Dave Swarbrick, best known for his violin and songwriting work in Fairport Convention, has died aged 75.
The news was confirmed on the band’s website.
A statement reads: “We have just had the sad news from Alex Swarbrick that his father, Dave Swarbrick, has passed away.
“Swarb, as you know, had been seriously ill for some time and, although he had showed recent signs of improvement, died in hospital this morning.
“Our thoughts right now are with his wife Jill and the Swarbrick family.”
Swarbrick was an instrumental part in the folk icons, steering them through the 70s until they split in 1979. He appeared on a total of 11 Fairport Convention albums: 1969’s Unhalfbricking and Liege & Lief, 1970’s Full House, 1971’s Angel Delight and “Babbacombe” Lee, 1973’s Rosie and Nine, 1975’s Rising For The Moon, 1976’s Gottle O’ Geer, 1977’s The Bonny Bunch Of Roses and 1978’s Tipplers Tales.
Swarbrick suffered from emphysema for many years which led him to have a double lung transplant in 2004.
