The Ponys pays tribute to late founding member Nathan Jarde

Nathan Jerde, drummer and founding member of Chicago Indie-Rockers The Ponys, has passed away.

On Tuesday, May 6, his band members took to Facebook to pay a heartfelt tribute to the late musician.

"It’s with the heaviest of hearts that we let you know our friend, our band mate, and our brother left this world today," they wrote in the caption of several pictures of Jerde.

"Nathan was an amazing drummer and possessed savant like art skills. Nathan loved goofing around, and had the sweetest of hearts," they continued. "We traveled the world together."

"We ate amazing meals together and we met lifelong friends together," Jerde’s band members recalled.

They further recounted how they used to fight "like brothers" but always had fun together.

The touching message posted on The Ponys official account concluded with, "Nathan, we will miss you so much!"

The Ponys were formed in Chicago in 2001 by vocalist and guitarist Jered Gunmere, joined by girlfriend (and later, wife) Melissa Elias as a bassist. Jerde, previously the drummer for The Mushuganas, and Ian Adams rounded out the band then.

The band released their debut album, Laced with Romance, in 2004.