George Tickner, the unique rhythm guitarist for traditional rock band Journey who left in 1975 to pursue a medical diploma a number of years earlier than the group’s breakthrough single “Wheel In The Sky,” has died. He was 76.

His loss of life was introduced by Journey co-founder and lead guitarist Neal Schon. A explanation for loss of life was not disclosed.

“Journey Junkies, I’ve some very unhappy information,” Schon wrote on Fb. “George Tickner, Journey’s unique rhythm guitarist and songwriting contributor on their first three albums, has handed away.”

Though Tickner formally performed on just one on the band’s albums – 1975’s Journey – to pursue a medical diploma on full scholarship at Stanford College, he’s credited with writing songs on that album in addition to the band’s subsequent two, Look Into The Future (1976) and Subsequent (1977).

The band’s massive breakthrough got here with the arrival in 1977 of singer Steve Perry and the 1978 album Infinity, which included the hits “Wheel In The Sky” and “Lights.”

Journey’s self-titled debut album, launched two years after the band’s founding, included the music “Of a Lifetime,” co-written by Tickner and described by Schon in his Fb tribute as “nonetheless considered one of my favourite songs ever.”

Fashioned by Santana supervisor Herbie Herbert, the group that may quickly turn into Journey initially included Schon, Tickner, keyboard participant and vocalist Gregg Rolle, bassist Ross Valory and, briefly, drummer Prairie Prince, who rejoined his earlier band The Tubes after only a month with Journey; he was changed with David Bowie drummer Aynsley Dunbar.