UB40’s Terence Wilson, better known by his stage name Astro, has died at age 64. “We are absolutely devastated and completely heartbroken to have to tell you that our beloved Astro has today passed away after a very short illness,” his group wrote in a statement on their social media. “The world will never be the same without him. We ask you to please respect his family’s privacy at this incredibly difficult time.”

Astro, who served as the reggae band’s longtime toaster, joined UB40 in 1979, a few months after they were formed. He played with the original lineup for over three decades, including during their commercial height in the ’80s. The band’s cover of “Red Red Wine” hit #1 in the US in 1988, five years after it was first released, and Astro’s toasting was included on the version that would eventually climb to the top of the charts.

Astro left the original UB40 in 2013 and joined the offshoot group UB40 featuring Ali Campbell and Astro, who were scheduled to go on tour next year.