Deep Purple co-founder Jon Lord died on Monday (July 16th) at age 71 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer, according to NME.com. Lord, who was known for his keyboard virtuosity and his reinvention of the Hammond B-3 organ sound, co-wrote such Purple classics as "Smoke On The Water" and "Child In Time," among others. Lord and drummer Ian Paice were the only original members to last through the band's initial run from 1968 to 1976. He was on board for their 1984 reunion and stayed on through to his 2002 retirement from the band, after which he's worked primarily in the classical field. Over the course of his career, Lord also worked with the Artwoods, Flower Pot Men, Paice, Ashton And Lord, Whitesnake and good friend and neighbor, George Harrison. At a time when rock music was dominated by the electric guitar, Jon Lord brough the Hammond Organ into the forefront. R.I.P. Mr. Lord - your music will live forever!