How Did Manny Charlton Die? Nazareth Guitarist’s Cause of Death Explained

Manny Charlton, the founding guitarist of the Scottish band Nazareth, died at 80. The news of his death was confirmed by Charlton’s grandson via Facebook and also by Pete Agnew, his bandmate and bassist, to Classic Rock Magazine.

Charlton founded Nazareth in 1968 with Dan McCafferty (vocalist), Pete Agnew (bassist), and Darrell Sweet (drummer). The legendary guitarist continued with the group till 1990 and then pursued a solo career.

Music fans worldwide are currently paying tribute to Manny Charlton and wondering about the cause of his death. Social media platforms like Twitter and Reddit are full of condolences and warm messages for his family. Official statements from his close ones aren’t available yet.

Nazareth Founder Guitarist Manny Charlton Dies at 80

Manny Charlton was born in Andalusia, Spain in 1941 and later moved to Dunfermline, Scotland with his family when he was a young child. In 1968, he co-founded Nazareth with Dan McCafferty, Pete Agnew, and Darrell Sweet.

Nazareth’s no-frills hard-rock sound, frequent touring, and their close relationship with Deep Purple helped it grow the fanbase to huge ranks in the first half of the 70s. The band produced 1973’s “Razamanaz” and their marquee hit “Hair of the Dog” in 1975.

The title track’s exquisite hard rock made the band members stars and it served as a banner display of Charlton’s talents as a guitarist and producer. Following this, Axl Rose, Guns N’ Roses frontman started seeking him to produce “Appetite for Destruction” in 1986.

However, Charlton did not end up producing the album but he recorded over 25 demos with Guns N’ Roses while they were working on Appetite for Destruction in 1987 at the Sound Studio in Los Angeles. This included early versions of hit songs like “Welcome To The Jungle” and “Paradise City.”

In 1990, Charlton parted ways with Nazareth. In 1993, Guns N’ Roses paid tribute to Nazareth by recording “Hair of the Dog” on their album of cover songs “The Spaghetti Incident?” highlighting the band’s relation with Manny Charlton.

Manny Charlton continued his musical career Solo

After stepping away from Nazareth, Charlton continued his career alone by producing his first solo album “Drool” in 1999. After that, he launched several albums in quick succession including “Baravdo” in 2000, “Stonkin’” in 2002, “Klone: in 2003, and then “Then There’s This” in 2008.

In early 2006, Charlton joined From Behind, the popular Swedish rock band. The group released its debut album “Game Over” and went on tour around Europe before disbanding in late 2007.

His final solo album “Solo” arrived in 2016 and the guitarist then retired from his musical ambitions due to deteriorating health. Meanwhile, Nazareth remains active, most recently releasing L Tattooed On My Brain in 2018.

Agnew is the only active founding member in the band who continued playing with Jimmy Murrison (guitarist) and his son Lee (drummer). Carl Sentance (vocalist) of Persian Risk is the most recent addition to the band. He joined Nazareth in 2015.

How did Manny Charlton Die? What was the cause of his death?

Manny Charlton was dealing with multiple health issues and chronic illness is the rumored cause of his death. It also seems legit considering his old age. At the time of his death, he had completed 80 years in this life. However, his family hasn’t confirmed the cause of his death yet.

The news of Charlton’s death broke after his grandson, James Charlton, upload a heart-wrenching post on Facebook in which he wrote, “RIP Grandad” along with two broken-heart emojis.

Soon, Charlton’s long-term mate, Pete Agnew confirmed to Classic Rock Magazine that Charlton has passed away while paying tribute to the guitarist. “When Manny joined, he was the first guy to suggest writing songs of our own,” he said.

Agnew revealed that Charlton changed the entire mindset of the band, moving them towards writing their own songs and eventually creating a sound that proved to be vastly influential.

Fans paying Tribute to Manny Charlton on social media

Ever since the news of Manny Charlton’s death at 80 broke, fans haven’t stopped paying tribute to the deceased guitarist on social media platforms. No

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Manny Charlton, original guitarist for Nazareth and producer of Guns N’ Roses’ “Appetite For Destruction” demo, has died at the age of 80. When a highly talented artist passes away it makes the world a worse place. Today, the world is a worse place without Manny Charlton. #RIP 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/mbLf0DKntP

— 🎸𝕊𝕦𝕜𝕦𝕣𝕤𝕒𝕝 ℝ𝕠𝕔𝕜 🎸🐺 🐾 (@SukursalRock) July 7, 2022

“I’ve lost a dear friend as well as one of my all time guitar heros [sic]” one user wrote.

“So sorry to hear this Jamie. Fantastic memories of the time I spent with him, and chats we had on the phone. A great guy and amazing guitar player. Sending love” a user wrote under Jamie’s post.

“I am so very sorry to hear of your grandfather’s passing. Not only was he an amazingly talented guitar player and producer he was also a fantastic person” wrote another.