Obituary: Margriet Hermans, dead at age 72
Margriet Hermans, the Belgian singer, presenter and politician who served as a senator from 2007 to 2011, died on June 3, 2026, at the age of 72. Born Margareta Maria…
Famous Dead Musicians: Recent Musician Deaths and Obituaries
Over 10,000 obituaries of famous dead musicians. Notable deaths, news, info, and memorial pages.
Sterling Betancourt dies at 96
Sterling Betancourt, a Trinidad arranger and musician, died on June 3, 2026, at the age of 96. Born in Laventille, near Port of Spain, Trinidad, on March 30, 1930, he…
James Blood Ulmer dead at age 86
James Blood Ulmer, the American guitarist and singer whose playing helped shape jazz, free funk and electric blues, died on June 3, 2026. He was 86. Born Willie James Ulmer…
Spider Webb died at age 81
Spider Webb, an American jazz drummer and session musician, died on June 2, 2026. He was 81. Born Kenneth Ronald Rice in Detroit on June 15, 1944, he began playing…
Homa Mirafshar has died at age 89
Homa Mirafshar, an Iranian poet and songwriter, died on June 2, 2026, at age 89, according to a death announcement. Born Homa Homayoun in Tehran on February 22, 1937, she…
Death of Peabo Bryson at age 75
Peabo Bryson, the American singer and songwriter known for “Tonight, I Celebrate My Love,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “A Whole New World,” died on June 2, 2026, at age…
Death of Dame Dove Hepburn at age 46
Dame Dove Hepburn died on June 1, 2026. She was an Egyptian-British musician known as the editor for Epic Rap Battles of History. No further details were immediately available. Dame…
Areski Belkacem death at age 86
Areski Belkacem, a French singer, musician and composer, died on June 1, 2026, at the age of 86. Also known simply as Areski, he was born on January 23, 1940,…
Robert Kya-Hill passes away at age 95
Robert Kya-Hill, the American actor born Robert Hill on December 4, 1930, died on May 31, 2026, at age 95. He also worked as a director, playwright, musician, composer and…
Dexter Wansel has died at age 75
Dexter Wansel died on May 31, 2026, at age 75. He was an American keyboardist, songwriter and record producer. Born in Philadelphia on August 22, 1950, Wansel was also known…
Ronald LaPread obituary: died at age 75
Ronald LaPread, an American musician best known for his work with the Commodores, died on May 31, 2026. He was 75. LaPread was part of the funk, soul, R&B, pop…
Suman Kalyanpur passed away at age 89
Suman Kalyanpur, the Indian playback singer known for songs in Bidesiya, Laagi Nahi Chhute Ram and Vidhana Naach Nachawe, died on May 31, 2026. She was 89. Born Suman Hemmadi…
Foster Sylvers dead at age 64
Foster Sylvers, an American singer and member of the family group The Sylvers, died on May 30, 2026, at age 64 of prostate cancer. Born Foster Emerson Sylvers on February…
Joe Negri died at age 99
Joe Negri, an American jazz guitarist and educator, died on May 30, 2026, at age 99. Born Joseph Harold Negri on June 10, 1926, in Pittsburgh, he began performing on…
Geoff Keating died at age 88
Geoff Keating, the British musician best known for his work with the vocal group The Master Singers, died on May 29, 2026, at the age of 88. He was part…
Doug Shaw passes away at age 42
Doug Shaw died on May 29, 2026. He was a British musician known for his work with Gang Gang Dance and White Magic. His death was announced on that date.…
Pedro Ortaça, died aged 83
Pedro Ortaça died on May 29, 2026. He was a Brazilian musician. Tags Musicians, 29 May 2026, Brazil, Pedro, May 2026, May 29, Ortaça
Bjørn Tidmand passed away at age 86
Bjørn Tidmand, a Danish singer, died on May 26, 2026, at the age of 86. Born in Copenhagen on January 24, 1940, he began his career in 1959 after singing…
Věra Nerušilová, died aged 91
Věra Nerušilová died on May 26, 2026. She was a Czech singer. Tags Musicians, 26 May 2026, Czechia, May 2026, May 26, Nerušilová, Věra
Arnold Whittall dies at 90
Arnold Whittall, the British musicologist who wrote widely on 20th- and 21st-century classical music, died on May 26, 2026, at the age of 90. Born in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, on November…
Sonny Rollins passes away at age 95
Sonny Rollins, the American jazz saxophonist known for "Airegin," "Oleo" and "Doxy," died on May 25, 2026, at age 95. Born Walter Theodore Rollins on Sept. 7, 1930, in New…
Gary Foster dead at age 89
Gary Foster, an American musician and educator whose career spanned jazz, cool jazz, classical and pop, died on May 24, 2026, at the age of 90. Born Norman Gary Foster…
John Eaton dies at age 91
John Eaton, the American jazz pianist and musicologist, died on May 24, 2026, at the age of 91. Born John Livingston Eaton in Washington, D.C., on May 29, 1934, he…
Zeudi Araya, died aged 75
Zeudi Araya, the Eritrean actress and film producer known for Mr. Robinson, Hearts and Armour and The Sinner, died on May 24, 2026, at the age of 75. Born on…
Betty Roe died at age 95
Betty Roe, an English composer, singer and vocal coach, died on May 24, 2026, aged 95. Roe, whose career also included work as a conductor, was active from 1976 to…
James Anthony Carmichael, died aged 84
James Anthony Carmichael, an American musician and record producer, died on May 23, 2026, at the age of 84. A Grammy-winning arranger and producer, he began his career in Los…
Philip Aaberg has died at age 77
Philip Aaberg, the American pianist and composer, died on May 23, 2026, at age 77 of pneumonia. Born in Havre, Montana, in 1949 and raised in Chester, he began performing…
Dame Jools Topp passes away at age 68
Dame Jools Topp, the New Zealand musician and comedian known as one half of the Topp Twins, died on May 23, 2026, aged 68. A performer active from 1975 to…
Dick Parry dies at 83
Dick Parry, the English saxophonist known for his work with Pink Floyd, died on May 22, 2026, at the age of 83. Born Richard Parry in Kentford, Suffolk, on December…
Rob Base dead at age 59
Rob Base, the American rapper known as one half of Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock, died on May 22, 2026, of cancer. Along with DJ E-Z Rock, whose real…
DJ Congélateur dead
DJ Congélateur, the stage name of Ivorian singer and artist Koffi Kouakou Elias, died on May 21, 2026. Born in Ivory Coast, he also worked as a coupé-décalé artist and…
Jimmy Hughes dies at 88
Jimmy Hughes, an American rhythm and blues singer best known for "Steal Away," died on May 20, 2026, at the age of 88. Born Jimmy J. Hughes on February 3,…
Ron Escheté obituary: died at age 77
Ron Escheté, an American jazz guitarist, died on May 20, 2026, at the age of 77. Also known as Ronald Patrick Escheté, he was a seven-string jazz guitarist whose career…
Limmie Pulliam death at age 50
Limmie Pulliam, an opera singer and American tenor, died on May 19, 2026. Born Limmie Demetrus Pulliam in Kennett, Missouri, on January 10, 1976, he became known for his powerful…
Hieromonk Roman death at age 71
Hieromonk Roman, a Russian hieromonk, poet, and singer, died on May 19, 2026, at the age of 71. Born Alexander Ivanovich Matyushin on November 16, 1954, he was a Russian…
Al Hurricane Jr. died at age 66
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, died aged 88
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 has died at age 91
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, died aged 33
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 death at age 91
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 passes away at age 64
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 passes away at age 82
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,…
Death of Totó la Momposina at age 85
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 dies at 45
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 has died at age 76
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
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 has died at age 83
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 dies at age 79
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…
Sophie Garel dies at 84
Sophie Garel, the French media presenter and singer, died on May 14, 2026, at the age of 84. Born Lucienne Gabrielle Garcia in Oran, French Algeria, on April 22, 1942,…
David Henderson passed away at age 83
David Henderson, an American writer and poet, died on May 14, 2026, at the age of 83. He was a co-founder of the Black Arts Movement in the 1960s and…
Abdelmadjid Meskoud, died aged 73
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…
Claudine Longet dies at 84
Claudine Longet, a French-American singer and actress, died on May 14, 2026, at age 84. Born Claudine Georgette Longet in Paris on January 29, 1942, she was active from 1963…
Pierre Cao has died at age 88
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…
El Cabrero dies at age 81
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 dies at 94
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…
Clarence Carter passes away at age 90
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…
Stanisława Celińska passed away at age 79
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, died aged 62
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,…
Romuald Figuier has died at age 88
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…
Death of Jack Douglas at age 80
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 obituary: died at age 92
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…
Warren Tipton dead
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…
Margareta Waterman dead at age 93
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…
Jo Ann Castle, died aged 86
Jo Ann Castle, the honky-tonk pianist known for her appearances on The Lawrence Welk Show, died on May 8, 2026. She was 86. Born Jo Ann Zering on September 3,…
Death of Günter Jena 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 died 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 dies at 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 dies at age 83
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 dies at age 73
Luiz Sérgio Carlini died on May 7, 2026. He was a Brazilian songwriter and guitarist associated with Tutti Frutti and Rita Lee. His work placed him among notable figures in…
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, died aged 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…
Jesse Hector passes away 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,…
Evelyn Cox dead at age 66
Evelyn Cox, an American country and bluegrass singer and musician with The Cox Family, died on May 5, 2026. She was 66. The Cox Family was an American country and…
Jonathan Tiersten dies at 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…
Guto Graça Mello has died at age 78
Guto Graça Mello died on May 5, 2026. He was a Brazilian composer and music producer. Tags Musicians, 05 May 2026, Brazil, Guto, Mello, Taurus, May 2026, May 5
Jalil Hamid dies at 69
Jalil Hamid died on May 4, 2026. He was a Malaysian actor, singer and producer, known for Buli. Tags Actors, Musicians, 04 May 2026, Hamid, Jalil, Malaysia, Pisces, May 2026,…
Jorge Calandrelli has died 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 has died at age 84
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 passed away 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 passes away 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…
Hany Shaker dead at age 73
Hany Shaker, the Egyptian singer, actor and composer, died on May 3, 2026, at age 73. Born Hany Abdel Aziz Shaker in Cairo on December 21, 1952, he began his…
Lee Allen Zeno has died 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, died aged 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 dies 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, died aged 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…
Georg Wadenius passes away at age 80
Georg Wadenius, a Swedish guitarist, died on May 1, 2026, at the age of 80. Known as "Jojje" Wadenius, he was a multi-instrumentalist, singer and composer who was active as…
Danny Mixon death at age 76
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,…
Seymour Bernstein obituary: died at age 99
Seymour Bernstein died on April 30, 2026. Tags Musicians, 30 April 2026, America, Bernstein, Seymour, April 2026, April 30
Alex Ligertwood has died at age 79
Alex Ligertwood, the Scottish musician and singer best known for his work with Santana, died on April 30, 2026. He was 79. Born Alexander John Ligertwood in Drumchapel, Glasgow, on…
Bobby Murray dies at age 72
Bobby Murray died on April 30, 2026. Tags Musicians, 30 April 2026, America, Bobby, Murray, April 2026, April 30
Oskar Petr, died aged 73
Oskar Petr died on April 29, 2026. He was a Czech composer, lyricist and singer. His work reached audiences through songs and film music, and he was known in Czech…
Death of David Allan Coe 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 death 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…
Kiyoshi Kitagawa, died aged 67
Kiyoshi Kitagawa died on April 28, 2026. Tags Musicians, 28 April 2026, America, Japan, Kitagawa, Kiyoshi, April 2026, April 28
Jerry.K obituary: died 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 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,…
Death of Mimi Coertse 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…