Celebrated songwriter and cult favourite Mark Linkous committed suicide on the weekend. The death of the Sparklehorse leader was confirmed in a statement from his family.

“It is with great sadness that we share the news that our dear friend and family member, Mark Linkous, took his own life today,” the statement reads. “We are thankful for his time with us and will hold him forever in our hearts. May his journey be peaceful, happy and free. There’s a heaven and there’s a star for you.”

Last year, Sparklehorse released the Dark Night Of The Soul album alongside Danger Mouse, which drew on a rich pool of collaborators including Iggy Pop, Black Francis, the Flaming Lips and Julian Casablancas. Linkous was the driving force of Sparklehorse, with a reputation as a prodigious lyricist and multi-instrumentalist.