Steely Dan’s Walter Becker dies aged 67

A post on Walter’s official website confirmed his death by sharing a boyhood image of Walter alongside a recent photo together with the simple caption ‘Walter Becker: Feb. 20 1950 – Sep. 03 2017’.

No cause of death or any other details were provided on Walter’s website.

Walter missed both of Steely Dan’s performances supporting the Eagles at the Classic East and Classic West festivals in New York and Los Angeles this summer after undergoing surgery for an unspecified health issue.

His Steely Dan bandmate of 45 years Donald Fagan told Billboard ahead of the shows in July: "Walter's recovering from a procedure and hopefully he'll be fine very soon.”

Born in Queens, New York on 20th February 1950, Walter met his future Steely Dan musical partner Donald Fagan while studying at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson in 1967.

Relocated to Los Angeles, Walter and Donald formed Steely Dan in the early seventies and they enjoyed significant commercial and critical success over the next decade with their jazz infused rock sound.

Touring from 1972 to 1974, Walter and Donald retired from live performances to become a studio only band until they disbanded in 1981.

Walter reunited with Donald in 1993 and Steely Dan released two further albums – 2000’s Grammy Awards album of the Year ‘Two Against Nature’ and 2003’s ‘Everything Must Go’.

With Steely Dan, Walter sold 40million records across the globe and he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March 2001.

Walter was due to perform in the UK and Ireland this October at Steely Dan’s headline slots at BluesFest at London’s O2 Arena and Dublin’s 3Arena.