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Todd Nance, the drummer and founder of the classic jam band Widespread Panic, has died at the age of 57.

The musician passed away Wednesday in Athens, Ga., from “sudden and unexpectedly severe complications of a chronic illness,” his family confirmed.

Nance was born in Chattanooga, Tenn., in 1962 and moved to Atlanta after graduating high school. In 1986, he co-founded Widespread Panic in Athens.

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“Todd was the engine of the Widespread Panic,” read a band statement on Thursday. “He wrote great songs, and was a giving and forgiving collaborator.”

Nance was a driving force of the band, which played at the Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo music festivals, for three decades. The group currently holds the record for most sold-out performances at Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre with 60.

“It’s not like we’re the Beatles or anything,” Nance told CNN in 2003. “Here, the band and the audience are responsible for each other’s experience.”

But recurring health woes led to his departure from the band in 2016.

“Saying goodbye to my dear friend and drumming brother, Todd Nance. Todd had that deep, southern boogie groove. Undeniable and infectious. The real deal Holyfield,” wrote North Mississippi Allstars musician Cody Dickinson on Instagram. “His signature drumming style influenced so many. His many great performances brought happiness and joy to us all.”

Frequently compared to the likes of Phish and the Grateful Dead, Widespread Panic has sold more than 3 million albums and 4 million downloads, according to its website.

Nance’s family said there were no current funeral services planned but that a celebration of the rocker’s life would occur later.