The Nerves' Jack Lee, writer of Blondie's "Hanging on the Telephone," dead at 71

Jack Lee, guitarist and songwriter in short-lived but influential power-pop band The Nerves, died on May 26 after a lengthy battle with colon cancer. He was 71. The news only broke today. “He never gave up on his music, to the very end. His guitar, right by his side,” Lee’s family told Pitchfork. “He lived his songs. One by one they told the story of his life. Some dreams die. His never will.”

Lee formed The Nerves with Peter Case and Paul Collins in 1974. All three wrote, and while the band never “made it” a few of their songs did. “Hanging on the Telephone,” which Lee wrote, was covered by Blondie and released as a single in 1978, and went Top 5 in the UK. His “Come Back and Stay,” featured on his 1981 album Jack Lee’s Greatest Hits Vol 1, was a worldwide hit for Paul Young in 1983.

Rest in peace, Jack.