Storm Thorgerson, Pink Floyd album cover artist dies at 69

British graphic artist Storm Thorgerson, who rose to fame after creating several album covers for Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Muse, Genesis and many other bands, passed away Thursday at the age of 69.

Pink Floyd's official website broke the news Thursday night posting a statement written by Thorgerson's family as well as one of their own.

According to his family, Thorgerson's "ending was peaceful and he was surrounded by family and friends." He had been dealing with cancer for some time though he had made an astonishing recovery from a stroke he had in 2003.

Thorgerson was best known for his relationship with Pink Floyd, designing a majority of the cover art for their albums including the "Dark Side of The Moon" cover.

"We first met in our early teens," David Gilmour said in a statement. "We would gather at Sheep's Green, a spot by the river in Cambridge and Storm would always be there holding forth, making the most noise, bursting with ideas and enthusiasm. Nothing has ever really changed. He has been a constant force in my life, both at work and in private, a shoulder to cry on and a great friend. The artworks that he created for Pink Floyd from 1968 to the present day have been an inseparable part of our work."

According to Rolling Stone, Thorgerson grew up in Cambridge, U.K and originally dreamed of becoming a filmmaker. He met David Gilmour in grade school and was close to Pink Floyd since the band's early days.