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Saliva Guitarist Wayne Swinny Dead at 59 After 'Spontaneous Brain Hemorrhage'

The musician's death on Wednesday was confirmed through a statement shared on the band's Facebook page

Lyle A. Waisman/FilmMagic
Lyle A. Waisman/FilmMagic

Wayne Swinny, a member of Saliva's original lineup and the band's guitarist, has died. He was 59.

The band was out on tour and scheduled to take the stage in Pittsburg on Tuesday when Swinny was discovered "in medical distress" and was transported to a local hospital, according to a Facebook post by the band on Wednesday.

After arriving at the hospital, Swinny was diagnosed with what the band called a "spontaneous hemorrhage in his brain" and was admitted to the hospital's intensive care unit.

By late Wednesday afternoon, the band provided a second update to their fans, sharing that Swinny had died.

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Scott Legato/Getty
Scott Legato/Getty

"It is with great sadness that we report the passing of our brother Wayne Swinny. Wayne passed away this afternoon from a spontaneous brain hemorrhage while we were out on tour," the band's announcement reads. "Details for the funeral arrangements will be announced shortly. Wayne will be missed by all those who knew him. We love you, Wayne."

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According to Loudwire, Swinny was the only remaining member from the band's original lineup after vocalist Josey Scott left the group in 2011 and bassist Dave Novotny left the band in 2015.

Bobby Amuru, who joined the band in 2011 after Scott's departure, issued a statement about Swinny to the outlet after his death was made public.

"I'm not even sure what to think or how to feel right now. My heart aches for Wayne's family, his friends, and anyone who had the joy of being around him," Amaru said. "My heart aches for his daughter Nikki. He loved that little girl so much. He was a Guitar Hero onstage with all the Rock 'N' Roll swag that most guitar players dream of. Offstage he was a proud father, an Ancient Aliens expert, and an incredible human who had zero enemies! He would go out of his way to make sure you had a good time.

Scott Legato/Getty
Scott Legato/Getty

"I'm grateful that I got to share almost 12 years of my life with Wayne on the stage and, most importantly, off the stage," continued the vocalist. "He was the older brother I never had. I learned so much from him, and we had a f---ing blast together! I will cherish it all for the rest of my life! God Bless you, Wayne. I know we'll meet again!"

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Saliva's origins date back to 1996, after forming in Memphis and gaining prominence with the 2001 album Every Six Seconds. The band's last music release came in November with the debut of the single "High on Me."

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