Alan Longmuir, who co-founded Scottish pop outfit Bay City Rollers with his brother Derek, died at the age of 70 Larbert, Scotland, following a short illness, the BBC reported.
Formed in 1966, Bay City Rollers shot to fame as teen sensations in the 1970s in the U.K., and a for fleeting moment, almost emulated Beatlemania with their legion of screaming teen fans, which was aptly called Rollermania.
“Bye Bye Baby,” “Saturday Night” and “Shang-a-Lang” were among the group’s biggest hits, and at one point, the Rollers even had their own TV program.
Overall, the band sold 120 million records before their 1978 split. Longmuir (pictured above, far right) left the group in 1976 before returning in 1978.
In a statement sent to Edinburgh Evening News editor Liam Rudden, the family remembered Longmiur as “an extraordinary man with an extraordinary heart. He brought so much kindness to everyone he met and he leaves a huge hole in our heart.”
Statement from Eileen and @alanlongmuirbcr’s family… #BayCityRollers pic.twitter.com/KNGVSIgMbu
— Líam Rudden (@LiamRudden) July 2, 2018
Former Bay City Rollers singer Les McKeown told the BBC that he visited Longmuir in the hospital, just weeks after he was flown back from Mexico by air ambulance.
“Alan was a true gentleman and a brilliant musician,” McKeown said. “He was a brilliant guy, never had a bad word to say about anyone. We are all going to miss him so much.”