Luke" and also co-starred in "The Dirty Dozen," "Airport" and "The Naked Gun" films.
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Nancy Reagan died of congestive heart failure on Mar. 6 at age 94. The actress-turned-first lady starred in films such as “Night Into Morning” (1951) and “Hellcats of the Navy” (1957), in which she appeared with her husband, eventual President Ronald Reagan, and led the “Just Say No” anti-drug campaign of the 1980s.
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A look back at the stars of movies, TV, media and music we lost this year