Dan McCafferty, the lead vocalist of the Scottish band Nazareth, has died at the age of 76.
The singer’s bandmate Pete Agnew took to Facebook and shared the heartbreaking news that the singer had passed away on Tuesday.
“This is the saddest announcement I ever had to make,” he wrote on Facebook.
“Maryann (McCafferty’s wife) and the family have lost a wonderful loving husband and father, I have lost my best friend and the world has lost one of the greatest singers of all time.”
Agnew also said that he was too upset to say more at this time.
McCafferty co-wrote many of the hard rock band’s hits throughout the 1970s. He is best known for his powerful vocals for the Top 10 U.S. hit ‘Love Hurts.’
He had retired from touring with the band in 2013 – after 45 years – because of the effects of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
McCafferty co-found Nazareth with Agnew, drummer Darrell Sweet, and guitarist Manny Charlton in 1946.
They found success in the UK with their 1973 third LP, Razamanaz, produced by Deep Purple’s Roger Glover.
It reached No. 11 and two more Top 10 singles were released, ‘Bad Bad Boy’ and ‘Broken Down Angel’ – both of which McCafferty co-wrote.
Many of the band’s early albums were hits in the UK but it didn’t gain much attention in the U.S. until the release of its 1975 album ‘Hair Of The Dog,’ which contained the single Love Hurts.
While the song had been previously covered, Nazareth’s version reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in the US thanks to McCafferty’s grainy and powerful voice and Charlton’s guitars.
The famous track has been used numerous times in television, movie, and commercials.
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