More sad news to report tonight as his publicist has confirmed that legendary singer/songwriter/actor David Bowie has passed away at 69 after a long battle with cancer.

According to a statement on Bowie’s personal social media accounts: “David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18 month battle with cancer. While many of you will share in this loss, we ask that you respect the family’s privacy during their time of grief.”

The influential singer-songwriter and producer dabbled in glam rock, art rock, soul, hard rock, dance pop, punk and electronica during his eclectic 40-plus-year career.

Born David Jones in London on Jan. 8, 1947, Bowie changed his name in 1966 after The Monkees’ Davy Jones achieved stardom. He played saxophone and started a mime company, and after stints in several bands, he signed with Mercury Records, which in 1969 released his album Man of Words, Man of Music, which featured “Space Oddity,” a poignant song about an astronaut, Major Tom, spiraling out of control.

Bowie was such an accomplished artist who also dabbled in acting on several occasions. He starred as an alien seeking help for his dying planet in Nicolas Roeg’s surreal The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976). He took a vampiric turn in 1983’s The Hunger for director Tony Scott. One of his fan favorite roles was as The Goblin King in Labyrinth (1986) for Jim Henson. He also appeared in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992), he served as the host for horror anthology The Hunger (TV Series) from 1999-2000 and several other cameo and co-starring roles.

Bowie achieved his first major American crossover success with the No. 1 single “Fame” off the Top 10 album Young Americans, then followed with the 1976 avant-garde art-rock LP Station to Station, which made it to No. 3 on the charts and featured Top 10 hit “Golden Years.”

Other memorable songs included 1983’s “Let’s Dance” — his only other No. 1 U.S. hit — “Space Oddity,” “Heroes,” “Changes,” “Under Pressure,” “China Girl,” “Modern Love,” “Rebel, Rebel,” “All the Young Dudes,” “Panic in Detroit,” “Fashion,” “Life on Mars” “Suffragette City” and a 1977 Christmas medley with Bing Crosby.

Bowie celebrated his 69th birthday on Friday by releasing Blackstar, his beautifully dark and twisted 26th studio album.

David Bowie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. He is survived by a son (film director Duncan Jones, who he had with first wife Mary Angela Barnett; the two divorced in 1980) and a daughter (Alexandria Zahra Jones, whose mother is model Iman, Bowie’s second wife, who he married in 1992).

All of us here at Horror Society would like to send our deepest condolences to David Bowie’s family, friends, and fans! David was a one-of-a-kind that will never be equaled again. I hope you find peace and may your travel to the arms of God be swift.