He was in Mexico on tour with White's solo band. The former White Stripes leader and his record label announced yesterday, "Out of respect for Ikey, the remaining shows of the Jack White Tour in Mexico have been cancelled."

Now Nasty Little Man PR issued the following statement revealing the cause of death: "The coroner has determined that Ikey Owens died from a heart attack the morning of October 14 at approximately 4 am. The only drugs found in his room were a small amount of marijuana.

"Ikey, born Isaiah Randolph Owens, was a GRAMMY award-winning artist best known for his work with Jack White, the Mars Volta, De Facto and Free Moral Agents, among others. He was a beloved member of the music community as well as his hometown of Long Beach, CA."

One member of the Long Beach music scene, Rival Sons frontman Jay Buchanan wrote the following tribute to Ikey on Facebook: "It is with a heavy heart that we celebrate the life and passing of a dear friend, Ikey Owens. Too much to get into, really.

"Always encouraging of whatever new musical pursuit I was onto, he was one of those guys that read a bit like a character in a good book or old movie. He was just into it. Always into it and down for the crown.

In Long Beach, he was one of us that made it out and we all looked on him with a sense of pride. In his time off he labored to produce new talent and was always down for an impromptu jam.

"While he laid the keys on our latest record in Nashville this last winter we had the chance to catch up and talk about the future and it always felt good to talk about the future with Ikey because it was all about expansion.