BECKER FAGEN

Walter Becker of Steely Dan shows off their award for best pop vocal album for 'Two Against Nature' at the 43rd annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 21, 2001.

(AP file photo)

Steely Dan co-founder Walter Becker died on Sunday. He was 67.

The guitarist's death was confirmed on his website. No other details were provided.



Becker had missed Steely Dan's Classic East and West concerts in July as he recovered from an unspecified ailment.

"Walter's recovering from a procedure and hopefully he'll be fine very soon," his musical partner Donald Fagen told Billboard at the time. Becker's doctor had advised the guitarist not to leave his Maui home for the performances.

Becker and Fagen first worked as songwriters and members of Jay and the Americans' backing band before forming Steely Dan in the early 1970s.

Steely Dan racked up numerous hits between 1972 and 1980 with songs like "Reelin' in the Years," Rikki Don't Lose That Number" and "Hey Nineteen."

They released seven albums before calling it quits in 1981.

After a lengthy hiatus, Steely Dan released the Grammy Award winning "Two Against Nature" in 2000.

Becker told The Republican he and Fagen were enjoying recording and touring more now that in the 1970s.

"It's a completely different experience for us now," Becker said. "We have a great band that's consistently good, night after night, as opposed to in the 70s."