Former Yes singer Jon Anderson has penned a touching tribute to the band's founding bassist Chris Squire, who passed away last night (June 27) after a battle with leukemia.

Anderson and Squire co-founded Yes in 1968, and worked together on all of the band's most commercially and critically successful albums. While Squire remained a part of every one of the band's numerous lineups, Anderson parted way with the group three times, including a rather acrimonious and seemingly final departure in 2008. Happily, in his letter Anderson reports that the pair had made a peaceful reconnection recently. You can read Anderson's full statement, posted on his website, below:

Chris was a very special part of my life; we were musical brothers. He was an amazingly unique bass player - very poetic - and had a wonderful knowledge of harmony. We met at a certain time when music was very open, and I feel blessed to have created some wonderful, adventurous, music with him. Chris had such a great sense of humor... he always said he was Darth Vader to my Obiwan. I always thought of him as Christopher Robin to my Winnie the Pooh.

We travelled a road less travelled and I'm so thankful that he climbed the musical mountains with me. Throughout everything, he was still my brother, and I'm so glad we were able to reconnect recently. I saw him in my meditation last night, and he was radiant. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones.

Love and light.....Jon

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