Famous Dead Musicians: Recent Musician Deaths and Obituaries
Over 10,000 obituaries of famous dead musicians. Notable deaths, news, info, and memorial pages.
Al Hurricane Jr. dead at age 66, American singer-songwriter
Al Hurricane Jr., an American singer-songwriter, died on May 19, 2026, at age 66. Born Alberto Nelson Sanchez Jr. in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on October 30, 1959, he was known…
Gunter Hampel dead at age 88, German jazz multi-instrumentalist and composer
Gunter Hampel, a German jazz multi-instrumentalist and composer, died on May 19, 2026, at the age of 88. Born in Göttingen on Aug. 31, 1937, he was a jazz musician…
Jacqui Chan dead at age 91, Trinidadian actress, dancer and singer
Jacqui Chan, a Trinidadian actress, dancer and singer, died on May 19, 2026, at the age of 91. Born Jacqueline Chan in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on July…
Abomé l’Éléphant dead at age 33, Ivorian singer and rapper
Abomé l'Éléphant, the Ivorian singer and rapper better known by his stage name, died on May 18, 2026, in Treichville, Ivory Coast, at the age of 33. Born Anassin Boris…
Feliksas Bajoras dead at age 91, Lithuanian composer and academic
Feliksas Bajoras, a Lithuanian composer and academic, died on May 18, 2026, at the age of 91. Born in Alytus on October 7, 1934, he studied violin at the Lithuanian…
Crow dead at age 64, Australian guitarist and songwriter
Crow, the Australian rock band founded in Sydney in 1986 by songwriters Peter Fenton and Peter Archer, died on May 18, 2026. Known for three albums released in the 1990s,…
Marideth Sisco dead at age 82, American author and musician
Marideth Sisco, an American author and musician, died on May 18, 2026, at the age of 82. Also known as Marideth Ann Sisco, she was an American storyteller, folklorist, singer-songwriter,…
Totó la Momposina dead at age 85, Colombian singer
Totó la Momposina, the Colombian singer known for work in cumbia, bullerengue, porro and tambora chalupa, died on May 19, 2026, at age 85. Born Sonia Bazanta Vides on August…
Cris Derksen dead at age 45, Canadian Cree cellist and composer, traffic collision
Cris Derksen, a Canadian Cree cellist and composer, died on May 16, 2026, in a traffic collision. She was 45. Derksen was a Juno Award-nominated musician from Northern Alberta, Canada,…
Dennis Locorriere dead at age 76, American singer and guitarist, kidney disease
Dennis Locorriere, the American singer and guitarist best known for his work with Dr. Hook, died on May 16, 2026, of kidney disease. He was 76. Born Dennis Michael Locorriere…
Ike Willis dead at age 70, American guitarist, prostate cancer
Ike Willis, an American guitarist and vocalist best known for his work with Frank Zappa, died on May 17, 2026, of prostate cancer. He was 70. Born Isaac Willis in…
Bengt Berger dead at age 83, Swedish jazz drummer, composer and producer
Bengt Berger, a Swedish jazz drummer, composer and producer, died on May 15, 2026, at the age of 83. Born in Stockholm on August 31, 1942, Berger studied north and…
Dame Felicity Lott dead at age 79, English soprano, cancer
Dame Felicity Lott, the English soprano, died on May 15, 2026, aged 79, after a reported illness with cancer. Born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, on May 8, 1947, she studied piano…
Abdelmadjid Meskoud dead at age 73, Algerian chaabi singer, complications from a stroke
Abdelmadjid Meskoud, an Algerian chaabi singer, died on May 14, 2026, in Algiers of complications from a stroke. He was 73. Born in Algiers on March 31, 1953, Meskoud began…
Pierre Cao dead at age 88, public figure
Pierre Cao, the Luxembourgish composer and conductor, died on May 14, 2026, at the age of 88. Born in Dudelange on Dec. 22, 1937, he studied composition and conducting at…
Clarence Carter dead at age 90, public figure
Clarence Carter, an American singer-songwriter, died on May 14, 2026. He was 90. Born Clarence George Carter in Montgomery, Alabama, on January 14, 1936, he was blind from birth and…
El Cabrero dead at age 81, Spanish flamenco singer
El Cabrero, the Spanish flamenco singer born José Domínguez Muñoz, died on May 13, 2026, in Seville, Spain, at the age of 81. Born in Aznalcóllar on October 19, 1944,…
David Morelock dead at age 94, American opera director
David Morelock, an American opera director, died on May 13, 2026. Born on July 16, 1931, he was a stage director of opera whose work was closely associated with the…
Romuald Figuier dead at age 88, French singer
Romuald Figuier, a French singer, died on May 12, 2026, at the age of 88. Born in Saint-Pol-de-Léon, Finistère, Brittany, on May 9, 1938, he was also known mononymously as…
Stanisława Celińska dead at age 79, Polish actress
Stanisława Celińska, a Polish actress and voice actress, died on May 12, 2026, at the age of 79. Born in Warsaw on April 29, 1947, she debuted in theatre in…
Al Gregg dead at age 62, actor and screenwriter
Al Gregg, the English musician, actor and screenwriter best known for his work with punk band The Wall and appearances in ScreenPlay and Doctor Who, died on May 12, 2026,…
Jack Douglas dead at age 80, American record producer
Jack Douglas, an American record producer known for his work on "Toys in the Attic," "Rocks" and "Double Fantasy," died on May 11, 2026. He was 80. Douglas was a…
J. J. Barrie dead at age 92, Canadian singer, songwriter and comedian
J. J. Barrie, a Canadian singer, songwriter and comedian known for “No Charge,” died on May 10, 2026, at age 92. Born Barry Jackson Authors in Oshawa, Ontario, on July…
Margareta Waterman dead at age 93, American poet and publisher
Margareta Waterman, an American poet and publisher, died on May 9, 2026, at age 93. Born in Boston on December 8, 1932, and raised in New York City, she attended…
Warren Tipton dead, American singer
Warren Tipton, an American singer best known for his work with The Chi-Lites, died on May 9, 2026. He was an American R&B and soul singer from Gary, Indiana, who…
Mark Smythe dead, 53 New Zealand-born American composer, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
Mark Smythe died on May 9, 2026, at the age of 53 from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. He was a New Zealand-born American composer known for Daddy's Little Girl, Unfallen, and…
Günter Jena German choral conductor and musicologist dead at age 92
Günter Jena, a German choral conductor and musicologist, died on May 8, 2026, at the age of 92–93. Born in Leipzig in 1933, he attended the Thomasschule there before studying…
Abdelwahab Doukkali Moroccan composer and performer dead at age 85
Abdelwahab Doukkali, a Moroccan composer and performer, died on May 8, 2026, at the age of 85. Born in Fes on Jan. 2, 1941, he was one of 13 children…
James F. Sundah Indonesian songwriter dead at age 70
James F. Sundah, an Indonesian songwriter, died on May 7, 2026, at the age of 70. Born James Freddy Sundah on December 1, 1955, in Semarang, Central Java, he worked…
Earl-Jean McCrea dead at age 83, American singer
Earl-Jean McCrea, the American singer known for her work with The Cookies, died on May 7, 2026. Also known as Earl-Jean Reavis, she was a former pop and R&B singer…
Luiz Sérgio Carlini Brazilian songwriter and guitarist dead at age 73
Luiz Sérgio Carlini, a Brazilian songwriter and guitarist known for his work with Tutti Frutti, died on May 7, 2026. He was 73. Carlini was active in rock music from…
Jesse Hector English musician dead at age 78
Jesse Hector, the English musician fronting the rock group The Gorillas, died on May 6, 2026, at the age of 78. Born in Kilburn, northwest London, on July 17, 1947,…
Aimable Karasira Rwandan academic, YouTuber and dissident, drug overdose dies
Aimable Karasira, a Rwandan academic, singer, YouTuber and political activist, died on May 6, 2026, of a drug overdose. Karasira was an ethnic Tutsi whose parents were killed in the…
Carlos Malcolm Jamaican trombonist, percussionist and bandleader dead at age 91
Carlos Malcolm, a Jamaican trombonist, percussionist and bandleader, died on May 6, 2026, at the age of 91. Born Carlos Antonio Malcolm in Colón, Panama, on November 10, 1934, to…
Guto Graça Mello dead at age 78, Brazilian composer and music producer
Guto Graça Mello died on May 5, 2026. He was a Brazilian composer and music producer. His death was noted in reports identifying him as Guto Graça Mello, 78. He…
Jonathan Tiersten public figure dead at age 60
Jonathan Tiersten, an American actor known for Sleepaway Camp, died on May 5, 2026, at age 60. Tiersten portrayed Ricky Thomas in the 1983 cult film Sleepaway Camp and later…
Jalil Hamid dead at age 69, singer and producer
Jalil Hamid died on May 4, 2026. He was a Malaysian actor, singer and producer, known for his work in film and entertainment. No cause of death was given. Jalil…
Jorge Calandrelli Argentine composer dead at age 86
Jorge Calandrelli, Argentine composer, arranger and conductor, died on May 4, 2026, at age 86. He was known for his work with Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Arturo Sandoval, Yo-Yo Ma,…
Yuji Ohno dead at age 84, Japanese musician and composer
Yuji Ohno, the Japanese musician and composer known for his work on "Lupin III," died on May 4, 2026, at the age of 84. A pianist, orchestrator and keyboard player,…
Jean Alambre French author and songwriter dead at age 79
Jean Alambre, a French author and songwriter, died on May 3, 2026, at the age of 79. Born Jean-Louis Fabry in Paris on May 16, 1946, he was better known…
Michel Merlet French composer and pedagogue dead at age 86
Michel Merlet, the French composer and pedagogue, died on May 3, 2026, at the age of 86. Born in Saint-Brieuc on May 26, 1939, he studied music at the Conservatoire…
Lee Allen Zeno American musician, cancer dead at age 71
Lee Allen Zeno died on May 3, 2026. He was an American musician. Lee Allen Zeno, 71, American musician, cancer. Tags Musicians, 03 May 2026, America, Cancer, Lee, Zeno, 2026-05-03,…
Gheorghe Ștefăneț Moldovan singer and musician dead at age 80
Gheorghe Ștefăneț died on May 3, 2026. He was a Moldovan singer and musician. Gheorghe Ștefăneț, 80, Moldovan singer and musician. Tags Musicians, 03 May 2026, Gheorghe, Moldova, 2026-05-03, May…
Michael Sollis Australian musician, bowel cancer dead at age 40
Michael Sollis, an Australian musician, died on May 1, 2026, aged 40, from bowel cancer. He was also an interdisciplinary artist, artistic director, researcher and teaching artist. Sollis founded and…
Tülay Özer Turkish singer dead at age 79
Tülay Özer, a Turkish singer, died on May 1, 2026, at the age of 79. Born on December 10, 1946, in Kemaliye, Turkey, she began her professional music career in…
Danny Mixon dead at age 76, American jazz pianist, prostate cancer
Danny Mixon, an American jazz pianist, died on May 1, 2026, of prostate cancer. He was 76. Born Daniel Asbury Mixon in Harlem, New York City, on August 19, 1949,…
David Allan Coe American country singer and songwriter dead at age 86
David Allan Coe, an American country singer and songwriter, died on April 29, 2026, at the age of 86. He was known for songs including "Mona Lisa Lost Her Smile"…
Donald MacRae Scottish folk singer dead at age 84
Donald MacRae, a Scottish folk singer who sang primarily in Gaelic, died on April 29, 2026, aged 84. Born in Stornoway on August 26, 1941, he grew up on crofts…
Beverley Martyn British singer-songwriter dead at age 79
Beverley Martyn, the British singer-songwriter, died on April 27, 2026, aged 79. Born Beverley Kutner near Coventry, England, on 24 March 1947, she was an English folk singer, songwriter and…
Jerry.K South Korean rapper, glioblastoma dead at age 42
Jerry.K, the South Korean rapper also known as Kim Jin-il, died on April 27, 2026, at age 42, from glioblastoma. Born Kim Jin-il on January 26, 1984, he was known…
Ferenc Sebő Hungarian folklorist dead at age 79
Ferenc Sebő, a Hungarian folklorist and musician, died on April 27, 2026, following a long illness. He was 79. Sebő was best known as the bandleader of the Sebő Ensemble,…
Mimi Coertse South African soprano dead at age 93
Mimi Coertse, the South African soprano, died on April 27, 2026, aged 93. Born Maria Sophia Coertse in Durban on June 12, 1932, she matriculated at Helpmekaar Girls High School…
Peter Gülke German conductor and musicologist dead at age 91
Peter Gülke, the German conductor and musicologist, died on April 26, 2026, at the age of 91. Born in Weimar on April 29, 1934, he studied cello and musicology at…
Nedra Talley American Hall of Fame singer dead at age 80
Nedra Talley, an American Hall of Fame singer best known for her work with The Ronettes, died on April 26, 2026. She was 80. Born Nedra Yvonne Talley in New…
Marcos Petrillo dead at age 67, author, and music researcher
Marcos Petrillo, a Brazilian promoter, author and music researcher, died on April 26, 2026. He was identified with work connected to the album "Skylab," a 1999 release by Brazilian musician…
Daniel Huck French jazz reedist and singer dead at age 78
Daniel Huck, the French jazz reedist and singer, died on April 25, 2026, at age 78. Born in Paris on March 22, 1948, he began on trombone before abandoning it…
Jesper Thilo Danish jazz saxophonist dead at age 84
Jesper Thilo, a Danish jazz saxophonist, died on April 25, 2026, at the age of 84. He was known mainly as a tenor saxophonist, alto saxophonist and clarinetist, and was…
Busk Margit Jonsson public figure dead at age 96
Busk Margit Jonsson, a Swedish soprano opera singer, died on April 25, 2026, at the age of 96. Born in Malung, Dalarna County, she sang many roles during her time…
Dylan Carter American singer and reality show contestant, car accident dead at age 24
Dylan Carter died on April 25, 2026, in a car accident. He was an American singer and reality show contestant. No additional details about his life or career were provided…
Günter Pichler Austrian violinist, traffic collision dead at age 85
Günter Pichler, Austrian violinist, teacher and conductor, died on April 24, 2026, in a traffic collision. He was 85. Pichler was the first violin in the Alban Berg Quartett. Born…
Tony Wilson Trinidadian musician and songwriter dead at age 78
Tony Wilson, a Trinidadian musician and songwriter best known for his work with Hot Chocolate and for co-writing "You Sexy Thing," died on April 24, 2026, at the age of…
Kim Bowers Australian musician, music director and sound artist, breast cancer dies
Kim Bowers, an Australian musician, music director and sound artist associated with Spdfgh, died on April 24, 2026, of breast cancer. Bowers was a founding member of Spdfgh, an Australian…
James Valentine Australian radio and television presenter, assisted suicide dead at age 64
James Valentine, an Australian radio and television presenter and musician, died on April 23, 2026, by assisted suicide. He was 64. Born in Ballarat, Victoria, Valentine worked as a saxophonist…
Ruth Slenczynska public figure dead at age 101
Ruth Slenczynska, an American classical pianist, died on April 23, 2026. She was 101. Slenczynska was born in Sacramento, California, on January 15, 1925, and was the last living piano…
Gregg Foreman public figure dead at age 53
Gregg Foreman, an American musician and DJ, died on April 22, 2026, at age 53. Born in Philadelphia on October 5, 1972, he was the front man of The Delta…
Évelyne Lenton French singer dead at age 80
Évelyne Lenton died on April 22, 2026. She was a French singer. Évelyne Lenton [it], 80, French singer. Tags Musicians, 22 April 2026, France, Lenton, 2026-04-22, April 2026, April 22,…
Moogie Canazio Brazilian recording engineer, mixing engineer and record producer dead at age 70
Moogie Canazio, a Brazilian recording engineer, mixing engineer and record producer, died on April 21, 2026, at age 70. Born Antonio Canazio in Rio de Janeiro, he worked with artists…
Lena Maria Gårdenäs 79 Swedish singer and actress dies
Lena Maria Gårdenäs, the Swedish singer and actress, died on April 21, 2026, at the age of 79. Born in Brännkyrka, a suburb of Stockholm, in 1947, she moved to…
Sergei Stadler Russian violinist and conductor dead at age 63
Sergei Stadler, Russian violinist and conductor, died on April 20, 2026, at the age of 63. He was born in Leningrad, now Saint Petersburg, on May 20, 1962. Stadler served…
Alan Osmond American singer dead at age 77
Alan Osmond, an American singer and musician best known as a member of The Osmonds, died on April 20, 2026. He was 77. Born Alan Ralph Osmond in Ogden, Utah,…
Kyriakos Sfetsas Greek composer dead at age 80
Kyriakos Sfetsas, Greek composer, died on April 20, 2026, at the age of 80. Born in Amfilochia and raised in Lefkada, he first studied music at the Philharmonic Band and…
Wayne Moss American session guitarist and songwriter dead at age 88
Wayne Moss, an American session guitarist and songwriter, died on April 20, 2026, at the age of 88. Born on February 9, 1938, in Charleston, West Virginia, he was best…
Ben Bartlett British composer, lung cancer dead at age 61
Ben Bartlett died on April 19, 2026, of lung cancer. He was a British composer. Ben Bartlett, 61, British composer, lung cancer. Tags Musicians, 19 April 2026, Bartlett, Ben, Britain,…
Dave Mason English Hall of Fame musician and songwriter dead at age 79
Dave Mason, English Hall of Fame musician and songwriter known for Traffic and the songs "Hole in My Shoe" and "Feelin' Alright?", died on April 19, 2026, at the age…
Barbara Carr public figure dead at age 85
Barbara Carr, an American blues singer, died on April 19, 2026, at age 85. Born Barbara Jean Crosby on January 9, 1941, in St. Louis, Missouri, she began singing in…
Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden German conductor, founder of the Tölzer Knabenchor dead at age 88
Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden, German conductor and founder of the Tölzer Knabenchor, died on April 19, 2026, at the age of 88. Born in Karlovy Vary, Czechoslovakia, on June 19, 1937, he…
Stanton Davis American jazz trumpeter dead at age 80
Stanton Davis, an American jazz trumpeter and educator, died on April 18, 2026, at age 80. Born Stanton Davis, Jr. in New Orleans on November 10, 1945, he studied at…
Shiran Kaïdine French guitarist, cancer dead at age 44
Shiran Kaïdine, a French guitarist with Year of No Light and Monarch!, died on April 17, 2026, at the age of 44 after cancer. He was active from 2002 to…
Craig Krampf American drummer dead at age 80
Craig Krampf, an American drummer, died on April 16, 2026, at age 80. Born in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, on August 25, 1945, he worked as a drummer, percussionist, arranger, record producer…
Ernie Smith Jamaican reggae singer dead at age 80
Ernie Smith, a Jamaican reggae singer, died on April 16, 2026, at the age of 80. Born Glenroy Anthony Michael Archangelo Smith in Kingston, Jamaica, in May 1945, he was…
Don Schlitz American songwriter dead at age 73
Don Schlitz, an American songwriter known for "The Gambler," "Forever and Ever, Amen" and "When You Say Nothing at All," died on April 16, 2026. He was 73. Schlitz wrote…
Andy Kershaw English broadcaster and radio DJ, cancer dead at age 66
Andy Kershaw, the English broadcaster and radio DJ, died on April 16, 2026, after being diagnosed with cancer. He was 66. Born Andrew J. G. Kershaw in Littleborough, Lancashire, on…
Osvaldas Balakauskas Lithuanian composer of classical music and diplomat dead at age 88
Osvaldas Balakauskas, Lithuanian composer of classical music and diplomat, died on April 15, 2026. He was 88. Balakauskas was born on December 19, 1937, in Miliūnai and graduated from Vilnius…
Dan Wall American jazz organist and pianist dead at age 72
Dan Wall, an American jazz organist and pianist, died on April 14, 2026, at age 72. Daniel Lee Wall Jr. was born on September 7, 1953, and was also a…
Taylor Kirk Canadian musician dead at age 44
Taylor Kirk, a Canadian musician best known for his work with Timber Timbre, died on April 14, 2026. He was 44. Kirk was the featured artist in Timber Timbre, a…
Patrick Campbell-Lyons public figure dead at age 82
Patrick Campbell-Lyons, an Irish musician and composer, died on April 13, 2026, at the age of 82. A native of Lismore, County Waterford, he was a member of the West…
Al Gunn public figure dies
Al Gunn, a Canadian bassist best known for his work with Men Without Hats, died on April 13, 2026. News of his death was announced on that date. Gunn played…