Paul Bergen/RedfernsPaul O’Neill, the founder of the holiday-themed prog-rock band Trans-Siberian Orchestra, has died. He was 61.
“The entire Trans-Siberian Orchestra family, past and present, is heartbroken to share the devastating news that Paul O’Neill has passed away from chronic illness,” the band writes in a Facebook post. “He was our friend and our leader — a truly creative spirit and an altruistic soul. This is a profound and indescribable loss for us all.”
“We ask that you respect Paul’s family’s privacy now,” the statement continues, adding that TSO will be making “additional announcements shortly.”
O’Neill founded Trans-Siberian Orchestra in 1996, and released seven studio albums with the band, the most recent of which being 2015’s Letters from the Labyrinth. TSO quickly became known for their elaborate arena live shows: Billboard listed the band as one of the top 25 grossing touring acts from 2000-2009.
In addition to his work with TSO, O’Neill also produced Aerosmith‘s Classics Live I and II albums.
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