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Status Quo guitarist Rick Parfitt dies aged 68

The musician had quit performing earlier this year following a heart attack.

RICK PARFITT, ONE of the guitarists from iconic British rock band, Status Quo, has died.

BBC News reports that, according to the band’s manager, the 68-year-old died in a hospital in Spain.

He is said to have announced in October that he would no longer be playing with the band after having a heart attack in the summer.

The musician suffered a series of health problems, including undergoing a quadruple heart bypass in 1997, reports the BBC.

Rick Parfitt began playing music with Status Quo founding members Francis Rossi and Alan Lancaster in the mid-1960s, and played with the group right up until this year.

Their hits included songs such as Rockin’ All Over the World, Down Down and Whatever You Want.

“We are truly devastated to have to announce that Status Quo guitarist Rick Parfitt has passed away,” his family and manager said in a joint statement.

“He died in hospital in Marbella, Spain as a result of a severe infection, having been admitted to hospital on Thursday evening following complications to a shoulder injury incurred by a previous fall.

“This tragic news comes at a time when Rick was hugely looking forward to launching a solo career with an album and autobiography planned for 2017 following his departure from Status Quo’s touring activities on medical advice.

“He will be sorely missed by his family, friends, fellow band members, management, crew and his dedicated legion of fans from throughout the world, gained through 50 years of monumental success with Status Quo.”

Parfitt is survived by his wife Lyndsay, their twins Tommy and Lily and his adult children Rick Junior and Harry.

Isle of Wight festival 2016 Performing with the band at the Isle of Wight festival earlier this year. David Jensen PA Archive / PA Images David Jensen PA Archive / PA Images / PA Images

With reporting from AFP - © AFP 2016

Read: Actress Carrie Fisher taken to hospital after ‘heart attack on plane’

Read: Hollywood legend Zsa Zsa Gabor dies aged 99

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42 Comments
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    Mute 829nza
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    Dec 24th 2016, 3:39 PM

    RIP, can’t wait for 2016 to end ….

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    Mute Steve Austin
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:02 PM

    Legend. .R.I.P Rick… the opening rif to Caroline respect..

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    Mute Steve Austin
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:10 PM

    R.I.P Rick ..Rool Over Lay Down

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    Mute Steve Austin
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:15 PM

    RI.P.Rick ..Roll Over Lay Down

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    Mute Steve Austin
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:22 PM

    @829nza:R.I.P Rick ..Roll over Lay Down.

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    Mute Steve Austin
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:24 PM

    @829nza: R.I.P Rick ..Roll Over Lay Down

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    Mute Gerry Fallon
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:41 PM

    Totally agree with you friend. It’s been truly awful. I loved the quo.

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    Mute Daisy Chai NSaw
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:43 PM

    @Steve Austin: One more song… One more song!

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    Mute Steve Austin
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    Dec 24th 2016, 5:20 PM

    Sorry for multiple comments. .Journal App took a figaire

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    Mute sheridan
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    Dec 24th 2016, 5:54 PM

    Why cant a bunch of politicians be taken instead?

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    Mute Justin Gillespie
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    Dec 24th 2016, 6:19 PM

    @829nza: Feck off 2016, just feck off why don’t you.

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    Mute jason stenson
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    Dec 24th 2016, 3:48 PM

    “Rocking all over the world” adored that song,i think they opened up live aid in 1985 with that song. RIP another one gone

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    Mute The Magnificent Hog
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    Dec 24th 2016, 3:39 PM

    Christ. Not another one. RIP

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    Mute Matt Donovan
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:01 PM

    Ah here 2016 would you ever fukk off with yourself & do something useful & go after Beiber or Kanye.

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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Dec 24th 2016, 7:18 PM

    I don’t get why people would wish others would die instead . Beiber is a young lad with his life ahead of him and kanye has a couple young kids . I don’t like either of them but I would wish them dead ..

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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Dec 25th 2016, 2:41 AM

    *Wouldn’t *

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    Mute Asha
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    Dec 24th 2016, 3:41 PM

    Thoughts and prayers are with his family, another star gone from our sky’s tonight

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    Mute Etherman
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:10 PM

    Saw Status Quo at Wembley Stadium in 1986. Queen headlined with The Alarm and INXS also. They were great craic live and had us all head banging even though most of us there for Queen. Thanks for the great memories.

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    Mute Alan Marrinan
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    Dec 24th 2016, 3:41 PM

    Another victim of 2016…vicious. RIP

    49
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    Mute Derek hutchings
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    Dec 24th 2016, 3:41 PM

    He’s in the army with the great up above

    46
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    Mute Brendan Walsh
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:58 PM

    RIP. His guitar intro to Caroline was always sensational and wrote some beautiful songs for Quo like Living on an Island. A true rocker.

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    Mute Geraldine Kelly
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    Dec 24th 2016, 3:57 PM

    R.I.P.

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    Mute Eamon Mac Gowan
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    Dec 24th 2016, 5:03 PM

    A true rock and roller, not like our two best known sanctimonious hypocrites.

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    Mute Tony Furlong
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    Dec 24th 2016, 5:53 PM

    That’s no way to speak about Foster and Alan

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    Mute Patricia O Brien
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:31 PM

    Matt Donovan I couldn’t agree with you more.

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    Mute Jimmy Carter
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:31 PM

    The coke finaly took its toll .

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    Mute Neal, not Neil.
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:54 PM

    This is not the time or place to get on your high horse about sugary drinks.

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    Mute Pat Comer
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    Dec 24th 2016, 6:24 PM

    Status Quo brought fun to Rock RIP Rick

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    Mute ScotsAmbassador2IRL
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:24 PM

    Very sad..

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    Mute Ken Pepper
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    Dec 24th 2016, 8:37 PM

    Prince might teach him a forth chord. RIP

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    Mute shouldweallbe
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    Dec 24th 2016, 9:12 PM

    His family were considering cremating him, but decided to bury him down, down, deeper and down.

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    Mute Patrick J. O'Rourke
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    Dec 24th 2016, 10:13 PM

    Gutted. If there is a heaven he’ll be seeing his little Heidi again. Her death at two years old in the swimming pool really knocked him. He was one of the nicest, gentlest, funniest guys in the business. God’s band is about to rock. RIP Rick. Let ‘em’ ave it.

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    Mute Tony Furlong
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    Dec 24th 2016, 5:44 PM

    RIP to a legend. I loved Yellow Brick Road

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    Mute Daisy Chai NSaw
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:44 PM

    Eff you, 2016. Eff you in the A

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    Mute Eamon Mac Gowan
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    Dec 24th 2016, 5:04 PM

    @Daisy Chai NSaw: Pop stars are starting to enter old age, so 2017 will probably be just as bad.

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    Mute Sloop John G
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    Dec 24th 2016, 6:04 PM

    @Eamon. You hit the nail on the head there. A lot of the rock stars of the 60s and 70s are getting old, many in there 70s now. It’s kind of inevitable that, because of the lives of excess they lived in their hay day, that it’s taking its toll now. RIP Rick, one of my favourite Status Quo songs is “Mystery Song” which has Rick on lead vocal. Just gave it a blast a few mins ago, still sounds great.

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    Mute Steve Austin
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:06 PM

    R.I.P Rick… Rool Over Lay Down

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    Mute Jimmy Murphy
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    Dec 24th 2016, 7:48 PM

    2016 isn’t finished yet. Glad to see the back of it given the loss of so many legends. RIP Rick.

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    Mute Trevor Beale
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    Dec 24th 2016, 8:31 PM

    God, I think you got your take and not to take list mixed up.

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