Mark Sheehan, the guitarist for the Irish band The Script, has suddenly died at the age of 46.
The announcement was made on The Script's official Twitter page on Friday. The details of Sheehan's passing have not been revealed.
The band wrote:
Much loved husband, father, brother, band mate, and friend Mark Sheehan passed away today in hospital after a brief illness. The family and group ask fans to respect their privacy at this tragic time.
Much loved husband, father, brother, band mate and friend Mark Sheehan passed away today in hospital after a brief illness. The family and group ask fans to respect their privacy at this tragic time. pic.twitter.com/6HaShCk8l4
— the script (@thescript) April 14, 2023
Sheehan was one of The Script's founding members. The band formed in Dublin, Ireland, in 2001.
Besides Sheehan on guitar, the band also includes Danny O’Donoghue on vocals and Glen Power on the drums.
Rolling Stone magazine provides the following description of Sheehan's guitar style:
The guitarist was known for expressive, understated playing that allowed O’Donoghue’s voice to take center stage on pop tracks like “Breakeven (Falling to Pieces),” a 2008 hit that peaked at Number 12 in the U.S. He favored simple phrasing that landed between strumming and single-note melodies, giving the Script deep textures for anthemic choruses on songs like “For the First Time,” “Nothing,” and “Hall of Fame.”
The band's success, over the years, is undeniable.
The Daily Wire reports:
The Irish band topped charts in the U.K. with its debut album in 2008. During the 2010s, The Script continued its success, going on to have six top 10 albums in the U.K. and one placed in the top three albums in the U.S. The band ended up selling over 29 million records worldwide.
Among those who have paid tribute to Sheehan, since the news of his passing, is Irish President Michael Higgins.
Higgins posted a six-paragraph statement on Friday that begins, "all those who knew Mark Sheehan, and those millions more who enjoyed and appreciated his music, will have been deeply shocked to hear of his too-early death."
Higgins continued:
It was a mark of the originality and excellence that Mark and his bandmates in The Script sought that they saw such success across the world, including six number one albums in the UK and a number three album in the United States – a truly remarkable achievement.
Higgins went on to say that, "through their music, Mark and The Script have played an outstanding part in continuing and promoting this proud tradition of Irish musical success across the world."
Sheehan is survived by his wife, Rina, and his three children, Cameron, Avery, Lil, and Bria.
