James Kottak, who played drums for the German hard rock band Scorpions for two decades, died Tuesday, his daughter said. He was 61.

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The drummer’s daughter, Tobi, confirmed his death to TMZ, telling the entertainment website that Kottak died in Louisville, Kentucky. No cause of death was given.

The band announced Kottak’s death on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“Very sad news ... our dear friend & Drummer for 20 yrs James Kottak has passed at the age of 61,” the band wrote. “James was a wonderful human being, a great musician & loving family man. He was our ‘Brother from another Mother’ & will be truly missed. Rock’n Roll Forever.”

According to the band’s website, Kottak became the first American-born member to play in the band when he joined in 1996. He remained with the band until September 2016, when he was fired and replaced by former Motorhead member Mikkey Dee.

At the time, he was the longest-serving member in the band, according to TMZ.

The drummer toured with the band and recorded with them for the first time in 1999 on the recording “Eye to Eye,” according to the Scorpions website.

Kottak was also an original member of the German-American rock group Kingdom Come, serving as the band’s drummer from 1987 to 1989 and again from 2018 until his death.

Kottak also appeared in the 2012 reality television show, “Ex-Wives of Rock,” according to IMDb.com.

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