Steely Dan Guitarist and Co-Founder Walter Becker dies at 67

Legendary guitarist, bassist and co-writer for the sophisticated, dark-humored band Steely Dan, Walter Becker on Sunday died at the age of 67.

The news was announced on Becker's official website. However, the cause of death was not ascertained.

According to People's Magazine, in July, Becker had cancelled his appearances at the recent Classic West and Classic East concerts due to illness in Los Angeles and New York.

Becker's Steely Dan bandmate Donald Fagen later told Billboard that Becker was "recovering from a procedure" and hopefully would be "fine very soon," but did not elaborate on Becker's surgery or prognosis.

Becker, who was born in Queens, met Fagen when they were both students at New York's Bard College. The duo later moved to California to form Steely Dan in 1972 alongside guitarists Jeff "Skunk" Baxter and Denny Dias, drummer Jim Hodder and singer David Palmer. (The band was named after a sex toy in William S. Burroughs' novel Naked Lunch.