RIP Dennis Sheehan

U2 has lost a family member. From the RAMP Newsletter...

Just hours after U2's finished the first show of their five-night "Innocence + Experience" stand at L.A.'s Forum, we received the tragic news that Dennis Sheehan, the band's tour manager for the past 33 years, died early Wednesday morning of an apparent heart attack. The news was originally broken by TMZ, which reports paramedics were summoned to Sheehan's room at the Sunset Marquis Hotel around 5:30am yesterday, responding to a call for a reported cardiac arrest. Sheehan was pronounced dead at the scene. The news was later confirmed by Live Nation's Arthur Fogel, Chairman of Global Music & President of Global Touring, who said, "With profound sadness we confirm that Dennis Sheehan, U2's longstanding tour manager and dear friend to us all, has passed away overnight. Our heartfelt sympathy is with his wonderful family." U2 has posted a tribute to Sheehan on its website. In a statement, Bono said, "We've lost a family member, we're still taking it in. He wasn't just a legend in the music business; he was a legend in our band. He is irreplaceable."