Iron Butterfly drummer Ron Bushy dead at 79

Ron bushy – longtime drummer for rock band Iron Butterfly – has passed away … TMZ has learned.

Bushy died Sunday morning at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles – according to his family members … many of whom were by his side, including his wife and daughters. We are told he was battling a form of cancer.

The guy was the only IB member to appear on their six albums, and is perhaps best known for his iconic drum solo on their 1968 hit, “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida”.

The track is legendary for a number of reasons – not least because it’s over 17 minutes long … and Bushy rips completely on the drums for a good 2-3 minutes.

RB continued to help record their second, third and fourth albums in the ’70s – then took a hiatus until the gang reunited in ’74 for albums no. 5 and 6. They continued to perform into the ’80s – when a second breakup occurred – but they rekindled themselves once again.

There were an infamous amount of line-up changes for IB in the ’70s and’ 80s – but the only constant was mostly Bushy … who was usually there to keep the tempo and rhythm going, in studio sessions or in tour.

He also performed with other bands during his tenure with Iron Butterfly, including bands like Magic and Gold. Ron quit performing full time in the mid-2010s due to health concerns, but is said to be making guest appearances with the band’s new iteration in subsequent years.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy, their three daughters and six grandchildren. Ron was 79.