The original American Playboy, Hugh Hefner has died.
His company said late Wednesday that Hefner died from natural causes "surrounded by loved ones" at his Playboy Mansion home in Beverly Hills. He was 91.
Among the first to speak out was Hefner's son Cooper, who is now the chief creative officer of Playboy Enterprises. "My father lived an exceptional and impactful life as a media and cultural pioneer and a leading voice behind some of the most significant social and cultural movements of our time in advocating free speech, civil rights and sexual freedom."
Hefner was also a champion of music. During his TV show Playboy After Dark (which ran from 1969-1970) he gave a platform for artists like Deep Purple, Fleetwood Mac, Steppenwolf, Grand Funk Railroad, Iron Butterfly, and many others.