LONDON (AP) – British musician Jack Bruce, best known as the bass player and vocalist of the power blues trio Cream, died Saturday at his home, his family and publicist said. He was 71.
Bruce was one of the top musicians of the late 1960s, when Cream played its unique psychedelic blues tunes to packed houses in England and the United States.
The band – widely cited as the original supergroup – were known for hits such as “I Feel Free” and “Sunshine of Your Love,” which featured Eric Clapton’s innovative guitar riffs, and Bruce’s vocals and roaring bas, backed by Ginger Baker’s explosive drumming.
Bruce enjoyed a long solo career after that, and in 2005 he reunited with former Cream bandmates for concerts in London and New York City.
Publicist Claire Singers said Saturday Bruce died at his home in Suffolk, England. A statement released by his family said “the world of music will be a poorer place without him but he lives on in his music and forever in our hearts.”