Scorpions bassist Francis Buchholz dies at 71 after private cancer battle

Bass player Francis Buchholz from the 1980s hard-rock band The Scorpions has died at 71 following a private battle with cancer.

The German group famous for hits including “Rock You Like a Hurricane” and “No One Like You” announced his death on the band’s website Friday.

“Dear fans, we have just received the very sad news that our longtime friend and bass player, Francis Buchholz, has passed away. His legacy with the band will live on forever, and we will always remember the many good times we have shared together,” reads a note signed by surviving band members Klaus Meine, Matthias Jabs and Rudolf Schenker.

Their letter also expressed condolences to Buchholz’s wife, Hella, and their three children.

The bassist’s family also confirmed on Facebook that the rock star died Thursday from cancer, though they didn’t specify what type he had.

“He departed this world peacefully, surrounded by love,” they wrote to his fans along with a note of gratitude.

“You gave him the world, and he gave you his music in return,” they said. “Though the strings have gone silent, his soul remains in every note he played and in every life he touched.”

Buchholz recorded 10 albums with The Scorpions between 1974 and 1992. He left the band amid legal disputes and reunited with Scorpion’s co-founder Michael Schenker to play with Temple of Rock in 2012.

The Scorpions continued playing without Buchholz, but his tenure with the band defined the group’s heyday.

In a 2016 interview with Anti-Hero Magazine, Buchholz said that one of the things he was most proud of in life was being able to turn his hobby of music into a successful career. He also cited his three kids as one of his greatest achievements.

“And my marriage to my childhood sweetheart,” he said. “I got married to the girl which I met at school.”