Dan McCafferty, Former Nazareth Frontman Dies aged 76

Dan McCafferty dies at 76.

The original lead singer of the Scottish hard rock band Nazareth, Dan McCafferty, has passed away. Pete Agnew, the bassist for Nazareth, sent a note on Facebook announcing McCafferty's passing.

“Dan died at 12:40 today,” Agnew wrote. “This is the saddest announcement I have ever had to make. Maryann and the family have lost a wonderful loving husband and father, I have lost my best friend and the world has lost one of the greatest singers who ever lived. Too upset to say anything more at this time.”

In 1968, McCafferty, Agnew, guitarist Manny Charlton, and drummer Darrell Sweet founded Nazareth in Dunfermline, Scotland, where he was born and reared.

They got their name from a line in the Band song "The Weight" that mentions Nazareth, Pennsylvania: "I pulled into Nazareth, was feelin' about half past dead."

They relocated to London in 1970 and started releasing records regularly, creating buzz with each new release.