Status Quo guitarist Rick Parfitt has died in hospital in Spain, his manager has said.

The musician, who was 68, was taken into hospital in Marbella on Thursday evening due to complications with a pre-existing shoulder injury.

He reportedly died from an infection at around 1pm on Saturday.

His son, Rick Parfitt Jr, paid tribute to his late father, writing on Twitter: "I cannot describe the sadness I feel right now. To many he was a rockstar, to me he was simply 'Dad', and I loved him hugely. RIP Pappa Parf"

In October, Parfitt said he would no longer be performing with Status Quo after suffering from a heart attack in the summer.

He pulled pulled out the of band's tour after he was taken ill after a show in Turkey on June 14 and the heart attack and associated complications led to doctor's orders to rest for the remainder of the year.

Parfitt had suffered a catalogue of health problems including a quadruple heart bypass in 1997, a throat cancer scare in 2005 and a heart attack in 2011.

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Freddie Edwards, the son of the band's bass player John "Rhino" Edwards stepped in for Parfitt during the band's summer concerts.

Expand Close Rick Parfitt and Francis Rossi received OBEs in 2010 PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp Rick Parfitt and Francis Rossi received OBEs in 2010

As a member of Status Quo, Parfitt found success globally with hits such as Rockin' All Over The World and Whatever You Want.

In 2015, the band passed a milestone enjoyed by only a handful of musicians - spending a total of 500 weeks in the UK album charts.

The band celebrated their 40th UK top 40 album this year after their latest release, Aquostic II - That's A Fact!, went in at number seven in the charts.

Following news of his death, their official website updated to show a full-screen picture of the rocker on stage with his guitar.

In 1985, Status Quo fronted one of the biggest concerts all time when they opened the show for Live Aid at Wembley Stadium, London.

Tearing into a rendition of Rockin' All Over the World, the band sent the thousands of spectators into a frenzy at the historic spectacle, set up to tackle global poverty.

Entertainment's long list of losses in 2016

The world of entertainment has lost stars from all genres of the industry in 2016.

Here is a list of some of the biggest names to die so far this year:

:: Singer David Bowie died aged 69 on January 10.

:: Actor Alan Rickman died aged 69 on January 14.

:: Eagles frontman Glenn Frey died aged 67 on January 18.

:: Broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan died on January 31 aged 77.

:: Author Harper Lee, who wrote To Kill A Mockingbird, died aged 89 on February 19.

:: Actor Frank Kelly, who played Father Jack in the comedy series Father Ted, died aged 77 on February 28.

:: Coronation Street creator Tony Warren died aged 79 on March 1.

Expand Close Guitar heroes: Rick Parfitt and Francis Rossi on stage PA / Facebook

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:: Nancy Reagan, actress and former first lady of the United States, died aged 94 on March 6.

:: Beatles producer Sir George Martin died aged 90 on March 8.

:: Magician Paul Daniels died aged 77 on March 17.

:: Comedian Ronnie Corbett died aged 85 on March 31.

:: This Morning agony aunt Denise Robertson died aged 83 on March 31.

:: Sherlock Holmes actor Douglas Wilmer died aged 96 on March 31.

:: Drugs campaigner Howard Marks, known as Mr Nice, died aged 70 on April 10.

:: Reality TV star and music producer David Gest died aged 62 on April 12.

:: British playwright Sir Arnold Wesker died aged 83 on April 12.

:: Comedian Victoria Wood died aged 62 on April 20.

:: Pop star Prince died aged 57 on April 21.

:: Television writer Carla Lane, known for sitcoms such as The Liver Birds and Bread, died aged 87 on May 31.

:: Boxing champion Muhammad Ali died aged 74 on June 3.

:: Singer Dave Swarbrick of folk band Fairport Convention died aged 75 on June 3.

:: Anton Yelchin, actor in Star Trek, died aged 27 on June 19.

:: Comedian, Royle Family actress and writer Caroline Aherne died aged 52 on July 2.

:: Ken Barrie, the voice of Postman Pat, died aged 83 on July 29.

:: Kenny Baker, who played droid R2D2 in the Star Wars films, died aged 81 on August 13.

:: Gene Wilder, who played Willy Wonka and other memorable comedy roles, including parts in The Producers and Young Frankenstein, died aged 83 on August 28.

:: Former Israeli president Shimon Peres died aged 93 on September 28.

:: Former Coronation Street actress Jean Alexander, who played Hilda Ogden, died aged 90 on October 14.

:: Raine Spencer, the stepmother of Diana, Princess of Wales, died aged 87 on October 21.

:: London-born fashion designer Richard Nicoll died aged 39 on October 21.

:: Jimmy Perry, screenwriter known for shows including Dad's Army and It Ain't Half Hot Mum, died aged 93 on October 23.

:: Singer, songwriter and television personality Pete Burns, who founded pop band Dead Or Alive, died aged 57 on October 23.

:: Sir Jimmy Young, who hosted BBC radio programmes for half a century, died aged 95 on November 7.

:: The death at 82 of Canadian singer, songwriter and poet Leonard Cohen, who penned the classic song Hallelujah, was announced on November 11.

:: The Man From Uncle star Robert Vaughn died aged 83 on November 11.

:: Musician Craig Gill, drummer of Madchester band Inspiral Carpets, died aged 44 on November 22.

:: The death of West End star Keo Woolford, 49, who starred in The King And I opposite Elaine Paige, and in the television remake of Hawaii Five-O, was announced on November 30.

:: The death of comic actor Andrew Sachs, 86, best-known for playing Spanish waiter Manuel in Fawlty Towers, was announced on December 1.

:: Peter Vaughan, who starred in Game Of Thrones and Porridge, died aged 93 on December 6.

:: Greg Lake, King Crimson founder member and one-third of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, died aged 69 on December 8.

:: Restaurant critic AA Gill died aged 62 on December 10.

:: Status Quo guitarist Rick Parfitt died in Spain at the age of 68 on Christmas Eve.

Belfast Telegraph