Keith Emerson of Emerson, Lake & Palmer dead at 71

UPDATE, 3:30 PT: This post has been updated with details on Emerson's cause of death.

Keith Emerson, the renowned keyboardist of British prog-rock group Emerson, Lake & Palmer, died early Friday morning. He was 71. 

The band confirmed the news on its Facebook page. Police tell Mashable that Emerson's girlfriend found Emerson dead in their Santa Monica home with a gunshot wound in his head. 

Emerson is known as one of the most influential keyboardists in history and a major player in the British progressive rock movement of the '60s and '70s, bringing a  unique blend of rock, classical, blues and jazz. While he's most widely known for his work with Emerson, Lake & Palmer, he also had a successful solo career.

Born in in Todmorden, England, on November 2, 1944, Emerson became a proficient in the piano by age 14, according to his website. Moving to London when he was just a teenager, he joined the VIPs and later Gary Farr and the T-Bones before forming The Nice with Lee Jackson, Brian Davison and David O'List. Emerson became known for his wild stage antics using his newly adopted Hammond Organ. At one point, he stabbed his Hammond with a knife:

Also during that time he became the first artist to tour with The Moog synthesizer, according to the site. 

After The Nice's breakup in 1970, he formed Emerson, Lake & Palmer with bassist/vocalist Greg Lake and drummer Carl Palmer. After their legendary set at the Isle Of Wight Festival in 1970,  the group made a mark on the progressive rock movement with their self-titled debut album, whose lead "Lucky Man" was heavily influential for its inclusion of a Moog synthesizer solo.

The group went on to release six platinum albums together before breaking up in 1979. The trio ultimately reunited in 1992 to release Black Moon, their eighth studio album. 

Emerson began his solo career in 1980 with Honky and went on to produce several film scores including Nighthawks and Inferno.

In a statement on his website, Palmer remembered him as his "good friend and brother-in-law in music." 

"Keith was a gentle soul whose love for music and passion for his performance as a keyboard player will remain unmatched for many years to come," he wrote. "He was a pioneer and an innovator whose musical genius touched all of us in the worlds of rock, classical and jazz. I will always remember his warm smile, good sense of humor, compelling showmanship, and dedication to his musical craft."

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