Grateful Dead tribute act Dark Star Orchestra has shared the tragic news that the band’s longtime tour manager Matt Reynolds passed away. The South Carolina native died unexpectedly over the weekend according to a statement from DSO.

Matt Reynolds spent more than a decade as Dark Star Orchestra’s “Tour Mystic,” having first started working for the band in 2006. In addition to his duties with DSO, Matt was also an accomplished singer-songwriter. Reynolds issued a debut album filled with original songs titled Been Long Gone in 2015.

Read the full note from Dark Star Orchestra’s Facebook page:

The entire Dark Star Orchestra band, family and extended community are devastated by the loss of brother and friend Matt Reynolds. It’s with heavy hearts & regret that we share that our brother of the road, passed away unexpectedly over the weekend. We send our deepest and loving condolences to Matt’s mother, brother, and sister.

His loss leaves an immense gap in our hearts and souls. For the past 12 years, Matt was the Tour Mystic behind countless DSO tours, leading all from the helm of his trusty travel desk, being the behind-the-scenes beacon guiding us through success, tumult, and all points in between, usually with great humor, and always with gentle nature.

Matt’s role was not for the weary, and when he ever was, he was careful not to share. Our ship of fools sails now without captain, our guiding light extinguished, the weight of our loss an anchor to this darkness.

Dark Star Orchestra band and crew is eternally grateful for the fortune of time Matt bestowed upon us, we are beyond lucky to have shared the road with such a wonderfully quirky and enigmatic spirit, an absolute individual till the end. Matt leaves behind a body of work we are proud to have encountered musically and professionally, and our road will never be the same without him. Fare thee well, Matt, you know the rest.

We ask for the support and respect of our extended community in this time of healing and hope you can help us let the love not fade away.

We’ll take Matt’s music and melodies with us; feel free to share and do the same: