Fleetwood Mac keyboardist Brett Tuggle dead at 70

Brett Tuggle, the former Fleetwood Mac and David Lee Roth Band keyboardist, has passed away at the age of 70, it’s been confirmed.

Brett Tuggle, a former Fleetwood Mac and David Lee Roth Band keyboardist, has died following his battle with cancer.

Fellow rock star Rick Springfield announced the veteran keyboardist’s death on Twitter on Sunday evening while sharing a series of photos of himself and Tuggle throughout the years, reports The Sun.

“Our sweet Brett Tuggle made it home tonight. God bless his beautiful spirit,” Springfield wrote.

Rolling Stone reported that during his decades-long career, Tuggle played with Springfield, Jimmy Page, David Coverdale, John Kay and Steppenwolf, Styx’s Tommy Shaw, Mitch Ryder, and the Detroit Wheels.

Tuggle also co-wrote the 1988 hit Just Like Paradise with David Lee.

Our sweet Brett Tuggle made it home tonight. God bless his beautiful spirit. ❤️ @BrettTuggle1pic.twitter.com/JHID345cO0

— Rick Springfield (@rickspringfield) June 20, 2022

The rock star spent two decades with Fleetwood Mac as the keyboardist and was a founding member of the David Lee Roth Band during the 1980s.

Tuggle is survived by his children Matt and Michelle.

“He was loved by his family so much,” Matt told Rolling Stone.

“His family was with him throughout the entire time of his illness. He was a lovely father. He gave me music in my life Tuggle.”

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The musician (pictured in 2019) has died aged 70. Picture: Harmony Gerber/Getty Images

Rolling Stone reported that Tuggle grew up in Denver, Colorado, and fell in love with rock music early.

Inspired by Steve Winwood’s work in the Spencer Davis Group, Tuggle began playing the keyboard during his teenage years.

Tuggle at the RockGodz Hall Of Fame Annual Induction Ceremony at The Canyon Club on October 27, 2019 in Agoura Hills, California. Picture: Harmony Gerber/Getty Images

His first professional gig was in 1970 when he was hired for the Detroit Wheels’ tour and to work on their debut album “Detroit.”

During the early 1980s, he worked with other musicians on various projects.

“I’ll never forget walking out onto the stage at this auditorium in Sacramento [for our first show],” Tuggle told Rolling Stone about touring with Springfield.

“The noise was like a jet engine. It was unbelievable. It was kind of scary, it was so loud. It was such hysteria. I’d look down at the audience and these little girls were going ape over this guy, just completely losing it.”

Rolling Stone reported that during the 1990s, he began working with Fleetwood Mac, a role that grew once keyboardist Christine McVie left.

During that same time, he began working with Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham on their solo ventures which eventually created scheduling conflicts.

“It came to a point where Stevie said, ‘You’re going to have to decide,’” Tuggle told Rolling Stone.

Tuggle spent the next 15 years touring with Buckingham and Fleetwood Mac, eventually stopping in 2021 due to health issues.

This article originally appeared in The Sun and was reproduced with permission.