Ikey Owens dies at age 38; Long Beach keyboardist extraordinaire was on tour with Jack White

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Keyboardist Ikey Owens, a longtime member of the Mars Volta, founder of Free Moral Agents and a staple on the southern California scene in bands such as the Long Beach Dub All-Stars, has died in Mexico at age 38.

Multiple reports said Owens was found dead this morning in his hotel room in Puebla, Mexico, where he was on tour as a member of the backing band for Jack White. White’s publicists issued the following statement: “Ikey Owens was an astounding keyboard player in Jack White’s backing band. He also played with Mars Volta, Free Moral Agents, and many other projects. Out of respect for Ikey, the remaining shows of the Jack White Tour in Mexico have been cancelled.”

Owens, born Isaiah Randolph Owens in Long Beach, also released music with longtime friend 2Mex as Look Daggers, as well guesting on releases from the likes of Mastodon, Rival Sons, Saul Williams and El-P and, dating back to the ’90s, Sublime, Reel Big Fish and the Hippos.