The Delta 72 Frontman Gregg Foreman Dead at 53

Gregg Foreman -- a founding member of the alternative group The Delta 72 -- has died.

Friends and collaborators of Foreman's -- including Wesley Eisold from the group Cold Cave -- confirmed the news ... remembering him as a truly unique star and passing along their condolences.

A cause of death for Foreman has not yet been released.

Foreman rose to prominence after forming The Delta 72 -- an alternative-rock band -- way back in 1994. The group's goal was to make an eclectic discography ... full of punk music, country and everything in between.  

The group played together from 1994 to 2001 ... before the members split up to pursue other projects. Foreman joined the band Cat Power in 2006.

He worked with many popular stars over the years ... including Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedys, Kat Von D and even Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.

Foreman just finished touring with Cat Power in March ... and he wrote on Instagram, his new band was mixing and recording its first EP. It's unclear how far along in that process the group got prior to Foreman's death.

He was 53.