Former Bad Company Singer Brian Howe Dead at 66

Former Bad Company lead singer Brian Howe is dead at age 66.

The rocker died at his home in Florida on Wednesday from cardiac arrest, according to a release from his reps.

"It is with deep and profound sadness that we announce the untimely passing of a loving father, friend and musical icon, Brian Howe," his longtime friend and manager, Paul Easton, said.

Added Howe's sister Sandie, "Finding the appropriate words to express the pain in our hearts over losing my brother has been difficult. Our family would like to thank you for your compassion and the outpouring of love we are receiving."

Howe joined U.K. rock band in 1985, replacing Paul Rodgers as lead vocalist at the time. Other members of Bad Company include Mick Ralphs, Howard Leese, Simon Kirke and Todd Ronning. Original bass player Raymond “Boz” Burrell died in September 2006 at age 60, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Also a songwriter, Howe eventually embarked on a solo career, departing from the band in 1994. He went on to release three albums, including 2010's Circus Bar. Howe's most recent single came in 2017, titled "Hot Tin Roof."

Howe was part of the band for their popular 1990 album Holy Water, featuring his vocal talents on songs like "I Can't Live Without You" and "100 Miles."

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John Atashian/Getty Images Brian Howe in 1990

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In May 2019, Howe spoke to the Fort Myers News-Press about his career and his 2017 "widow-maker" heart attack, telling the newspaper that it was "a bad one" that nearly killed him.

“I don’t remember anything about it. I was driving. And I was found in my car at a stop sign, unconscious,” he recalled at the time. “... I don’t recall not feeling well. I don’t recall feeling anything. It was suddenly, lights out."

He added: “It affected me. I couldn’t talk terribly well — which a lot of people enjoyed, to be honest with you.”

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The musician told the News-Press that he still felt affected by the health scare even two years later.

“It was nasty,” he said. “It took me a long time to recover. And I’ll be honest with you — ever since then, I’ve had a difficult time dealing with the heat. It’s just weird. It’s just changed my bio-chemistry, I suppose. … I just can’t take the heat anymore.”

Reflecting on his music career, Howe said it was a "lovely ride."

“It’s fantastic to be accepted as a guy who can write songs that people actually like," he said. "I never really quite got over the fact that when I walk out onstage, the audience knows the songs probably better than I do. And that’s a tremendous compliment for any artist of any stature at all."

Howe added: “It’s a very strange, surreal life. But it’s incredible. It’s incredible. I’ve loved my life. I’ve loved it.”