Mike “Beard Guy” Taylor of Canadian band Walk Off The Earth died late Saturday or early Sunday. He was 51.
According to a statement from the band, the multi-instrumentalist died in his sleep of natural causes.
“Mike had a love for life that was unmatched and a willingness to give that went beyond ordinary means,” read the message, which was shared on social media. “Our deepest sympathies are with his two children, whom he adored more than anything else in the world. We ask for privacy for his family in this trying time.”
Taylor, who owned Gateway Freight Systems in his hometown of Burlington, Ont., was a father to Mylie, 16, and Jackson, 14.
Walk Off The Earth was scheduled to perform on New Year’s Eve in Niagara Falls, Ont. and is set to kick off a tour on Feb. 9.
— Walk off the Earth (@WalkOffTheEarth) December 31, 2018