Accomplished rock guitarist Bernie Tormé died of pneumonia on March 17, with his family, at a London hospital where he had been receiving treatment.

Born in 1952, Tormé set his sights as a boy on becoming an in-demand rock guitarist and began realizing his dreams in Dublin clubs, going on to play with Ozzy Osbourne, Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan and many others.

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Tormé's website bio sums him up as a "blues rock psychedelic shredmeister" and "glam punk sleaze rock frontman." Twisted Sister's Dee Snider, who wrote and played with Tormé, described him as a "guitar god." His collaboration with Osbourne, albeit brief, happened because he was considered worthy as a replacement for Osbourne bandmate Randy Rhoads when the legendary metal guitarist died in 1982.

Later in life, Tormé ran his own Barnroom Studios in Kent, his label Retrowrek Records, and last December he completed work on his project Shadowland supported by a PledgeMusic crowdfunding campaign.

"He had been on life support for the past four weeks at a London hospital following post-flu complications," a statement from his family said. "Bernie will be remembered for dedicating his life to his music for five decades. He will be sorely missed."

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