Romanian guitar player Adi Barar, the founder and leader of local rock band Cargo, died on Monday, March 8, his band colleagues announced in a Facebook post.

“He lived all his life intensely on stage, alongside the public, surrounded by your good thoughts, and he fought like that to this day. God rest your soul, Adi Barar,” reads the message on Facebook.

The 61-year old artist had been infected with COVID-19 and admitted to the Timisoara County Hospital on February 25. Timisoara is one of the Romanian cities hardest-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The city and its metropolitan area were placed under quarantine as of Monday, March 8, as the infection rate in the last 14 days went above 6 new cases per 1,000 inhabitants.

Adi Barar founded Cargo in 1985 and has been with it all the way until his death, although several other members have come and gone. The band’s most popular album was “Ziua vrajitoarelor” (Day of the Witches), released in 1998.

editor@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Adi Barar Facebook page)