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Famed rocker Ian McLagan of Small Faces dies

McLagan lived in Austin, Texas, for 20 years where he had regular gigs as the leader of Ian McLagan and the Bump Band.

By Aileen Graef
Rocker Ian McLagan died in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday. Photo by Ron Baker/Wikimedia
Rocker Ian McLagan died in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday. Photo by Ron Baker/Wikimedia

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- Ian McLagan, keyboardist for the band "Small Faces" and later "Faces," died Wednesday at age 69 from complications of a stroke he had the day before.

McLagan was a member of the British rock group Small Faces in the mid-1960s but the band did not gain much popularity in the United States until lead singer Steve Marriott left to form the band Humble Pie in 1968 and the band changed to Faces.

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Faces' 1971 album "A Nod Is as Good as a Wink ... to a Blind Horse" included the single "Stay With Me," which sparked fellow band member Rod Stewart's career.

McLagan worked with Stewart on some of his albums and at one point toured with the Rolling Stones after Faces disbanded in the '70s.

"I am completely devastated by this shocking news, and I know this goes for Ronnie and Rod also," Faces band member Kenny Jones said in a statement.

Faces was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. McLagan was scheduled to start a North American tour Wednesday.

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McLagan's wife, Kim, died in a car crash in 2006. Information about other survivors has not been made available but the statement of his death said he was surrounded by friends and family in his adopted hometown of Austin, Texas.

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