Iron Butterfly Drummer Ron Bushy Dead at 79: 'He Was a Real Fighter'

© Provided by People Left to right: Erik Brann, Ron Bushy, Lee Dorman, and Doug Ingle of The Iron Butterfly

Ron Bushy, the drummer for the rock band Iron Butterfly, has died. He was 79.

Bushy died "peacefully" early on Sunday morning at UCLA Santa Monica Hospital, the band confirmed in a statement on Facebook.

There, Bushy was joined by his wife Nancy at his side, along with the pair's three daughters.

"He was a real fighter," the band shared underneath a black-and-white photograph of the drummer. "He will be deeply missed!"

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Bushy — who is now survived by his wife, children, and six grandchildren — was "battling some form of cancer," TMZ reported.

Born on Dec. 23, 1945, Bushy joined Iron Butterfly back in 1966 and was the only member of the band to be featured on all six of their albums.

Best known for his drum solo on the band's 1968 hit "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" from their second studio album, Bushy would go on to perform on their third and fourth albums — 1969's Ball and 1970's Metamorphosis — until the band went their separate ways in 1971.

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He then rejoined the band when they regrouped in 1974, playing on their fifth and sixth albums, Scorching Beauty and Sun and Steel, which were both released in 1975.

Even after a second breakup of the band took place, Bushy continued to drum for Iron Butterfly when they reformed again, despite various other member changeups. The band is currently scheduled to perform three nights in Park City, Utah, in October.

© Provided by People "Ron Bushy our beloved legendary drummer of Iron Butterfly has passed away peacefully, with his wife Nancy by his side," the band confirmed on Sunday