Brian Travers, a founding member of UB40, died Sunday at 62.
According to a tweet on the band’s official Twitter account, the musician died “with his family by his side, after a long and heroic battle with cancer.” Travers had several surgeries in recent years to remove brain tumours.
Singer Paul Young remembered Travers as "a driving force, full of energy & positivity."
Travers helped create UB40 in 1978 and the band went on to have success with covers of Neil Diamond’s “Red Red Wine,” Sonny & Cher’s “I Got You Babe” as well as “Falling In Love With You,” which Elvis Presley made famous in 1961.
In addition to playing saxophone, Travers was the group’s arranger and lyricist. His last performance with UB40 was in 2019.
Travers is survived by wife Lesley and his children Lisa and Jamie.