Doug Fieger, frontman to power pop/rock band the Knack and “My Sharona” singer, died today after battling lung and brain cancer, Detroit News reports. In a message on their official site, surviving members of the band said, “Our hearts are broken, we will miss you Doug,” adding that an obituary will be posted later today. He was 57.
It pretty hard to imagine rock music without “My Sharona,” the hit single penned by Fieger and guitarist Berton Averre for the Knack’s 1979 debut album, Get The Knack, which went on to sell over 6 million copies. Not only did the instant classic jam hold the #1 spot on the Billboard charts for 6 weeks that year, but it has since reappeared hundreds of times in films, commercials, samples, and tributes over the past 31 years.