Guitar World has reported that  funk-rock bass legend T.M. Stevens has passed away at age 72.

Performance artist/musician Carrie Beehan – who wrote on social media that Stevens had been hospitalized with blood clots in his lungs late last month – announced the news on her Facebook page. The New Zealander previously performed with Stevens under the name Trysette and has been one of several musician friends who appears to have continued to support him after his dementia diagnosis in 2017.

"July 27, 1951 – March 10, 2024, Thomas Michael Stevens (T.M Stevens) – I am deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved T.M. this evening at 10 p.m.," Beehan wrote on Facebook on March 11th.

Stevens recorded and toured with artists, including James Brown, Nona Hendryx, Dan Hartman, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, Little Steven, Tina Turner, Narada Michael Walden, Taylor Dayne, Stevie Salas, and Billy Joel.

He released seven solo albums between 1995 and 2007, and worked extensively with Savatage / Trans-Siberian Orchestra guitarist Al Pitrelli during that time. Stevens is perhaps best remembered in metal circles for working and touring with Steve Vai for the Sex And Religion album, released in 1993, which also featured Devin Townsend. 

Pitrelli's long time bandmate Chris Caffery has paid tribute to Stevens with the following message:

"I woke up today and saw the news that another one of my friends and in this case peers has passed. 

I had the pleasure of working with and spending time with TM when he recorded his Shocka Zooloo record. Al Pitrelli was playing guitar on this record but he couldn’t finish the tracks. So he gave my number to TM and I went to his home to record a couple songs. He had an awesome studio right in his house. I believe this was late 2000 and Al may have been out with Megadeth at the time. 

The evening was one of my most memorable and fun times as a musician in my life. I was so nervous at first because I had done some lessons but not a ton. Also living up to the expectations to perform on the level someone like Al has some pressure ! Al had gotten me a chance to play on one of Joe Lynn Turner’s albums as well. That went great, it was always so flattering when I got these calls to play on these same records as Al with these amazing musicians and singers. 

The results were a couple of the most bad ass recordings I even had the opportunity to play on! I was a little nervous at first but TM was such a funny and light hearted man. That nervousness went to lighter fast! He was his own studio engineer so it was just me and TM in the studio. I played all of the guitars on the songs “Thrash” and “No good without the bad”. Right away I could tell he loved what I was doing. He had a funny adjective of my leads when he first heard my do one. 

'Dog, that shit is UGLY.'

To this date I still think it’s a couple of my coolest guitar solos on a record. That is because he let me be me. So many producers and other people I’ve worked with want you to be someone you are not. TM let me be me. 

I spent the night at his house. His wife Taka was a really sweet Asian woman. She was an amazing cook. we ate and drank and laughed all night. 

Rest in peace, my brother! Thanks for the memories and the opportunity to be a part of your legacy, TM. When you run into Dave Z please go teach him how to slap like a brother! He was good at it but you were the master of the thumb!

Here’s the two songs I played. I played every guitar note on these tracks. Rhythm and lead. I may have done a couple other little pieces here and there that he needed to finish the record. But I know these two songs I did all of the guitars on the recordings."