David Robert Jones, known professionally as David Bowie, a talented English singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, arranger, painter, and actor who died on January 10, 2016 at the age of 69.

There were rumors within the industry regarding Bowie’s ill health, but his battle with cancer was largely kept private.
The statement on Facebook read: “January 10 2016 – David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18 month battle with cancer. While many of you will share in this loss, we ask that you respect the family’s privacy during their time of grief.”

His publicist is expected to make a lengthier statement shortly.

Bowie’s death comes just two days after he released his 25th and final album Blackstar.

Here, below are some of vintage photographs of David Bowie taken in the 1960s, the early days of his career.

David Bowie in the 1960s

David Bowie in the 1960s

David on a rooftop on Manchester Street, London 1967

David Bowie on Dutch TV, 1966

David Bowie on Dutch TV, 1966

David Bowie on left, from his mod days

A portrait of David Bowie in 1962

David Bowie, 1965

A portrait of David Bowie, 1966

David Bowie, 1966

David Bowie at Wembley Studios in London, March 1st 1966

David Bowie, 1968

David Bowie, 1968

David Bowie, 1969

David Bowie, ca. 1960s

Portrait of a young mod David Bowie

David Bowie, ca. 1960s

David Bowie, October 1969

David Bowie’s mod hair, 1966

Young David Bowie in the 1960s

Young mod David Bowie

16-year-old David Bowie in 1963

A brooding sharp suited David Bowie in his mod days

A mod David Bowie in the middle of 1960s

A young mod David Bowie, 1964

David Bowie and Hermione Farthingale, 1968

David Bowie and Hermione Farthingale, 1968

David Bowie at producer Tony Visconti’s apartment in Lexham Gardens, west London, 1968

David Bowie at Wembley Studios in London, March 1st 1966

David in 1965

David in Hamburg, Germany, February 1968

David Bowie in London, 1969