WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Alan Merrill, who was the co-writer and original singer of global hit song 'I Love Rock 'N' Roll', has died of coronavirus.
His death news was announced by his daughter Laura Merrill on social media. Merrill, 69, died at a New York City hospital on Sunday, according to Laura.
'The Coronavirus took my father this morning,' she wrote. 'I was given 2 minutes to say my goodbyes before I was rushed out. He seemed peaceful and as I left there was still a glimmer of hope that he wouldn't be a ticker on the right hand side of the CNN/Fox news screen ... By the time I got in the doors to my apartment I received the news that he was gone,' she wrote on Facebook.
'I had just photographed his portrait for his new album. Texted with him earlier. He played down the 'cold' he thought he had,' she wrote. 'I've made a million jokes about the 'Rona' and how it'll 'getcha'...boy do I feel stupid. If anything can come of this I beg of you to take this seriously. Money doesn't matter,' Laura added.
US singer Joan Jett recorded 'I Love Rock 'N' Roll' in 1982. The song became her biggest hit, and topped the U.S. charts for eight weeks.
Known as a vocalist, guitarist, songwriter, actor and model, Alan Merrill founded the rock band The Arrows.
In the early 1970s, Merrill was the first Westerner to achieve pop star status in Japan.
He is the latest artist to die of coronavirus recently.
Chinese film director Chang Kai and family had died from coronavirus in February.
Legendary Cameroonian musician Manu Dibango died due to the virus last Monday.
Country music singer Joe Diffie died Sunday from complications of coronavirus.
Nashville's legendary country folk singer-songwriter John Prine is critically ill on a ventilator after he was tested positive for Covid-19.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
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