Beloved 1970s folk musician Bill Fay died Feb. 23 at the age of 81.

The news was confirmed by Dead Oceans, the label that released his last three studio albums.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Bill Fay, who died peacefully this morning in London,” they wrote in a statement shared on Instagram. “Bill was a gentle man and a gentleman, wise beyond our times. He was a private person with the biggest of hearts, who wrote immensely moving, meaningful songs that will continue to find people for years to come.”

No official cause of death has been shared at this time.

The statement issued by Dead Oceans noted that Fay was working on a new album just a month before his death. “Our hope is to find a way to finish and release it,” they told fans.

They described the evolution of Fay’s career.

“Bill’s first two albums, Bill Fay and Time of the Last Persecution, found a modest but loving audience upon their release at the dawn of the 1970s. While they weren’t considered commercial successes at the time, they continue to inspire devotion decades on, now known as overlooked classics from the era,” they said.

“Bill later went on to make three more albums with Dead Oceans: Life is People (2012), his first release for forty years; Who is the Sender? (2015); and Countless Branches (2020), enjoying his cult status in real time,” the statement read.

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 16: (L-R) Bill Fay, Richard Strauss, and Jody Fay attend Richard & Leslie Strauss’ Spirit Series 707 Charity Poker Tournament at Private Residence on October 16, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Lila Seeley/Getty Images)

Dead Oceans went on to say, “we remember Bill’s legacy as the ‘man in the corner of the room at the piano’, who quietly wrote heartfelt songs that touched and connected with people around the world.

Fay released “Tomorrow Tomorrow and Tomorrow,” an album with songs he recorded from the 1978 to 1981, in 2005. His most recent album, “Countless Branches,” was released in 2020. (RELATED: R&B Legend Roberta Flack Dead At 88)

An outpouring of loving messages are being shared on social media in honor of his memory.