Kim Shattuck died on Wednesday morning after suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) for a couple of years at the age of 56, according to her husband, Kevin Sutherland.
She was the singer, songwriter and lead guitarist for The Pandoras and The Muffs from 1985 to 1991.
Her husband wrote on Instagram, “This morning the love of my life Kim passed peacefully in her sleep after a two-year struggle with ALS.”
“I am the man I am today because of her. She will live with all of us through her music, our shared memories and in her fierce creative spirit,” continued Sutherland. “I love you forever my Kimmy. Thank you for sharing your life with me.”
The Muffs’ drummer Roy McDonald and bassist Ronnie Barnett have also confirmed the sad news on the band’s Facebook page.
They wrote, “We are very sorry to announce the passing of our bandmate and dear friend Kim Shattuck. Besides being a brilliant songwriter, rocking guitarist and singer/screamer extraordinaire, Kim was a true force of nature.”
“While battling ALS Kim produced our last album, overseeing every part of the record from tracking to artwork,” they continued. “She was our best friend and playing her songs was an honor. Goodbye Kimba. We love you more than we could ever say.”
Apart from The Muffs, Shattuck performed with other bands, including The Dollyrots, The Beards, NOFX, The Pixies, The Fastbacks, and White Flag. However, she reunited with The Pandoras in 2015.
Before receiving the diagnosis of ALS, Shattuck had been performing with The Pandoras, as well as The Muffs.
Shattuck’s good friend and former bandmate Melanie Vammen wrote on Instagram, “My heart is forever broken,” alongside the announcement made by Shattuck’s husband on Instagram.
Barnett wrote on his Facebook page, “There’s so much to say & I will in time but for now I just want to celebrate my bandmate & friend Kim. This month marks 29 years since we formed our group. I can’t say we always succeeded but there was not one night we stepped on stage & didn’t try & be the best band in the world. Sometimes we actually succeeded…….”
“I love you Kim, we are family, thanks for changing my life,” he added.
“Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a progressive nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control,” according to Mayo Clinic. Also called Lou Gehrig’s disease, ALS often starts with the symptoms of muscle twitching and weakness in extremities, or stammering speech. Gradually, patients with ALS lose control of the muscles that they need to eat, speak, move, and breathe. Unfortunately, there is no cure for ALS.
