Transitions : Ray Manzarek
 

Ray Manzarek, keyboardist of 1960s rock group The Doors, has died at the age of 74.

Manzarek died in Rosenheim, Germany, following a battle with bile duct cancer, the band said in a statement.

Manzarek founded The Doors with frontman Jim Morrison, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore in 1965.

The Doors were one of the most controversial rock acts of the 1960s, due mainly to Morrison's on-stage persona and his unpredictable behaviour.

Manzarek's distinctive keyboard style helped give the band its unique sound which saw them release six albums between 1967 and 1971 before Morrison's death.

The Doors had 19 gold, 14 platinum and five multi-platinum album awards in the United States alone, and were the first American band to accumulate eight consecutive gold LPs.

ABC/Reuters

Another Door closes.

He didn't get old. We're all getting old.

Ray was like the framework that all the other bandmates hung from. Without Ray, Morrison would have been another drunken poet.

Heard an older interview where Ray sat at a piano & demonstrated how "Light My Fire" came together a piece at a time. Started with what Ray called Robbie's "Sonny & Cher thing", Jim added the uber dark 2nd verse, John worked in a more complex rhythm, & Ray added the Bach-inspired intro; throw in the Coltrane-inspired jams in the middle, truly a group effort.