Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines for August 21
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Frankie Banali, a drummer for Quiet Riot and W.A.S.P., has died. He was 68.
The musician died Thursday in Los Angeles, Calif., while surrounded by family after battling stage four pancreatic cancer, a statement shared via his rep to Fox News confirmed.
"He was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer on April 17th, 2019 and given six months to live. He put up an inspiringly brave and courageous 16-month battle to the end and continued playing live as long as he could," the statement reads.
QUIET RIOT DRUMMER FRANKIE BANALI FIGHTING STAGE 4 PANCREATIC CANCER
Frankie Banali appears on 'Watch What Happens Live.' (Photo by: Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
It continues: "Standard chemotherapy stopped working and a series of strokes made the continuation on a clinical trial impossible. He ultimately lost the fight at 7:18 pm on August 20th in Los Angeles surrounded by his wife and daughter."
The statement went on to say that Banali "lived for playing live."
"His wish for everyone is that you be your own health advocate for early detection so you may live long and rescue many animals," it says.
Banali is best known for his career as the drummer for Quiet Riot, a heavy metal band. He is the only member to play on every Quiet Riot album since the release of its "Metal Health," which was the first heavy metal album to reach No. 1 on the Billboard charts.
Banali wrote in a statement last year that his original cancer prognosis was “very scary.”
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"The road ahead is not going to be easy but cancer has met its match and I plan to continue fighting," he vowed in the memo.
Friends and peers of Banali and Quiet Riot took to social media to extend their wishes and prayers to Banali’s family.
Frankie Banali died after battling pancreatic cancer, his rep confirmed in a statement to Fox News. (Tara Ziemba/WireImage)
“My deepest condolences to the family & friends on the loss of @FrankieBanali,” tweeted Brett Michaels on Friday.
"RIP my dear friend Frankie Banali," vocalist for the band Anthrax, Neil Turbin, wrote on Instagram. "My sincere condolences to his wife Regina, family, band, friends, fans it was a honor to be asked by you to co-write and sing backing vocals on the last QUIET RIOT album Hollywood Cowboys."
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Banali is survived by his wife Regina and daughter Ashley. Funeral plans will be announced at a later date.
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