Image caption Lee became acclaimed for his guitar solos at Woodstock in 1969

British rock guitarist Alvin Lee, a member of the band Ten Years After, has died aged 68.

His family announced on his official website that he unexpectedly died on 6 March following complications during routine surgery.

The Nottingham-born musician rose to fame after appearing at the Woodstock festival in 1969.

The band, who had eight Top 40 albums in the UK, had their biggest hit in 1971 with I'd Love To Change the World.

"We have lost a wonderful and much loved father and companion, the world has lost a truly great and gifted musician," said the statement from his wife and daughters.

Lee worked with The Beatles' George Harrison, Steve Winwood, Ronnie Wood and Mick Fleetwood on his first solo album, On the Road to Freedom, in 1973.

He released his 14th record, Still on the Road to Freedom, in August last year.

He was due to play a concert at Olympia Hall in Paris on 7 April with blues guitarist Johnny Winter.

Immortalised

In an interview with Guitar World he said he still picked up a guitar "pretty much every day".

The Woodstock Festival, held outside New York in August 1969, featured legendary performances from Jimi Hendrix and The Who.

Lee's 11-minute rendition of, I'm Going Home, was immortalised in the 1970 documentary of the event.

"I've still got the original Woodstock 335, but sadly I don't use it these days as it has become too valuable," he said in 2012.

Lee began playing guitar at 13 and formed the core of the band Ten Years After by 15.

The band won their first recording contract in 1967 and travelled to America a year later following success on underground radio stations.

Ten Years After toured the US 28 times over a seven-year period.