The band revealed the sad news to fans on their official website and Facebook page with the following message: "We have extremely sad news to report. We've lost our friend and bandmate Allen Lanier.

"Allen succumbed to complications from C.O.P.D. He is survived by his wife Dory, sister Mary Anne and mother Martha. Although he retired from touring in 2006 Allen returned to the stage for what turned out to be his final appearance, reuniting with B?C at the 40th Anniversary show in New York this past November. DFTR sweet man. We love you and miss you."

BOC frontman Eric Bloom had the following tribute on his Facebook page "My great friend Allen Lanier has passed. I'll miss the guy even though we hadn't spoken in awhile.

"He was so talented as a musician and a thinker. He read voraciously, all kinds of things, especially comparative religion. We drove for years together, shared rooms in the early days. We partied, laughed, played. All BOC fans and band members will mourn his death.