Deep Purple's Jon Lord Dies

Jon Lord, keyboard player and co-founder of '60s rock outfit Deep Purple, has passed away aged 71.

Lord was a key member of Deep Purple, having co-written many of the band's most popular songs including Smoke On The Water. Suffering from pancreatic cancer, Lord had been receiving treatment since August last year. He passed away on Monday at a London Clinic. A statement reads: "Jon passes from Darkness to Light".

Lord's incorporation of classical and baroque styles into the rock music form was groundbreaking when he brought it to Deep Purple in the late-1960s and early-1970s and he is considered to have been a driving force is developing the neo-classical elements of heavy metal in its earliest form.

As well as being a founder of Deep Purple, Lord's considerable talents were notable in Whitesnake during the late 1970s, while before Deep Purple his bands The Flower Pot Men, a collection of session musicians making pop music, and rockers The Artwoods enjoyed reasonable success in the UK.

Tributes to Jon Lord have started pouring in via Twitter, some of which you can read below.

R.I.P Jon Lord, musical legend and friend. You will always be remembered. Forever indebted for your magical, 'Moonlight Medicine' Hammond.

— Mark Gardener (@MarkGardener) July 16, 2012

RIP the great Jon Lord, Deep Purple's cornerstone/keyboardist. So many great great songs and that incredible SOUND of his! Thankyou.

— Tom Morello (@tmorello) July 16, 2012

R.I.P. Jon Lord. What a legend, the "Hammond Lord"! Thanks for all the music with Deep Purple, WhiteSnake and beyond! youtu.be/Tq2x_jiPSoU

— Michael Amott (@Michael_Amott) July 16, 2012