Wayne Swinny dead at 59: Saliva guitarist dies after suffering brain hemorrhage on tour hours after he was rushed to ICU
FOUNDING member and guitarist for the rock band Saliva, Wayne Swinny, had died after suffering a brain hemorrhage while touring with the band.
The news comes only hours after the band announced that the 59-year-old was in the ICU following a medical emergency on Tuesday.
“Our dear brother Wayne Swinny was discovered Tuesday morning in medical distress and paramedics were called,” read a statement from the band’s official Facebook page at the time.
Hours later, however, the band would announce that Swinny had passed away.
“It is with great sadness that we report the passing of our brother Wayne Swinny,” the post read. “Wayne passed away this afternoon from a Spontaneous brain hemorrhage while we were out on tour.”
“I’m not even sure what to think or how to feel right now,” said Saliva singer, Bobby Amaru in a statement to The U.S. Sun.
“My heart aches for Wayne’s family, his friends, and anyone who had the joy of being around him. My heart aches for his daughter Nikki. He loved that girl so much.
“He was a guitar hero onstage with all the rock ‘n’ roll swag that most guitar players dream of. Offstage he was a proud father, an Ancient Aliens expert, and an incredible human who had zero enemies! He would go out of his way to make sure you had a good time.”
Amaru, who joined the band in 2011, added that he was grateful to have spent nearly 12 years of his life with Wayne on and off the stage.
“He was the older brother I never had. I learned so much from him and we had a f*****g blast together! I will cherish it all for the rest of my life!
“God Bless you, Wayne. I know we’ll meet again!!”
Josey Scott, who had been the band’s original lead singer from 1996 until his departure in 2011, described Swinny as his “musical soulmate.”
“Please be in prayer for his family and all of his brothers in the music industry. This is a huge loss,” wrote Scott’s wife, Kendra Sappington.
Saliva had been on the road in the US as part of the Spring Mayhem tour with bands Through Fire and Any Given Sin.
Just before Swinny was rushed to the hospital, the band had performed in Nashville, Tennessee on March 20.
The band was scheduled to play in Fort Wayne, Indiana on March 23.
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