As a member of the Walker Brothers, he helped craft some of pop's most enduring classics from the '60s.

By Fred Mills

John Walker (born John Joseph Maus), one-third of the legendary Walker Brothers, passed away Saturday, May 7 from liver cancer. He was 67 and living in Los Angeles at the time of his death.

Walker, of course, initially formed the band in L.A. with Scott Engel (aka Scott Walker), and after they moved to London they hooked up with fellow expatriate Gary Leeds (aka Gary Walker). Once in England they became mainstays of the British Invasion - despite boasting a sound that was significantly apart from the predominant Merseybeat (and later Beatles-powered) sound - and scored hit after hit, including the timeless tunes "Make It Easy on Yourself" and of course "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore)," the latter an oft-covered number over the years, and a tune that still has the power to bring you to your knees regardless of your age or your musical predispositions.

The group split in '68, although they mounted a successful reunion/comeback in the mid '70s. Later, Walker operated his own recording studio in California while periodically touring England as part of an oldies package. His cancer diagnosis came last December, although he continued to perform as recently as this past March and was reportedly planning on continuing to play live with the band he had put together.

Click here to watch classic videos of John Walker http://blurt-online.com/news/view/4960/