U2's tour manager for over 30 years, Dennis Sheehan died at the Sunset Marquis Hotel in Hollywood, California. The band announced the unfortunate news on Wednesday.
Police told ABC7, via The Guardian, that Sheehan's death was due to natural causes. The tour manager was 68 years old when he passed away on early Wednesday.
Live Nation's Arthur Fogel said, "With profound sadness we confirm that Dennis Sheehand, U2's lonstanding tour manager and dear friend to us all, has passed away overnight."
"Dennis always got the band on stage, pretty much on time. We're going to make sure we do that tonight, in his memory. It is absolutely what he would have wanted," Fogel added.
Sheehan's death came just hours after U2 kicked off their "Innocence + Experience" tour. The band was scheduled to play five nights in Los Angeles.
U2 front man Bono told fans about the tragic loss on their website. "We've lost a family member, we're still taking it in. He wasn't just a legend in the music business, he was a legend in our band. He is irreplaceable," he wrote.
Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Chris Reade said that the paramedics were contacted around 5:30AM regarding a man suffering from cardiac arrest. But Sheehan had already passed at the scene.
The Hollywood Reporter, as per CNN, said that Dennis Sheehan teamed up with U2 in 1983. The tour manager has worked with Patti Smith, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, and Led Zepplin, among many others, in the past.
Sheehan's passing follows a series of unfortunate events for the band. Late last year, vocalist Bono had a bike accident at Central Park in New York City.
The front man suffered several injuries including fractures in his eye socket, shoulder blade, and left elbow. During their recent concert in Vancouver, guitarist The Edge fell off the stage.
