Rick Belanger: key obituary facts
Is Rick Belanger dead? Yes. Rick Belanger died on October 19, 2026, at age 82.
Cause of death: Rick Belanger's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Rick Belanger known for?
Rick Belanger was a Canadian rock drummer.
More about Rick Belanger
Genres: Rock, psychedelic rock.
Years active: 1963 (1963)–1975, 1986–present.
Rick Belanger, the Canadian rock drummer associated with Five Man Electrical Band, died October 19, 2026, aged 82.
The group came from Ottawa, Ontario, and was known as The Staccatos from 1963 through 1968, before using the Five Man Electrical Band name. Its musical styles included rock and psychedelic rock.
The band had several Canadian top-10 hits, among them “Half Past Midnight,” which reached the chart in 1967 while the group was still called The Staccatos; “Absolutely Right,” in 1971; and “I’m a Stranger Here,” in 1972. The latter two hits came after the name change. Internationally, the band became best known for “Signs,” a hit single in 1971. Its recorded chart history thus included Canadian successes under both names, as well as an internationally recognized single. The group’s listed years of activity run from 1963 to 1975, followed by a return beginning in 1986. These dates trace the band’s earlier period and its later resumption, while its songs mark both its Canadian chart presence and its recognition abroad.