Benjamin Curtis of School of Seven Bells has died of cancer at age 35

Founding member and guitarist of School of Seven Bells, Benjamin Curtis, died at age 35 on Sunday December 29 at New York's Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, according to a statement on the band's Facebook page. He had been diagnosed with T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma in February.

"While we had hoped to delay this announcement until a more suitable time when his friends and family could feel better prepared and settled to greet any correspondences from folks attempting to reach out, unfortunately the news has prematurely leaked," the statement reads. "So we felt it would be appropriate to at least offer an official acknowledgement from us, in light of all the fans who loved and supported Benjamin and his music. ...We will all miss this incredibly talented and rare person every day, but we are fortunate enough that he shared with us his music, and that is something that we can keep forever."

According to The Guardian, Curtis, who was born in 1978, moved around Oklahoma before forming the band Secret Machines in 2000 with his brother Brandon and cousin Josh Garza. In 2004, they released the debut LP Now Here Is Nowhere. Curtis started School of Seven Bells three years later in 2007 with sisters Alejandra and Claudia Deheza and released three albums with them. Their last record was Ghostory, which came out in 2012.

After news of Curtis' diagnosis was announced this past February, artists including the Polyphonic Spree, the Strokes, Interpol's Paul Banks and Devendra Banhart played a benefit concert in August to raise funds for his treatment.

The band requested that "any inquiries, well wishes, or notes-of-consolation be sent through School of Seven Bells' management, where it can be shared with them at the suitable time." Please leave your remembrances in the comments section below.