Alan Longmuir, founding member of Bay City Rollers, dead at 70

July 2 (UPI) -- Alan Longmuir, a founding member of Scottish pop band the Bay City Rollers, has died at the age of 70.

Longmuir died Monday at Forth Valley Hospital in Larbert, Scotland after he had arrived home from Mexico three weeks ago where he had contracted an illness, Edinburgh Evening News reported.

Longmuir's family confirmed the guitarist's death through a statement posted by Edinburgh Evening News editor Liam Rudden on Twitter.

"We are devastated to share the news that Alan has passed away peacefully surrounded by his family," the statement said. "He was an extraordinary man with an extraordinary heart. He brought so much love and kindness to everyone he met, and he leaves a huge hole in our family. He would humbly say he was 'just a plumber from Edinburgh who got lucky' However we are lucky ones; the ones that were lucky enough to have Alan as part of our lives. We'd like to thank everyone for the love and support that they have provided so far. We would now like to make a firm request to allow us to mourn Alan's passing in private."

Bay City Rollers frontman Les McKeown posted on Twitter a tribute image of Longmuir that included the phrase, "The original Bay City Roller."

Longmuir helped form the Bay City Rollers along with his brother Derek. The band was known for hit songs in the 1970s such as "Bye Bye Baby," "Saturday Night" and "Shang-a-Lang" among others. They had sold 120 million records before they split up in 1978. Longmuir had left the group in 1976 before he returned in 1978.

The Bay City Rollers reunited in 2015 and 2016 for a number of reunion shows.