Rock & Roll Pioneer Lou Reed Dead at 71

Legendary rock musician Lou Reed, best known for his work with New York City’s The Velvet Underground, passed away at the age of 71 on Sunday.

Despite modest record sales in the 1960s, Reed gained a cult following with The Velvet Underground in subsequent decades, thanks to hit singles like “Sunday Morning” and “Sweet Jane.”  The band’s eponymous album would go on to be named the 13th greatest of all time and the group would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.

“My friend Lou Reed came to the end of his song,” Reed’s friend, author Salmon Rushdie, wrote via Twitter. “So very sad.But hey, Lou, you’ll always take a walk on the wild side. Always a perfect day.”

Reed posted his last Tweet earlier this morning:

Earlier this year, Reed received a life-saving liver transplant after suffering chronic liver failure.  The musician had a prolonged history of alcohol and drug which he was very open about.  In his song “Heroin” Reed wrote,”Heroin, be the death of me/Heroin, it’s my wife and it’s my life.”

Details on his death have yet to be released. It is unclear if his previous liver transplant had anything to do with his passing.