The news was confirmed in a message posted to the band’s official Facebook page.

 

No cause of death was given.

 

Mitchell joined the BAY CITY ROLLERS in 1976, replacing founding bassist Alan Longmuir. By this point, the Scottish group had already established itself as a teen idol sensation, topping the charts with hits like "Remember (Sha-La-La-La)," “Bye Bye Baby” and “Saturday Night.”

 

Mitchell would contribute to the band’s 1976 LP Dedication. The U.S. version featured the BAY CITY ROLLERS’ rendition of Dusty Springfield’s “I Only Want to Be With You,” which peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.

 

The bassist’s tenure in the band was short-lived. Mitchell, who was just 17 when he joined the BAY CITY ROLLERS, quit after spending just seven months with the group.

 

The Irish-born rocker went on to form the band ROSETTA STONE. Even though the group secured television appearances in the U.K., and enjoyed successful tours of Japan and Thailand, it failed to develop a strong fan base. ROSETTA STONE released their debut album, Rock Pictures, in 1978. Mitchell would depart the group the following year.