Iron Butterfly Guitarist and Captain Beyond Founder Larry Reinhardt Dies

Larry 'Rhino' Reinhardt, a man considered by those who knew him best to be amongst the top southern rock guitarists of all time, died on Monday. The one-time Iron Butterfly guitarist and co-founder of '70s rock group Captain Beyond died of sclerosis of the liver, his longtime significant other Tracey Hooper told the Bradenton Herald. Reinardt was 63-years-old.

The guitarist had been battling health problems in recent years. In January 2010 he wrote on his Facebook page that his time could be short. "Doc. say's don't have sex, don't smoke, don't drink, just lay like a slug until you are well, If I live like she wants me too, then it's certain for me. Please say a kind word for me my friends, this could be the end," the caption under one picture reads. A solo album released less than a year earlier was titled 'Rhino's Last Dance,' but the musician held on and recovered to the point where he told friends he was looking forward to touring in 2012.

"I knew Rhino had had some health problems over the past year, but he had been playing around and he wanted to tour this year," his publicist Billy James told Sarasota, Fla.'s Herald Tribune.

"He was one of the true American classic rock guitar players, like Michael Monarch of Steppenwolf and Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad."

Reinhardt joined Iron Butterfly in 1969, after they released 'In-a-Gadda-Da-Vidda.' Following their break-up two years later, he formed Captain Beyond and released three charting albums including 'Sufficiently Breathless' in 1973. After the group's five year run, he continued to play reunion shows with both bands while working on other projects like Rhino and the Posse. That group released what would be his final album, 'Back in the Day' in 2011.

Early in his career, Reinhardt played with Dickey Betts and Berry Oakley before that pair went on to form the Allman Brothers Band. Friends and family members are planning a remembrance for Rhino in the near future.

Watch Larry 'Rhino' Reinhardt Perform With Captain Beyond