Lissa Wales passed away over the weekend. She was a great photographer who photographed many top drummers over the years. She had been battling a relapse of acute mylogenous leukemia.

From the Arizona Republic Newspaper:

Lissa Wales, a Tempe photographer renowned for her photographs of drummers, died Saturday after several months of battling a relapse of acute mylogenous leukemia. She was 48.

Wales, who grew up in the Valley and graduated from Arizona State University, photographed hundreds of percussionists over two decades, including drummers from some of the world's top rock bands.

Last month, several of the music industry's well-known performers played in a benefit concert to raise money to pay for Wales' mounting medical bills, which kept her shooting occasional concerts even as she was undergoing treatment for her disease.

Wales said at the time that she was "flabbergasted" by the response of those who volunteered to play, including Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Steve Ferrone of Tom Petty's Heartbreakers, Jimmy DeGrasso of Montrose and Ian Wallace of King Crimson.

Wales' photographs appeared in magazines in the United States, Europe and Asia, as well as in advertisements for drum manufacturers.

Some of her works are displayed at www.drumpics.com.

Her sister, Mary Wales-Long, remembered Lissa on Saturday as "the best sister in the world (who) fought the good fight."