Dan McCafferty, lead co-founding singer of the legendary rock band Nazareth, has been confirmed dead at the young age of 76 by Nazareth bassist Pete Agnew at 12:40 today, November 8. In a statement released to the public, Agnew reflected on the singer’s unfortunate passing, lamenting that “This is the saddest announcement I ever had to make. Maryann and the family have lost a wonderful loving husband and father, I have lost my best friend, and the world has lost one of the greatest singers who ever lived,” and ended by saying that he is “too upset to say anything more at this time” (Blabbermouth).
McCafferty, most notable for his instantly recognizable voice, retired from Nazareth after nearly fifty years as a member due to underlying health issues back in 2013, though he never gave up on making solo albums, his last album being 2019’s Last Testament, stating that “Nazareth’s too big” for him to essentially weigh them down as “If you can’t do the job, you shouldn’t be there.”
In an interview with the U.K. magazine Classic Rock conducted over a decade ago, McCafferty expanded upon his health issues, shedding light on the specific state of his situation as he grappled with both a worsening case of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that was both sporadic and intense, leaving him suddenly unable to breathe and a burst stomach ulcer that resulted in an on-stage collapse back in 2013.
Many other musicians, such as Black Star Riders’ Ricky Warwick and Primal Fear’s Mat Sinner, have shared their condolences since McCafferty’s passing earlier this morning. Voodoo Circle’s Alexander Beyrodt deeply mourned this momentous loss as he writes in memoriam of the past artist. Beyrodt writes that “The world has lost one of the greatest singers ever alive and one of the loveliest, funniest chaps I ever had the honor or work with. Dan and I go way back, when I worked in Frank Farians Studio, Nazareth recorded over there, and we became friends. Many moons later, we toured together in Rock Meets Classic, and he gave me goosebumps every single night. R.I.P Dan McCafferty, you will be in my heart forever!”
Another member of Nazareth, Manny Charlton, also died earlier this year at 80 years old on July 7th.
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