Dan McCafferty, the original singer of Nazareth, has died. He was 76.
McCafferty’s death was confirmed in a statement by Nazareth bassist Pete Agnew via Facebook. Agnew wrote, “Dan died a 12:40 today. This is the saddest announcement I ever had to make.”
He continued, “Maryann and the family have lost a wonderful loving husband and father, I have lost my best friend and the world has lost one of the greatest singers who ever lived. Too upset to say anything more at this time.” Agnew did not disclose a cause of death. However, McCafferty retired from Nazareth in 2013 due to issued related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD.)
Nazareth has released 25 studio albums to date, and McCafferty sang on 23 of them. The Scottish band’s biggest album stateside came in 1975 with Hair of the Dog, their sixth studio LP. The album featured the ballad “Love Hurts,” which was a top ten hit in the U.S., and the blistering title track. Both songs have been mainstays on classic rock radio for decades.
