Raised in a storied family — his mother, Fayrouz, is one of the Arab world’s most beloved singers — he wrote works reflecting a chaotic era in Lebanese history.

A son of Lebanese musical icons, he became one himself, with satirical critiques of his country’s dysfunction that melded Arab and Western music.

BEIRUT (AP) — Ziad Rahbani, a visionary Lebanese composer, playwright, pianist and political provocateur, died on Saturday, at the age of 69, according to the state-run National News Agency. The death was confirmed by a person close to Rahbani who spoke on condition of anonymity. The cause of death was not immediately clear.

Son of legendary Fairuz and composer Assi Rahbani, he was also a playwright, pianist and political provocateur.

Hundreds of people in Lebanon have paid tribute to iconic composer, pianist and playwright Ziad Rahbani, who died over the weekend.

Ziad Rahbani, one of Lebanon’s most influential cultural voices and a fearless critic of political powers, has died at the age of 69. “On Saturday at 9:00 am (0600 GMT), the heart of the great artist and creator Ziad Rahbani stopped beating,” read a statement from the Beirut hospital where he had been undergoing treatment.