Dave Rosser, guitarist for the Cincinnati-based alt-rock outfit The Afghan Whigs, has died. Rosser was diagnosed with inoperable colon cancer in October 2016, Rolling Stone reports, and in December his bandmates staged a pair of benefit concerts to help pay his steadily mounting medical bills. He died last night “surrounded by love,” according to a post on the band’s official Facebook page. He was 50.
Before joining up with The Afghan Whigs for their comeback album Do To The Beast in 2014, Rosser played with Whigs frontman Greg Dulli in his side projects, The Gutter Twins and the Twilight Singers. He also appeared as a composer and session player on recordings from the likes of Ani DiFranco and Tim Heidecker. Despite his illness, Rosser played on the Whigs’ newest album, In Spades, which was released last month; in an interview with Guitar World around the release of the album, he said: “I just finished the first six months of chemo and am taking a break. I’m feeling pretty good and my spirits are good … I’m staying busy and have purpose.”