August 18 [Updated 16:00 EDT] -- Two days after the death of qawwali singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, artists who were touched by the Pakistani singer are expressing their sorrow.

As we reported Saturday, the emotive qawwali singer died that day of cardiac arrest in a London hospital at the age of 49. Khan's work in the traditional qawwali style earned him praise outside of Pakistan, and he eventually found himself working with Eddie Vedder, Peter Garbiel, and Joan Osborne (for more on Khan's career, see "Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Dead At 49" from August 16).

"I feel a great sense of loss today. The loss of an extraordinary artist and the loss of a friend," said Peter Gabriel, whose professional and personal relationship with Khan dates back to 1985. "I have never heard so much spirit in a voice. My two main singing inspirations, Nusrat and Otis Redding, have been supreme examples of how far and deep a voice can go in finding, touching and moving the soul.

"Over the years we got to know each other inside and outside of the studio and it was always a thrill to work together, especially on some of the film music where we could cut loose. He was always generous and ready to experiment with whatever I threw at him," Gabriel concluded.

Ironically, the late singer/songwriter Jeff Buckley had sounded off on the importance of Khan as the liner notes author for an upcoming Khan release. Buckley writes of the first time he heard the qawwali singer, saying, "Then came the voice of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Part Buddha, part demon, part mad angel... his voice is a velvet fire, simply incomparable."

Caroline Records, who will release Khan's "The Supreme Collection Volume 1" on August 26, said, "It was a wonderful honor to be involved with an artist of such creative magnitude."

• Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

August 16 [19:30 EDT] -- Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the powerful Pakistani singer who worked with Peter Gabriel, Eddie Vedder and Joan Osborne, has reportedly died at the age of 49.

The Associated Press reports that the singer died Saturday in a London hospital where he was admitted last week. Khan has numerous health problems, and reportedly suffered cardiac arrest on Saturday.

Khan's emotive style and powerful presence earned him praise outside of his native Pakistan, and helped him to cross over into Western music. Khan recorded two songs ("The Long Road" and "The Face of Love") with Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder for the "Dead Man Walking" soundtrack, and also recorded "Taboo" with Peter Gabriel for the soundtrack to "Natural Born Killers." Khan also performed in concert with Joan Osborne among others.

Originally, it was Khan's command of the swelling singing style known as qawwali in religious songs that earned him global recognition.

On Saturday afternoon, Khan's official website had already reacted to the news, declaring, "His fans all over the world will miss him greatly."

• Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan