A statement on her official Instagram account read: “With great sadness, we confirm that on January 1^st, after a yearlong battle with cancer, Pegi Young – mother, grandmother, sister, auntie, musician, activist and co-founder of the Bridge School – passed away surrounded by her friends and family in her native California. We request that the families’ privacy be respected at this time.”

Pegi married Neil Young in 1978 and spent years as a back-up singer on his tours. She released five country albums of her own. The pair have two children together, Ben and Amber. Young filed for divorce in 2014 after 36 years of marriage.

In addition to her music career, the singer spent much of her time working on non-profit organisation, The Bridge School, which she co-founded with her former husband. The esteemed institution aids children with physical and speech impairments. Both Pegi and Neil held an annual benefit concert in support of The Bridge School from 1986 to 2016; previous performers include David Bowie and Bruce Springsteen.