Chris Dreja dead: The Yardbirds founder dies after health battle as tributes shared

Chris Dreja, the legendary rhythm guitarist and bassist for the Yardbirds, has died at the age of 79 following a lengthy battle with ill health.

His sister-in-law Muriel Levy broke the devastating news on Threads, posting nostalgic pictures of the iconic musician and penning: "This is with a deep sadness that I have to announce that my brother-in-law Chris Dreja, former member of legendary band The Yardbirds, rhythm guitarist and also bass player, has passed away after years of health problems.

"I share the pain with my sister Kate, who took care of him during all those years, and his daughter Jackie... May he RIP."

Chris was amongst the founding members of the Yardbirds, which emerged from the suburbs of south-west London in 1963. The initial line-up featured Anthony "Top" Topham, Keith Relf, Paul Samwell-Smith, and Jim McCarty.

READ MORE: Paul Danan's will revealed months after star's death at 46 – with touching gift to son

READ MORE: Taylor Swift wedding update as she invites Radio 1 DJ to big day live on air

Although he endured a succession of strokes in 2012 and 2013 which compelled him to step back from performing, the musician carried on playing with a version of the band until just over a decade ago.

The Yardbirds are celebrated as one of the most groundbreaking groups of their era. They initially shot to stardom with Eric Clapton on guitar for their 1965 smash hit, For Your Love.

Clapton departed the band shortly following their major success, with Jeff Beck stepping up to take his place, reports the Express. In 1966, Jimmy Page joined the band, initially playing bass before switching to dual lead guitar alongside Jeff.

Following Jeff's exit, Jimmy became the sole guitarist, but by 1968, the group was crumbling, and Jimmy transformed them into Led Zeppelin.

Chris turned down the opportunity to join them as he wished to concentrate on his photography career. He would later photograph Led Zeppelin for the rear cover of their debut album.

Throughout his professional career, his lens also captured legends like Bob Dylan, the Righteous Brothers, and Ike and Tina Turner.

During the 1980s, he played with Yardbirds spin-off band Box of Frogs and stayed with the reformed Yardbirds from 1992 until 2013. The Yardbirds earned Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 1992, with nearly all surviving members from the band's heyday, including Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page, present at the ceremony. They released a new album titled Birdland in 2002.

Supporters shared touching tributes as news of his death emerged.

"I'm Sorry to hear this sad news. I saw The Yardbirds a few years ago with The Zombies. It was a wonderful evening and no mere nostalgia trip. RIP," one fan wrote.

Another posted on Threads, "A guitarist in one of the most underrated bands of their time IMHO and a favourite of mine. He'll be playing melodies with Jeff now in heaven.

"Sorry to hear it. They were an original supergroup - with so many legendary guitarists passing through their lineup," one fan added.

Another chimed in: "He was awesome and the Yardbirds meant the world to me. They opened my teenage mind to the "Rave Up" and my teenage years were spent learning every song, searching for "Golden Eggs" and adoring Jeff, Chris, Paul, Keith and Jim. RIP Chris Dreja."

Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Threads.

READ MORE: Maura Higgins says affordable £10 root spray ‘saves her life’ and covers grey hairs