Chris Stamp Dead: The Who Manager and Producer Dies at Age 70

Chris Stamp, the former manager for the Who, died Saturday, Nov. 24, at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City after battling cancer. He was 70.

According to Billboard, Who frontman Roger Daltrey paid tribute to Stamp at a Detroit concert that night. "Without whom we wouldn't be the band we were," Daltrey said, adding "[Chris] flew into the universe on a pair of rainbow wings. Chris, we can never thank you enough -- well, I can't, for what you brought to my life."

Following this, he and guitarist Pete Townshend performed a duet of "Tea & Theatre" that had an air of tribute, even if it wasn't specifically denoted. Stamp co-managed the group along with Kit Lambert and co-founded the band's Track Records label. He also executive produced most of their records and went on to released Jimi Hendrix's debut album Are You Experienced? on Track Records.

Originally from London's East End, Stamp met Lambert while working on films and the two quickly became friends. They persuaded the band to use the name the Who instead of the name they were currently going by, the High Numbers. Stamp and Lambert began Track Records in 1966 and became what Daltrey called "the 5th and 6th members of the Who."

The relationship between the band and the managers devolved in the mid '70s, however, as the partying, drug use and rock 'n' roll lifestyle hindered them from doing their jobs at the level that the band's stardom required.

Lambert died of a brain hemmorhage in 1981, but Stamp recovered from extensive drug use by entering rehab in 1987, later becoming a counselor himself. He maintained a quiet relationship with the band, who said his passing was "hard to bear" and promised a tribute in the near future.