Rod Stewart has paid tribute to Ian McLagan, who died yesterday [December 3].

In a statement sent to Uncut, Stewart said, “I’m absolutely devastated. Ian McLagan embodied the true spirit of the Faces. Last night I was at a charity do, Mick Hucknall was singing ‘I’d Rather Go Blind’, and Ron Wood texted to say Ian had passed. It was as if his spirit was in the room. I’ll miss you, mate.”

Stewart is the latest musician to mourn the passing of McLagan.

Writing on Twitter, The Who said: “So very sad to hear of the news about #IanMcLagan who passed away following a stroke on Wednesday 2 December. RIP Mac.”

Meanwhile, Wood paid tribute to both his former bandmate Ian McLagan and the Rolling Stones’ saxophone player Bobby Keys, who died on December 2. Wood Tweeted: “God bless Bobby and Mac”.

Earlier, Kenney Jones had commented, “I am completely devastated by this shocking news and I know goes for Ronnie and Rod also.”

The keyboard player’s death was confirmed in a post on his website yesterday evening [December 3].

“It is with great sadness and eternal admiration that we report the passing of rock and roll icon Ian McLagan. Ian was a member of the Small Faces and Faces and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in 2012. He died today, December 3, 2014, surrounded by family and friends in his adopted hometown of Austin, Tx, due to complications from a stroke suffered the previous day. He was 69 years old.”

Photo credit: Ron Howard/Redferns