Entertainment Music Screaming Trees Co-Founder and Bassist Van Conner Dead at 55 His brother Gary Lee wrote on Facebook that Van had been dealing with "a liver infection" and was "suffering from an array of health problems" By Kimberlee Speakman Kimberlee Speakman Kimberlee Speakman is a digital writer at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2022. Her work has previously appeared in Forbes and she has also worked in broadcast television as a reporter for Hawaii-based news station KHON2 News. People Editorial Guidelines Published on January 18, 2023 08:25PM EST Photo: FaceBook Van Conner, a bassist and songwriter who co-founded the grunge rock band Screaming Trees, has died at the age of 55. His brother, Gary Lee, confirmed the news in a Facebook post on Wednesday saying his brother died on Tuesday "of an extended illness." "It was pneumonia that got him in the end, he wrote. "He was one of the closest friends I ever had and I loved him immensely. I will miss him forever and ever and ever…" Gary Lee updated fans on Jan. 5 about his brother's condition, writing that Van had been hospitalized with "a liver infection" and was "suffering from an array of health problems" that have plagued him since late 2021. Paying Tribute to the Celebrities Who Have Died in 2023 He detailed the health problems in a lengthy post saying that Van was unable to walk after being in a coma following "emergency stomach surgery" prior to Christmas 2021. He also caught COVID during his recovery, resulting in a blood clot in his lungs that "badly damaged" the organ. "He has been confined to a hospital bed at home for several months and has not seemed to be making any progress towards recovery," Gary Lee said at the time. He added that his brother had "been avoiding getting the medical help he needs" and asked fans to "send positive vibes or pray for him." In a follow-up update on Jan. 9, he said "Van seems to be making progress, his liver is not completely shot but it was touch and go for a few days last week." Mark Lanegan, Screaming Trees Singer and Grunge Pioneer, Dead at 57 The two brothers formed the Washington-based band in the mid-1980 alongside drummer Mark Pickerel and vocalist Mark Lanegan, who died last year at the age of 57. Screaming Trees was part of the emerging grunge rock scene in the Pacific Northwest in the 1980s and 1990s that later birthed groundbreaking bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. Screaming Trees released their fifth album Uncle Anesthesia in 1991, which was their first album under a major record label and was co-produced by Soundgarden's late frontman Chris Cornell. That album spawned their first hit "Bed of Roses." Gie Knaeps/Getty Their following album Sweet Oblivion, released in 1992, shot the band to mainstream popularity with its single "Nearly Lost You." The song appeared in the soundtrack for the 1992 film Singles, which starred Cameron Crowe. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Following his stint with the band, Van went on to form the rock bands VALIS and Musk Ox while Gary Lee formed Microdot Gnome in 2010.