Rod Stewart Mourns Death of His Guitarist and 'Dear Friend' Robin Le Mesurier: 'a Rock & Roll Soul'

Rod Stewart is mourning the death of his guitarist and close friend Robin Le Mesurier.

Le Mesurier died Wednesday after battling cancer, according to Express. He was 68. Stewart, 76, spoke on Le Mesurier's death for the first time on Instagram Thursday and shared a throwback snap of the bandmates smiling while on stage together.

"A Rock & Roll soul, rest in peace my dear friend 🙏🏼," Stewart captioned the touching photo, ending with, "#robinlemesurier"

Le Mesurier's debut group, The Reign, disbanded in 1973. He then served as the guitarist for iconic pop-rock band The Wombles and notably played for artists like French rock and roll singer Johnny Hallyday throughout his legendary career. He has also played alongside Elton John, Jeff Beck, and Cat Stevens.

The famed guitarist and Stewart began performing together in the mid-70s, Express reports, when Le Mesurier joined the roster of a record label that was affiliated with the British singer. Le Mesurier toured the U.S. with Air Supply as the opening act for Stewart.

His career spanned decades and as recent as six years ago, he hit the stage with Stewart and Rolling Stones bass guitarist Ronnie Wood for a Faces reunion.

In April 2017, Le Mesurier released his autobiography, A Charmed Rock 'N' Roll Life, in which Stewart wrote the forward.

"Robin has an unforgettable stage presence," Stewart shared in the book, according to Express. "Over the years I've had some wonderful musicians and bands but I also always wanted mates - someone I could sit in a bar with, fall down with and even confide in. Robin has all these qualities and more. Like myself, he was born to be a rocker."

Their lasting friendship included unforgettable moments like a time when the band released chickens into the studio as Stewart was doing a TV interview.

"Enjoying ourselves was paramount," Le Mesurier told Express as he recalled the moment in 2017. "Rod's philosophy was that we should be professional but have fun."

Le Mesurier starred in the reality series Rehab in 2011. The show features stars checking into a Malibu, California, detox center. While the rocker said years later that he had since prioritized his health, he added that he didn't plan on retiring anytime soon. Instead, he was set to embark on an international tour with Hallyday before the artist died in December 2017.

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"Rock guitarists never retire," Le Mesurier told the outlet at the time. "It's just the love of playing and being in front of an audience. I still get a massive buzz when I go on stage. There's nothing like it in the world. I wake up every morning and think, 'Wow, still here.' I will keep playing until I can't do it anymore."