Walter Becker performing at Coachella in 2015 Jason Moore / Zuma Press/PA Images Jason Moore / Zuma Press/PA Images / Zuma Press/PA Images

WALTER BECKER, co-founder and guitarist of the US band Steely Dan, has died at the age of 67.

Becker’s passing was announced on his website. The cause of his death was not given.

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Becker missed a number of Steely Dan concerts in July due to illness. At the time his bandmate Donald Fagen told Billboard: “Walter’s recovering from a procedure and hopefully he’ll be fine very soon.”

In a statement released to Variety today, Fagen said: “Walter Becker was my friend, my writing partner and my bandmate since we met as students at Bard College (in New York) in 1967…

Walter had a very rough childhood — I’ll spare you the details. Luckily, he was smart as a whip, an excellent guitarist and a great songwriter. He was cynical about human nature, including his own, and hysterically funny.

Fegan said Becker’s habits “got the best of him by the end of the seventies” and the pair lost touch for a while before re-connecting in the 1980s.

“I intend to keep the music we created together alive as long as I can with the Steely Dan band.” Fagen said.

Steely Dan – named after a sex toy in William Burroughs’ book Naked Lunch – released their first album Can’t Buy a Thrill in 1972.

The jazz rock band split up in 1981 but reformed in 1993. Some of their most famous hits include Reelin’ in the Years, Deacon Blues and Do It Again.

Becker also had a career as a solo artist.

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