Filipino musician Dennis Garcia, the bassist and co-founder of a band Hotdog, has died at the age of 69, his youngest daughter Isa said on Saturday night. "For those of you who knew my father, it grieves me to inform you all that he passed away tonight," she wrote in a post on Facebook to family members and friends. "Our grief at his sudden passing is infinite and now so is he. Thank you for being with us through this difficult time." The cause of death was not mentioned. Garcia co-founded Hotdog back in 1972 with his brother Rene, who died aged 65 of a heart attack in 2018. The band is credited with pioneering the genre Manila Sound, the name of which may have been derived from Hotdog's hit song <em>Manila</em>. It was used as the opening song for the 30th Southeast Asian Games, which was hosted in the Philippines from November to December 2019. The musical style has its roots in rock, jazz, disco and funk, as well as Filipino folk sounds and kundiman, a genre of traditional Filipino love songs. Together, the brothers wrote some of the country's most beloved hit songs, including <em>Annie Batongbakal</em> and <em>Bongga Ka Day</em>. There has been an outpouring of support and condolences from fans across social media. "The day the music died," wrote one Twitter user. "One of the pillars of OPM [Original Pilipino Music] has gone back to our Father ... The songs of Hotdog will live forever in the hearts of Filipinos everywhere." <strong>_________________</strong> <strong>Read more:</strong> <strong><a href="https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/television/filipino-actor-mico-palanca-dies-aged-41-1.949169">Filipino actor Mico Palanca dies aged 41</a></strong> <strong><a href="https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/television/filipino-comedian-chokoleit-dies-aged-46-1.835175">Filipino comedian Chokoleit dies aged 46</a></strong> <strong><a href="https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/film/filipino-actress-and-singer-armida-siguion-reyna-dies-aged-88-1.824803">Filipino actress and singer Armida Siguion-Reyna dies aged 88</a></strong> <strong>_________________</strong>
