Guitarist Jon Ster dies

London: Former Lillian Axe guitarist Jon Ster has died. He was 52.

The guitarist passed away at the Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, Texas after suffering heart failure, reported Contactmusic. Ster was a member of Stiff before joining Lillian Axe in the late 1980s. He became a member of Velvet Poker Dogs when Lillian Axe split in 1995.

Paying tribute to the late rocker, his former Lillian Axe bandmate Steve Blaze said, "He was solid, a great guitarist, played keys, sang well and beyond all else, he was a star. He made people laugh, smile, and want to be around him.

"Over the last few years, even when I only saw him occasionally, we always picked up where we left off, laughing, smiling, and telling the many stories from our 12 years together in Lillian Axe.

"I never heard or saw him in a bad mood. He never had a bad thing to say about anyone. He loved being on the road, and he loved everything to do with playing music. He was the guy everyone wanted to hang out with after the show," he added.