Founding member of British progressive rock supergroup Emerson, Lake and Palmer dies at 69

Greg Lake (left) in 1972 with band members Keith Emerson (centre) and Carl Palmer at an awards ceremony. Photo / AP

Emerson, Lake and Palmer founding member Greg Lake died yesterday at the age of 69.

The British supergroup were one of the most famous of the 1970s and are still widely regarded as the founding fathers of progressive rock.

Lake's death was confirmed by his manager Stewart Young, who said the singer and bass player passed away after "a long and stubborn battle with cancer".

Writing on the Emerson, Lake and Palmer Facebook page, Young wrote: "Yesterday, December 7th, I lost my best friend to a long and stubborn battle with cancer. Greg Lake will stay in my heart for ever, as he has always been."

Lake's death comes almost exactly nine months after fellow bandmate Keith Emerson died at 71.

He was found with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

Drummer Carl Palmer is now the only surviving member of the 70s group, who recorded six platinum-selling albums.

The band broke up in 1979 but got back together in 1991 only to reunite for the last time in 2010 for a reunion tour.

Despite the platinum albums, Lake's biggest success was his solo 1975 Christmas single I Believe in Father Christmas.

Drummer Carl Palmer and the last surviving member of ELP also made a statement to Facebook writing: "It is with great sadness that I must now say goodbye to my friend and fellow band-mate, Greg Lake ... Having lost Keith this year as well, has made this particularly hard for all of us. As Greg sang at the end of Pictures At An Exhibition, 'death is life'. His music can now live forever in the hearts of all who loved him."