The rock star and founder of The J. Geils Band was found dead in his Massachusetts home on Tuesday.
Musician J. Geils, best known for founding The J. Geils Band, was found dead in his home in Groton, Massachusetts, on Tuesday. He was 71.
The Groton Police Department released a statement to ET confirming the news of the rocker's death. Officers performing a well-being check on the artist located Geils, who was unresponsive and was later declared dead on the scene.
Authorities reported that their "preliminary investigation indicates that Geils died of natural causes." Police are investigating, however foul play is not suspected.
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Born John Warren Geils Jr., the guitarist formed The J. Geils Band while attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Geils teamed up with bassist Danny "Dr. Funk" Klein and harmonic player Richard "Magic Dick" Salwitz in 1967.
The group saw early success with their forays into blues rock, but exploded in popularity in the 1980s, when they began focusing on mainstream new wave rock.
The J. Geils Band released a number of Top 40 singles -- including "Give it to Me," "Must of Got Lost," "Love Stinks," "Freeze Frame" and "Centerfold" -- before the band broke up in 1985.
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However, the band continued to perform on numerous reunion tours for years after their split. Most recently, they served as the opening act for Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band during their North American tour in 2015.
After The J. Geils Band broke up, Geils worked on a number of solo albums but turned his attention primarily toward auto restoration. He moved to Groton in the late 1980s, and the small town honored the star by proclaiming Dec. 1, 2009, to be J. Geils Day.