Though he came into this world as David Robert Jones, he left as David Bowie – and when he passed away in 2016, he left behind an artistic legacy that may never be seen again. After developing a love for rock and roll – thanks to artists like Fats Domino, Elvis Presley, and Little Richard – David began pursuing a career in music in the early 1960s, adopting the stage name David Bowie, as not to be confused with Davy Jones of The Monkees.

After his first self-titled album didn’t go anywhere, Bowie discovered success with “Space Oddity.” The song about Major Tom and ground control launched a career that saw Bowie deliver albums full of psychedelia, glam rock, electronic experimentation, and wild new sounds. He became a cultural icon, a fashion entity, a gender-bending provocateur that celebrated punk, new wave, the avant-garde art-rock, and practically everything in between.

While married to his first wife, Mary Barnett, Bowie became a father for the first time, welcoming son Duncan Jones in 1971. In 1992, Bowie married model Iman. They welcomed a daughter, Lexi, in 2000. Their love lasted until his death in 2016.

Take a look at some of the moments in Bowie’s life, one that lasted nearly seven decades but, still feels like it ended too soon.