MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

Keith Emerson whose keyboard work helped usher in the age of progressive rock music has died at the age of 71. He was a founding member of the band Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Police say his death appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The supergroup was formed in 1970 when Emerson got together with former King Crimson guitarist Greg Lake and drummer Carl Palmer who'd been with the band The Crazy World of Arthur Brown.

ELP disbanded and reformed a number of times over the years. Their last time playing together was at a festival in London in 2010. Throughout their career, it was Keith Emerson's passionate keyboard work that defined the band's sound. Drummer Carl Palmer said in a statement he was a pioneer and an innovator whose music genius touched all of us in the world of rock, classical and jazz. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

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