The Doors' keyboard wizard Ray Manzarek dies

Ray Manzarek, who has died aged 74 after a long battle with bile duct cancer, created one of the defining sounds of the late sixties.

It was Manzarek's jazz and blues influenced keyboard playing that provided the signature instrumental sound of The Doors' heady music.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, he studied film at UCLA where he met Jim Morrison, but it wasn't until they had graduated that they formed The Doors, setting Morrison's ambitious, poetic lyrics to a psychedelic bluesy rock sound, often improvising extended instrumental passages.

Joined by guitarist Robbie Krieger and drummer John Densmore, The Doors were signed to Elektra Records by legendary label boss Jac Holzman and soon found both commercial and critical success through their self-titled 1967 debut album and its spin-off single Light My Fire.

Five more albums followed between 1967 and 1971, including Strange Days and L.A. Woman, before Morrison's untimely death in Paris.

The Doors soldiered on despite the loss of their enigmatic front man for a few years to diminshing returns.

Manzarek continued to play and record music, collaborating with a number of musicians from a range of genres. His and his band's influence could be clearly heard on bands such as Echo and The Bunnymen, The Stranglers and Inspiral Carpets.

He wrote his memoirs and became a novelist as well as playing a key role in curating and promoting The Doors' archive.

He will be remembered as the keyboard stylist behind the unmistakable and timeless riffs of Light My Fire, The End (used to spectacular effect in Francis Ford Coppola's film Apocalypse Now), Hello I Love You, Riders On The Storm and many other era-defining songs.

Manzarek's death was confirmed by his manager. He was surrounded by his wife and brothers when he died.