On June 19th, keyboardist Brett Tuggle - best known in rock circles for his work with David Lee Roth and Fleetwood Mac - passed awad due to brain cancer. Guitar legend Steve Vai has shared the following tribute to his former bandmate.

Steve: "I was fortunate enough to tour with Brett Tuggle during the David Lee Roth years. Myself, Billy Sheehan, Greg and Matt Bissonette and Brett were brothers of the highest order, and to say we had fun together would be like saying the sun is hot. Brett was one of the finest people I have ever met. He was the consummate musician, singer, keyboard player, guitar player that was the glue that held together so many of the music biz’s most prominent artists and bands. Besides his immense talent, he was the most centered, funniest, friendliest and considerate person you could ever want to know. A loving family man with a deep, deep compassionate heart that had to be experienced to understand.

I was an intense young man in those days and Brett was always the voice of reason. He could defuse any drama with a perfectly placed one-liner that showed you that nothing is serious enough to lose yourself over. There were things I learned from Brett that I have taken with me my whole career and have served me incredibly well in my life in general, and I assume anyone that was fortunate enough to know him feels the same way. Our lives were incredibly enhanced by having him in it and I could not be more grateful to the Universe to have had this blessed relief of a man in my life.

In my minds eye I see his smiling face in its most happiest state, and that’s the 'Tugg' that always was, and still is in mythology mind.

Brett moved on from this world recently after a long and heroic battle with cancer. My heartfelt condolences to his lovely family at this time. Thank you Brother Brett. You were exceptional and we are grateful."

Tuggle's brother-in-law Brian O'Meara shared the news of his passing via a post on Facebook:

"Last Thursday, we lost my brother to prostate / bone cancer. Tonight, we lost my bother in law to brain cancer.   

I met Brett Tuggle when he was 15 and I was 19.  It was 1967. He was playing Chopin on the piano. I was blown away.  This was a month after my first band, The Daniel’s, and broken up by the Viet Nam War and I was looking for a new band. I knew at that moment he was a rare talent. We put a band together called the US Male. Brett and I made music together for several years with a bunch of other super talented musicians.

Brett and I married the DiSalle sisters, Jody DiSalle O'Meara and Paula Disalle-Leeds, making us brothers in law.

After I retired from the music business, Brett Tuggle continued to play for the last five decades. The list of the bands he was with is a long, impressive one. The last 15 years with Fleetwood Mac, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. For ten years prior to The  Mac, Tuggs played with David Lee Roth. Rick Springfield before that.

Brett and I stayed close thru the years. We considered ourselves as brothers. His musicality is legendary and he had a voice of an angel.   

The planet will miss your creativity, joyful spirit and bringing all of us together thru your music. I have a tear in my eye tonight for losing two brothers in a week."

Tuggle was keyboard player for David Lee Roth on the 1986 - 1987 Eat 'Em And Smile tour, the 1988 Skyscraper tour, the 1991 A Little Ain't Enough tour where he also has several co-writes on that album, and up to the 1994 Your Filthy Little Mouth tour. He continued to perform on various occasions with Roth until some point in 1996 - 1997.

All of us at BraveWords send our condolences to Brett Tuggle's family and friends.