Greg Brown, the founding guitarist of the rock band Cake and the songwriter of their hit song “The Distance,” has died after a brief illness.

The band announced his death on Saturday, February 7, in a social media post. His exact age was not confirmed, but a 2021 Billboard article listed him as 51 years old.

In an Instagram tribute, Cake shared a black-and-white photo and said they were deeply saddened by his passing.

The Sacramento-based band described Brown as an important part of their early sound and success. They said his creative contributions and personality would be greatly missed.

Brown helped form Cake in Sacramento, California, in 1991 with singer John McCrea and other musicians.

His guitar playing shaped the band’s first two albums, Motorcade of Generosity (1994) and Fashion Nugget (1996).

During this time, he wrote “The Distance,” which became one of Cake’s most famous songs and reached No. 4 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart.

Brown left Cake in 1997 after touring for Fashion Nugget.

In a later interview, he said he left because of personal conflicts and difficult situations in his life. He believed leaving the band was the best decision for his health.

After leaving Cake, Brown continued his music career.

He started his own band called Deathray with former Cake member Victor Damiani. He also worked with Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo on a project called Homie and contributed to the song “American Girls.”

In addition, he worked with musician Matt Sharp on a solo project.

Brown later reunited with Cake and played guitar on the song “Bound Away,” from their 2011 album Showroom of Compassion.

His work played an important role in shaping Cake’s early success, and his influence on the band and their music will be remembered.