Andy Fraser, the bass player of sixties and seventies rock group Free, has died at the age of 62. The British-born musician died at his home in California on Monday (March 16th).

Fraser had been battling both cancer and AIDS, although at the time of writing both Ultimate Classic Rock and the NME said that the cause of death had not yet been announced, and remains under investigation by the Riverside County coroner.

Andy Fraser
Andy Fraser, performing here in 2011, died at the age of 62

At the young age of 15, Fraser became a member of John Mayall’s backing band The Bluesbreakers, making one of a revolving cast of musicians who went on to achieve great things. Both Eric Clapton and Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor cut their teeth in the group alongside the legendary bluesman.

By 1968, he had co-founded Free with lead singer Paul Rodgers. Fraser co-wrote what was unquestionably the band’s biggest hit, the 1970 hit ‘All Right Now’ which remains a rock radio staple to this day. He also produced the track and performed a bass solo on it.

The group began to disintegrate by 1972, with Rodgers forming Bad Company and later performing live with Queen. Fraser formed the short-lived group Sharks with guitarist Chris Spedding and fronted his own Andy Fraser Band before quitting Britain for California.

Throughout the rest of his career, he wrote songs for and performed with the likes of Joe Cocker, Rod Stewart and Robert Palmer. He was also politically active, campaigning in support of Barack Obama in 2008 and raising awareness of non-profit organisation Rock Against Trafficking.

Upon hearing the news of his death, blues guitarist and friend Joe Bonamassa paid tribute on Twitter by saying “I am extraordinarily sad to hear of the passing of Andy Fraser. He was one of the greatest and I was proud to call him my friend.”

More: Ex-Free bass player Andy Fraser supports World Environment Day by writing a song