Scorpions Bassist Francis Buchholz Dead at 71

Beloved Scorpions bassist Francis Buchholz, who also played for Michael Schenker’s Temple of Rock band, has died.

The German rock star passed away Thursday following a private battle with cancer, his family announced on social media Friday. They noted he "departed this world peacefully, surrounded by love" and thanked fans for their unwavering support over the years.

Francis was a lifelong musician, who started playing bass in a high school band. He got together with Uli Jon Roth, Jürgen Rosenthal and Achim Kirschning in the early '70s to form a band called Dawn Road ... and they eventually joined Scorpions, alongside Klaus Meine and Rudolf Schenker.

Francis' first release with Scorpions was 1974's "Fly to the Rainbow" ... and he was involved in every one of their projects through 1990's "Crazy World." They're best known for their 1984 rock anthem "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and the 1990 ballad "Wind of Change."

Francis stepped away from the band in 1992 but teamed up with Michael Schenker's Temple of Rock to play bass in their 2012 tour. He contributed to Temple of Rock's 2013 album "Bridge the Gap" and 2015’s "Spirit on a Mission."

He was 71.