David Bowie Dead at 69: 'Blackstar' Producer Says Death Was His Last Performance

Legendary "Ziggy Stardust" rock star David Bowie has died aged 69, two days after releasing his last album. Hours after Bowie's director son Duncan Jones confirmed the sad news on Twitter, the Starman's producer Tony Visconti shares to the world that his birthday album, Blackstar, was Bowie's parting gift to fans.

According to Rolling Stone, Visconti took to Facebook shortly after it was confirmed that Bowie had passed away, writing a long and heartfelt message about the legendary singer, saying that he'd known for the past year that that the album was to be Bowie's farewell to the world.

"He always did what he wanted to do. And he wanted to do it his way and he wanted to do it the best way," Visconti wrote in the touching post, then adding a link to Bowie's clip for "Lazarus," a song and video that, in retrospect, obviously reference his proximity to death.

"His death was no different from his life – a work of Art. He made Blackstar for us, his parting gift. I knew for a year this was the way it would be."

Although Bowie had been batting what is believed to be liver cancer for the past 18 months, his condition wasn't disclosed to the public until after his passing, although those closest to him were obviously aware of his illness.

Still, the musician/actor and all-around artist didn't stop creating until the last days of his life. Dutch News reports that Ivo van Hove, the Belgian theater director who worked alongside the "Space Oddity" singer on the recent Lazarus stage musical, said that, even though Bowie failed to attend some rehearsals due to his decreasing health, he still fought all the way through.

Even on his deathbed, van Hove claims, Bowie was still writing and he "fought like a lion," still leaving a beautiful farewell, as only the man who made weird become cool could.

Goodbye, Ziggy, and welcome back to the stars.