Songwriter Rod Temperton dead at 66

Rod Temperton, the man who wrote Michael Jackson's mega-hit "Thriller," has died. He was 66.

According to BBC, Temperton passed away last week after a bout with cancer and his funeral has reportedly already taken place.

Along with "Thriller," Temperton wrote the title-track to Michael Jackson's album Off the Wall. Temperton also penned George Benson's "Give Me the Night" and the Oscar-nominated "Miss Celie's Blues" from The Color Purple. Despite his high profile writing skills, Temperton kept a notoriously low profile and was known as "The Invisible Man" during his career.

Celebrities including Mark Ronson and Latoya Jackson have expressed their grief via social media.

John Platt CEO and chairman of Warner/Chappell, Temperton's longtime publisher issued a statement about his passing. "His family is devastated and request total privacy at this, the saddest of sad times."