Musician David Bowie died of liver cancer at the age of 69 on Jan. 10.

“It was sad to hear that someone so famous and influential passed away,” history instructor Matt Brooks said. “He really changed so much in music.”

Bowie released his album “Blackstar” two days before his death. The New York Times reported he “taught generations of musicians about the power of drama, images and personas.”

He sang many glam rock hits since the 1970s, including “Space Oddity,” “Ziggy Stardust,” and “Under Pressure.”

Some students, like senior Tanner Moore, were upset by the news.

“I woke up, saw the news and cried for about 10 minutes before coming to school,” Moore said. “Bowie was a major influence for almost every single rock band since he began.”

Senior Kinsey Ackerman had similar feelings.

“I was really shocked to hear he had died so soon and unexpectedly,” Ackerman said. “I really enjoyed his music, especially the song “Heroes”.”

Brooks also reminisced on the impact of Bowie.

“David Bowie changed so much in culture,” Brooks said. “He was one of the first major musicians to genre-bend and gender-bend like that.”

Science instructor Cheryl Shepherd-Adams also shared how Bowie influenced her.

“I didn’t know he had cancer so I assumed he had died for other reasons,” Shepherd-Adams said. “I always felt [“Space Oddity”] belonged in the movie “2001: A Space Odyssey” because they both captured the same awe and wonder of the universe. Now that song saddens me because our country seems to have abandoned space exploration.”

Though many fans are saddened by his death, they understand it was his time to go.

“I appreciate what all he changed,” Brooks said. “But life moves on and time changes.”

17hnorris@usd489.com