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Ray Manzarek, keyboardist with The Doors, has died aged 74 following a battle with cancer. Manzarek passed away at a clinic in Rosenheim, Germany, surrounded by his wife and brothers.

Doors guitarist Robby Krieger said in a statement:

“I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of my friend and bandmate Ray Manzarek today. I’m just glad to have been able to have played Doors songs with him for the last decade. Ray was a huge part of my life and I will always miss him.”

Doors drummer, John Densmore, has also paid tribute to his friend:

“There was no keyboard player on the planet more appropriate to support Jim Morrison’s words. Ray, I felt totally in sync with you musically. It was like we were of one mind, holding down the foundation for Robby and Jim to float on top of. I will miss my musical brother.”

Manzarek met Jim Morrison in 1965 at Venice Beach, Los Angeles, and formed the band shortly after, along with Krieger and Densmore. Their breakthrough hit, “Light My Fire,” featured one of Manzarek’s most notable musical contributions to the band and one of the most memorable instrumental breaks of the decade. The song was originally recorded as a 7-minute album track, largely because of Manzarek’s extended break, which took inspiration from John Coltrane’s “My Favorite Things.”

The Doors – “Light My Fire” (album version)

After The Doors broke up in 1973, Manzarek played with a number of groups, including Nite City in the late 1970s and Manzarek-Krieger from 2001 to his death. There were also collaborations with artists such as Iggy Pop and Echo and the Bunnymen, and a number of solo albums, beginning with “The Golden Scarab” in 1973. His final album was “Translucent Blues” in 2011, with Roy Rogers.

Manzarek is survived by his wife, Dorothy, two brothers, a son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren.

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Song of the Week #64 – “Light My Fire”