The 49-year-old rocker passed away on Saturday (27Feb16). He was diagnosed with the disease in October (15).

Atkins was one of the founding members of Hammerbox, one of the stalwarts of the early grunge music scene in Seattle, Washington. In the early 1990s, the band gained a cult following after performing with the likes of Iggy Pop, Joan Jett, L7 and Red Hot Chili Peppers, among others.

The band only released two full studio albums before singer Carrie Akre quit, and the group disbanded in 1994.

But 20 years later, in 2004, Hammerbox reunited for a special one-off gig at the Experience Music Project in Seattle, and a recording of that concert was released as a live album.

In October (15), Akre revealed Atkins had been diagnosed with cancer, and started a GoFundMe.com crowdfunding page to help raise money for his medical bills.

The band reunited again in December (15) for a benefit concert in support of Atkins.

On Sunday (28Feb16), Akre posted the sad news of Atkins' passing on the GoFundMe page, writing that he was "surrounded by friends and his favorite music, including AC DC, Motorhead, Soul Asylum, and The Replacements."

She added, "James deeply loved his rock ‘n' roll and adored his Pacific Northwest friends. He moved back over a year ago and to him, he was coming home. We are privileged to have known and played music with him."