Fred Smith, the original bassist of Blondie who then joined Television in place of Richard Hell, has died at the age of 77.
Television member Jimmy Rip confirmed Smith’s passing on Friday in a statement to Instagram, saying that he died from an illness that he had fought “long and hard these last few years.”
Smith was the bassist for Angel and the Snake, the precursor to what would become Blondie. However, he spent less than a year in the band with Debbie Harry and Chris Stein before getting the opportunity to replace Richard Hell in Television.
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He would be a core member of Television through their initial breakup in 1978, appearing on both 1977’s Marquee Moon and 1978’s Adventure. Smith was also part of Television’s two reunions: the first in the early 1990s, which culminated in the release of their third, self-titled album, and a later comeback in the 2000s.
“If you are a lover of melodic bass lines and counterpoint, you could go to school on what Fred created so effortlessly,” wrote Jimmy Rip in a post paying tribute to Smith. “He was a natural — never flashy, always essential — always serving the song in ways that only the greatest musicians can…”