Johnny Marr Announces The Passing Of The Smiths’ Andy Rourke

Johnny Marr, the guitarist of The Smiths, broke the news today on Twitter with a heartfelt tribute about the passing of his former bandmate, Andy Rourke, who lost his battle with pancreatic cancer at 59.

Rourke had been dealing with pancreatic cancer for quite some time; however, he didn’t let his sickness stop his musical endeavors, including his collaboration with Marr. Just last year, Johnny and Andy reunited for their first joint recording endeavor in 35 years.

This memorable collaboration occurred for the track ‘Strong Forever.’ It was produced by Blitz Vega, consisting of Rourke and Kav Blaggers, a former Happy Mondays guitarist. The song now signifies a moment in the former bandmates’ music journey before Rourke’s passing.

Johnny Marr’s tweet to announce the passing of Andy Rourke read:

“It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Andy Rourke after a lengthy illness with pancreatic cancer. Andy will be remembered as a kind and beautiful soul by those who knew him and as a supremely gifted musician by music fans. We request privacy at this sad time.”

The two musicians’ longstanding musical history, returning to their early days as bandmates in The Smiths, created a friendship beyond the stage and the studio. Their recent collaboration rekindled those shared moments, making Andy’s passing even more devastating for Johnny. Rest in peace, Andy Rourke.