Died And Gone To Heaven 2025

1 January, Wayne Osmond, from American family group The Osmonds suffered a stroke and died at the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the age of 73. The Osmonds had the 1971 US No.1 single ‘One Bad Apple’, the 1974 hit ‘Crazy Horses’ and the 1974 UK No.1 single ‘Love Me For A Reason’. They had their own Saturday morning cartoon series, The Osmonds on ABC-TV in 1972–1973. The Osmonds have sold over 75 million records worldwide.

3 January, American singer and songwriter Brenton Wood died at the age of 83. Three 1967 singles of Wood’s, ‘The Oogum Boogum Song’ (peaking at No.34 on the US Billboard Hot 100), ‘Gimme Little Sign’ (reached No. 9), and ‘Baby You Got It’ (also peaking at No. 34) were hits.

7 January, Peter Yarrow, singer-songwriter from American folk group Peter, Paul and Mary, died from bladder cancer age 86. Peter Paul and Mary had the 1969 US No.1 & 1970 UK No.2 single ‘Leaving On A Jet Plane’ and Yarrow co‑wrote the 1963 hit song ‘Puff, the Magic Dragon.’ The Bob Dylan song ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ was one of their biggest hit singles. They also sang other Dylan songs, such as ‘The Times They Are a-Changin” and ‘Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right’.

10 January, American singer Sam Moore died following surgery at the age of 89. He is best known as a member of the soul and R&B duo Sam & Dave from 1961 to 1981. Recorded primarily at Stax Records in Memphis, Tennessee, from 1965 through 1968, these included ‘Soul Man’, ‘Hold On, I’m Comin”, ‘You Don’t Know Like I Know’, ‘Wrap It Up’, and many other Southern Soul classics. Their song ‘Soul Man’ was one of the first songs by a black group to top the pop charts using the word “soul”, helping define the genre.

15 January, Melba Montgomery died at a Nashville care facility at the age of 86. The country music singer is best known for duet hit recordings in the 1960s with country music singer George Jones and her 1974 US No.1 hit ‘No Charge.’ Melba had written songs for such artists as George Strait, Reba McEntire, Randy Travis, George Jones, Patty Loveless, Travis Tritt, Tracy Byrd, and Terri Clark.

15 January, Irish singer, actress, and television personality Linda Nolan, died aged 65. With the Nolan Sisters, she had the 1980 UK No.3 single ‘I’m In The Mood For Dancing’. They were particularly successful in Japan, becoming the first European act to win the Tokyo Music Festival with ‘Sexy Music’ in 1981, and won a Japanese Grammy in 1992.

20 January, American musician and bandleader Bob Kuban died from a stroke at the age of 84. He is best known for his 1966 No.12 pop hit, ‘The Cheater’. For this hit single Kuban is honored in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s permanent exhibit on one-hit wonders.

21 January, Canadian multi-instrumentalist and a master of the Lowrey organ, Garth Hudson died in his sleep at a nursing home in Woodstock, New York at the age of 87. He was a member of The Hawks (Ronnie Hawkins’s backing group), who then became known as The Band and also backed Bob Dylan on his US tour in 1965 and world tour in 1966. The Band had the 1969 US No.25 single ‘Up On Cripple Creek’ and the 1970 UK No.16 single ‘Rag Mama Rag’.

22 January, American blues and rock keyboardist, songwriter, and record producer Barry Goldberg died age 83, due to complications from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He played keyboards with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band backing Bob Dylan during his 1965 newly ‘electrified’ appearance at the Newport Folk Festival and formed The Electric Flag with Mike Bloomfield in 1967. Goldberg’s songs (some co-written with Gerry Goffin) have been recorded by many artists.

30 January, English singer, songwriter and actress Marianne Faithfull died age 78. The one time girlfriend of Mick Jagger achieved popularity in the 1960s with the release of her hit single ‘As Tears Go By’ (written by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Rolling Stones‘ manager Andrew Loog Oldham) and became one of the lead female artists during the “British Invasion” in the United States.

1 February, American bass guitarist Sal Maida died due to complications of a fall in New York, at the age of 76. He played with Roxy Music, Patti Smith, Milk ‘N’ Cookies, Sparks, Cracker and Cherie Currie.

2 February, Colin Earl, keyboard player with British group Mungo Jerry died. They had the 1970 UK No.1 & US No.3 single ‘In The Summertime’ as well as the hits ‘Baby Jump’ and ‘Lady Rose’. ‘In The Summertime’ was the best-selling UK single of 1970, spending seven weeks at No.1, and was a hit in 26 other countries.

5 February, British musician Mike Ratledge died age 81. He was a founding member of the English rock band Soft Machine. In November 1973, Ratledge participated in a live performance of Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells for the BBC.

12 February, American soul and northern soul singer Tommy Hunt died at the age of 91. With the Flamingos, he scored the 1959 hit ‘I Only Have Eyes for You’. Hunt left the group in 1961 for a solo career. Hunt sang at the second anniversary of the Wigan Casino, and there followed success on the northern soul scene.

17 February, Rick Buckler, drummer with The Jam died following a brief illness in Woking, Surrey, at the age of 69. The Jam had 18 consecutive Top 40 singles in the UK, from their debut in 1977 to their break-up in December 1982, including four No.1 hits. Two of The Jam’s tracks, ‘That’s Entertainment’ and ‘Just Who Is the 5 O’Clock Hero?’, remain the best-selling import singles of all time in the UK. After leaving the Jam, he authored several best-selling books on the act’s history.

17 February, English-born Australian drummer Snowy Fleet died at his home in Perth, Australia, aged 85. With The Easybeats, he had the 1966 UK No.6 & 1967 US No. 16 single ‘Friday On My Mind’. Fleet left the Easybeats in the spring of 1967. Born in Liverpool, he played drums in many Liverpool bands and sometimes shared the stage with The Beatles. Before he moved to Australia, he played in the Nomads, a band that later became the Mojos.

20 February, American soul singer-songwriter Jerry Butler died from the effects of Parkinson’s disease at his home in Chicago, at the age of 85. With The Impressions, he had the 1965 US No.7 single ‘Lilies Of The Field’, and the 1969 solo US No.4 single ‘Only The Strong Survive’.

21 February, American singer Gwen McCrae died at a care home in Miami age 81. She is best known for her 1975 US Top 10 hit ‘Rockin’ Chair’. In 1963, she met a young sailor named George McCrae, whom she married within a week. (George McCrae scored the 1974 US No.1 hit ‘Rock Your Baby’).

23 February, American singer, composer and producer Chris Jasper died two months after being diagnosed with cancer. He was 73. He was a member of the Isley Brothers from 1973 to 1983. The Isley Brothers rose to prominence in 1959 with their fourth single, ‘Shout’, written by the three brothers, which became their first single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, and sold over a million copies. In the 1960s, the group recorded songs for a variety of labels, including the top 20 single ‘Twist and Shout’ and the Motown single ‘This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)’, before recording and releasing the Grammy Award-winning hit ‘It’s Your Thing’ (1969).

24 February, American singer Roberta Flack died of cardiac arrest on her way to a hospital in Manhattan. She was 88 years old. She had the 1972 US No.1 single ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’. Clint Eastwood chose the song for the soundtrack of his directorial debut, Play Misty for Me. The song was written by British political singer/songwriter Ewan MacColl for Peggy Seeger, who later became his wife. Flack also had the 1973 US No.1 & UK No.6 single ‘Killing Me Softly With His Song’. Flack was the first artist to win the Grammy Award for Record of the Year in two consecutive years: ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ won in 1973 and ‘Killing Me Softly with His Song’ won in 1974. For 40 years, Flack had an apartment in The Dakota building in New York City that was right next door to the apartment of Yoko Ono and John Lennon, their son, Sean, grew up calling her “Aunt Roberta”.

24 February, Robert John died at the age of 79. Several years prior, he had suffered a severe stroke from which he had never fully recovered. The American singer-songwriter is best known for his 1979 US No.1 hit single, ‘Sad Eyes’. He also had a No. 3 hit in 1972 with a cover version of The Tokens’ 1961 hit, ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’.

28 February, American singer, songwriter and actor David Johansen from The New York Dolls died from cancer at the age of 75. Along with the Velvet Underground and The Stooges, New York Dolls were one of the first bands of the early punk rock scene. The band’s first two albums, New York Dolls (1973) and Too Much Too Soon (1974), became among the most popular cult records in rock. In the late 1980s, Johansen achieved moderate commercial success under the pseudonym Buster Poindexter, accompanied by the Uptown Horns, performing jump blues, traditional pop, swing, and novelty songs.

1 March, American singer, and songwriter Angie Stone was killed in a car accident near Montgomery, Alabama, at the age of 63. She rose to fame in the late 1970s as a member of the hip-hop trio The Sequence and was later a member of Vertical Hold. Stone has been nominated for three Grammy Awards, and has won two Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards.

1 March, English composer and rock guitarist Joey Molland died from complications of diabetes at a hospital in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, age 77. With Badfinger, he scored the hits ‘Come and Get It’ (written and produced by Paul McCartney), ‘No Matter What’, ‘Day After Day’ (produced by George Harrison) and ‘Baby Blue’. He made guest appearances on two George Harrison albums, All Things Must Pass and The Concert for Bangladesh, and the 1971 John Lennon album, Imagine, including the single ‘Jealous Guy’.

4 March, American musician Harry Elson died at the age of 86. With The Friends Of Distinction, he had the 1969 US No.3 single ‘Grazing In The Grass’, ‘Going in Circles’ and the 1970 hit ‘Love or Let Me Be Lonely’, reaching the Hot 100’s top 15.

6 March, American singer, songwriter, and guitarist Troy Seals died at the age of 86. He was a member of the prominent Seals family of pop musicians that includes Jim Seals (of Seals and Crofts) and Dan Seals (of England Dan & John Ford Coley). His songs have been recorded by artists such as Joe Cocker, Eric Clapton, Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison and Charlie Rich.

6 March, English punk rock guitarist Brian James died at the age of 74. With The Damned, he had the 1986 UK No.3 single ‘Eloise’. James was also a member of Lords Of The New Church.

7 March, American singer, songwriter, guitarist and record producer D’Wayne Wiggins died from bladder cancer at the age of 64. He was best known as a founding member of the R&B/soul band Tony! Toni! Toné! Wiggins later worked on Alicia Keys’ 2003 album The Diary of Alicia Keys, winning a Grammy Award as producer.

8 March, American songwriter, record producer Beau Dozier died at the age of 45. He worked with chart-topping artists of many different genres, including Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, Priscilla Ahn, Boyz II Men, The Backstreet Boys, and Jennifer Lopez. His father, Lamont Dozier (1941 – 2022), was best known as a member of the Motown songwriting and production team, Holland–Dozier–Holland.

10 March, British singer Stedman Pearson died of complications from diabetes at the age of 60. Most notable for being a member of the pop group Five Star with his four siblings, who had the top-10 hits ‘System Addict’ (1986), ‘Can’t Wait Another Minute’ (1986), ‘Rain or Shine’ (1986). They won the 1987 Brit Award for Best British Group.

15 March, Northern Irish drummer Les Binks died at the age of 73. He is best-known for being the drummer for Judas Priest, where he was a member from 1977 to 1979. He also worked with Eric Burdon, Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover and Fancy, who had two U.S. hits in 1974 (including a cover of Chip Taylor’s ‘Wild Thing’).

16 March American singer and songwriter Jesse Colin Young died at the age of 83. With The Youngbloods, he had the 1969 US No.5 single ‘Get Together’. He later had a successful solo career.

1 April, American singer-songwriter Johnny Tillotson died age 86, from complications of Parkinson’s disease. He had the 1960 US No.2 and 1961 UK No.1 single ‘Poetry In Motion’. He enjoyed his greatest success in the early 1960s, when he scored nine top-ten hits. Tillotson wrote, ‘It Keeps Right on A-Hurtin” inspired by the terminal illness of his father. It became one of his biggest hits and earned his first Grammy nomination. The song has been covered by over 100 performers, including Elvis Presley.

5 April, English musician David Allen died at the age of 69. He had been living with early-onset dementia for the last several years of his life. He was the bass guitarist for the post-punk band Gang of Four. In 1981, he formed the band Shriekback with Barry Andrews of XTC.

7 April, American musician Clem Burke died age 70 after a “private battle with cancer”. He was best known as the drummer from Blondie from 1975, shortly after the band formed and throughout the band’s entire career. Blondie scored five UK No.1 singles, including the 1979 UK & US No.1 single ‘Heart Of Glass’ and 1978 worldwide No.1 album Parallel Lines. He was named one of the greatest drummers of all time by Rolling Stone magazine, and in a long and varied career, he also played with Bob Dylan, Eurythmics, Iggy Pop and the Ramones.

7 April, American rock, blues, soul and jazz guitarist Drew Zingg died in San Francisco. He toured and recorded with Steely Dan, Boz Scaggs, Michael McDonald, and Phoebe Snow, among others.

11 April, Jamaican reggae and roots musician Max Romeo died of heart complications at the age of 80. He achieved chart success in his home country and the UK and had several hits with the vocal group the Emotions. His song ‘Wet Dream’ (1968) included overtly sexual lyrics and was banned by BBC Radio in the UK, although the singer claimed that it was about a leaking roof. In 1980, he appeared as a backing vocalist on ‘Dance’ on The Rolling Stones album Emotional Rescue.

12 April, English record producer, songwriter and arranger Roy Thomas Baker died at the age of 78. He is best known for producing five out of the first seven albums by Queen and the first four albums by The Cars. He also recorded artists including The Rolling Stones, David Bowie The Who, Santana, The Mothers of Invention, Free, and T Rex.

10 April, American musician, singer, and actor Nino Tempo died at his home in West Hollywood, California, at the age of 90. With April Stevens, he had the 1963 US No.1 ‘Deep Purple’. The song won the 1964 Grammy Award for Best Rock And Roll Recording, selling more than one million copies and earning a gold disc. As a child actor, he appeared in The Glenn Miller Story, featuring James Stewart. In 1975, Tempo played saxophone on John Lennon‘s album Rock ‘n’ Roll.

16 April, American rock and country singer, songwriter, and musician Mac Gayden died age 83. As a session guitarist, Gayden was featured on Bob Dylan‘s album Blonde On Blonde, but was inadvertently left off the album’s credits. He co-wrote ‘Everlasting Love’, a 1967 Top 20 US hit for Robert Knight and a 1968 UK No.1 for Love Affair. Gayden also recorded with Linda Ronstadt, Simon and Garfunkel, Kris Kristofferson, Elvis Presley, and many others.

18 April, Northern Irish singer Clodagh Rodgers died at her home in Cobham, Surrey, at the age of 78. She was best known for her UK hit single ‘Jack in the Box’. Rodgers became a television star and, in 1970, she was asked to represent the UK in the 1971 Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin. As a Roman Catholic female from Northern Ireland, she received death threats from the IRA, who regarded her as a traitor, as a result of her appearing for the UK.

22 April, American keyboardist and record producer, David Briggs, died at the age of 82. He was one of an elite core of Nashville studio musicians known as “the Nashville Cats”. He worked with many artists, including, Elvis Presley, Dean Martin, Joan Baez, Nancy Sinatra, B.B. King, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings, George Harrison, Todd Rundgren, Roy Orbison, Monkees, J. J. Cale, Kris Kristofferson and Alice Cooper.

29 April, Welsh musician Mike Peters died from cancer at the age of 66. With The Alarm, he had the 1983 UK No.17 single ’68 Guns’. After the band split up in 1991, Peters wrote and released solo work and later became a member of Dead Men Walking with Kirk Brandon, (ex Spear Of Destiny), Slim Jim Phantom, (Stray Cats), Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols) and Bruce Watson (Big Country). Between 2011 and 2013, Peters was the vocalist for Big Country. Additionally, he was the co-founder of the Love Hope Strength Foundation. Peters was awarded an MBE in the 2019 New Year Honours for services to cancer care.

1 May, American singer-songwriter Jill Sobule died in a house fire in Woodbury, Minnesota, at the age of 66. She was best known for the 1995 single ‘I Kissed a Girl’, and ‘Supermodel’ from the soundtrack of the 1995 film Clueless.

9 May, Johnny Rodriguez died at the age of 73. He became the first famous Latin American country music singer, infusing his music with Latin sounds. He had the 1973 US No.1 Country hit ‘You Always Come Back to Hurting Me.’ He was one of country music’s most successful male artists, with six No.1 country hits in his career.

11 May, American soul singer John Edwards died at the age of 80. He became the lead singer of the Spinners between 1977 and 2000. They are best known for the 1980 US top 10 and UK No.1 hit ‘Working My Way Back to You’.

13 May, American organist and piano player Billy Earheart died age 71. He was an original member of the Amazing Rhythm Ace who won a Grammy Award for ‘The End Is Not In Sight (The Cowboy Tune)’ in 1977. Earheart played piano for Hank Williams Jr., Al Green, Waylon Jennings, BB King, and others. During his career, he played on over 200 albums.

24 May, Canadian guitarist Kenny Marco died from cancer at the age of 78. He was a member of Grant Smith & The Power, Motherlode, Dr. Music and Blood, Sweat & Tears, known for the 70s hits ‘You’ve Made Me So Very Happy’ and ‘Spinning Wheel’.

25 May, English composer and classically trained violinist and keyboard player Simon House died ag 78. He is best known for his work with space rock band Hawkwind. He also worked with David Bowie on his 1978 World Tour and contributed to Bowie’s Lodger album.

26 May, American musician, producer and songwriter Rick Derringer died at the age of 77. With The McCoys, he had the 1965 US No.1 & UK No.5 single ‘Hang On Sloopy’. His 1973 solo album All-American Boy established a career as a solo artist. He was later a member of the Edgar Winter Group, who had the 1973 US No.1 & UK No.18 single ‘Frankenstein’. He also worked with Steely Dan, Meat Loaf, Air Supply, Bonnie Tyler and Alice Cooper.

9 June, American musician, songwriter, and record producer Sly Stone died at his home in Granada Hills, Los Angeles, at the age of 82. He was most famous for his role as frontman for Sly and the Family Stone, a band which played a critical role in the development of soul, funk, rock, and psychedelia in the 1960s and 1970s. Stone scored the 1968 UK No.7 & US No.8 single ‘Dance To The Music’, the 1969 US No.1 single ‘Everyday People’ and ‘Family Affair’ (1971). Their fourth album, Stand! (1969), became a runaway success, selling over three million copies.

11 June, American singer, songwriter and record producer Brian Wilson died in his sleep at his Beverly Hills home, nine days before his 83rd birthday. Wilson co-founded the Beach Boys and received widespread recognition as one of the most innovative and significant musical figures of his era. From 1962 to 1979, Wilson wrote or co-wrote over two dozen US top 40 hits for the Beach Boys, with eleven reaching the top 10, including the No.1’s ‘I Get Around’ (1964), ‘Help Me, Rhonda’ (1965), and ‘Good Vibrations’ (1966). The 1966 classic Beach Boys album Pet Sounds is widely considered to be one of the most influential albums in music history. Wilson released and toured the ‘lost’ Beach Boys Smile album in 2004.

18 June, American pop and soft rock singer-songwriter Lou Christie died from cancer at the age of 82. He had the 1966 US No.1 single ‘Lightnin Strikes’, and the 1969 UK No.2 single ‘I’m Gonna Make You Mine’.

19 June, Scottish musician and keyboardist James Prime died following a short battle with cancer. He joined Scottish group Deacon Blue in 1985, who had the 1988 UK No.8 single ‘Real Gone Kid’, plus over 15 other UK Top 40 singles. He featured on all eleven of their studio albums, the most recent, The Great Western Road (2025), released three months before his death. Before joining Deacon Blue in 1985, he had worked with Scottish band Altered Images.

20 June, English musician Patrick Walden died at the age of 46. He is best known as the guitarist for the British group Babyshambles.

23 June, English guitarist Mick Ralphs died aged 81. He was a founding member of English rock bands Mott the Hoople and Bad Company. Mott The Hoople had the 1972 UK No.3 single ‘All The Young Dudes’ which was written for them by David Bowie. Other hits include ‘All the Way from Memphis’ and ‘Roll Away the Stone’. With Bad Company, he had the 1974 UK No.15 & US No.5 single ‘Can’t Get Enough’. The band’s debut album, Bad Company (1974) reached No.1 in the US. Ralphs spent the final years of his life bedridden after a stroke.

24 June, American singer and actor Bobby Sherman died at his home in Los Angeles, age 81. He was a teen idol in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He had a series of successful singles, notably the million-seller and US No.3 single ‘Little Woman’ (1969). In March 2025, Sherman’s diagnosis of stage IV kidney cancer was made public.

26 June, Argentine-born American pianist, composer, and arranger Lalo Schifrin died at a hospital in Los Angeles age 93. He was best known for his large body of film and television scores, including Theme from Mission: Impossible, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Planet of the Apes, Starsky & Hutch, Enter the Dragon, the Dirty Harry films and Jaws. Schifrin was a five-time Grammy Award winner.

26 June, Walter Scott, singer with American group The Whispers, died. With The Whispers he had the 1980 UK No.2 & US No.19 single ‘And The Beat Goes On’.

11 July, British musician and actor David Kaff died at the age of 79. He was a member of Rare Bird in the 1970s, credited as David Kaffinetti, before playing keyboardist Viv Savage in the film This Is Spinal Tap (1984).

13 July, Dave Cousins, singer-songwriter with English folk rock group The Strawbs, died at the age of 85. The Strawbs formed in 1964 as the Strawberry Hill Boys while the founder members were at St Mary’s Teacher Training College, Strawberry Hill, London. The Strawbs scored two hits in 1973, the UK No.2 single with ‘Part Of The Union’ and the UK No.12 hit ‘Lay Down’.

16 July 2025, American singer and former actress Connie Francis died age 87. She amassed over 100 million records sold, placing her among the best-selling music artists in history. She was the first woman to achieve three No.1 hits on the US chart, among her 53 career entries. Hits include the 1958 UK No.1 single ‘Who’s Sorry Now’, and the 1960 US No.1 & UK No.5 single ‘Everybody’s Fool’. Her 1959 album Sings Italian Favourites spent 81 weeks on the UK chart.

18 July, Helen Cornelius, country singer-songwriter and actress died at the age of 83. Best remembered for a series of hit duets with Jim Ed Brown, many of which reached the US country singles top ten during the late 1970s and early ’80s, including the 1976 No.1 hit “I Don’t Want to Have to Marry You”.

19 July, American singer Frank Maffei died age 86. He was a baritone and second tenor vocalist with Danny & the Juniors, the American doo-wop and rock and roll vocal group. They are best known for their 1957 No.1 hit ‘At the Hop’ and their 1958 follow-up hit ‘Rock and Roll Is Here to Stay’.

20 July, Jamaican musician Owen Gray died at the age of 86. His work spans the R&B, ska, rocksteady, and reggae eras of Jamaican music, and he has been credited as Jamaica’s first homegrown singing star. He was one of the first artists to be produced by Chris Blackwell, in 1960, and his ‘Patricia’ single was the first record ever released by Island Records. In August 2023, he was awarded the Jamaican Order of Distinction.

21 July, English rock musician John Palmer from Family died at the age of 82. Familiy scored the 1971 UK No.4 single ‘In My Own Time’ and the 1973 single ‘My Friend The Sun’. He played the vibraphone, flute, piano, synthesisers and occasional drums. He also worked with Linda Lewis, Peter Frampton, Elkie Brooks, the Streetwalkers and Pete Townshend.

22 July, Ozzy Osbourne died at the age of 76, just seventeen days after his final live performance with Black Sabbath at the Back to the Beginning farewell concert. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2003, which he publicly revealed in January 2020. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. The band was highly influential in the development of heavy metal music, in particular their critically acclaimed releases Paranoid (1970), Master of Reality (1971), and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973). In the early 2000s, Osbourne became a reality television star when he appeared in the MTV reality show The Osbournes alongside his wife and manager, Sharon and two of their children, Kelly and Jack.

22 July, Dutch guitarist and vocalist George Kooymans died at the age of 77. As a member of Golden Earring he achieved worldwide fame with their international hit ‘Radar Love’ in 1973. Kooymans wrote ‘Twilight Zone’, the group’s only top 10 entry on the US charts. During their career, Golden Earring had nearly 30 top ten singles on the Dutch charts and released 25 studio albums.

22 July, American flugelhorn player, trumpeter and composer Chuck Mangione died at his Rochester home age 84. He had the 1978 US No.4 single, ‘Feels So Good’. He released more than 30 albums, beginning in the 1960s and played in sessions with Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey and Miles Davis.

24 July, English jazz singer Cleo Laine died at the age of 97. She had the 1961 UK No.5 single ‘You’ll Answer To Me’ and is the only female performer to have received Grammy nominations in the jazz, popular and classical music categories. She was married to jazz composer and musician Sir John Dankworth and received several awards and honours, including appointment as an OBE in 1979, and became a dame in 1997.

24 July, American musician Tommy McLain died in Hessmer, Louisiana at the age of 85. McLain’s greatest fame was with his recording of the song ‘Sweet Dreams’, which hit No. 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1966. He had been a member of The Vel-Tones in the late 1950s and the Boogie Kings in the 1960s.

29 July, English singer Paul Mario Day died from cancer at the age of 69. He was the original lead vocalist of heavy metal band Iron Maiden from 1975 to 1976 and More from 1980 to 1981. He later became a member of Sweet.

1 August, Jeanne Seely died of an intestinal infection at the age of 85. The American singer, songwriter found success with the Grammy Award-winning song ‘Don’t Touch Me’ (1966). Seely was a member of and performer on the Grand Ole Opry, having appeared more times on the program than any other performer (5,397 appearances dating back to May 1966 and including 57 years as a member of the Grand Ole Opry).

4 August, British singer-songwriter Terry Reid died of cancer in California, aged 75. He was a member of Peter Jay’s Jaywalkers and opened for The Rolling Stones on their 1966 tour. Reid turned down offers from Jimmy Page to be lead vocalist of the band that became Led Zeppelin and an invite from Ritchie Blackmore to front the newly formed Deep Purple. His fourth album, Seed of Memory, released in 1976, was produced by Graham Nash. Ried later appeared on albums by Don Henley, Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt.

4 August, American singer Jane Morgan died at her home in Naples, Florida, at the age of 101. She had the 1958 single ‘The Day The Rains Came’. Morgan initially found success in France and the UK before achieving recognition in the US. She later performed in musicals on the stage and Broadway.

5 Aug, Australian pioneer rock and pop singer-songwriter, musician and entrepreneur Col Joye died at the age of 89. He was the first Australian rock and roll singer to have a No.1 record Australia-wide, and had a string of chart successes performing with his band, the Joy Boys. He later worked with developing and promoting artists, including the Bee Gees, and their brother Andy Gibb.

10 Aug, American singer, songwriter, and musician Bobby Whitlock died after a brief illness at his home in Texas, at the age of 77. He had worked with Sam & Dave and Booker T. & the M.G.’s, Delaney & Bonnie, Dr John and Joe Cocker. He co-founded Derek and the Dominos with Eric Clapton in 1970, where he was a key contributor, writing or co-writing half the tracks to Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs. He also worked on George Harrison’s 1970 seminal album All Things Must Pass.

5 September, American guitarist Mark Volman died at the age of 78, from complications of a blood disease. He was a member of the American rock band The Turtles, who had the US 1967 No.1 single ‘Happy Together’ and the 1967 hit ‘She’d Rather Be with Me’. He later worked with Frank Zappa, alongside his friend and partner Howard Kaylan, who used the stage names of Flo & Eddie. After leaving Zappa at the end of 1971, Kaylan and Volman continued to perform under the Flo & Eddie name, becoming popular as a comedy rock act, and also went on to long-lasting success as session musicians for artists including John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, and T Rex.

6 September, English musician Rick Davies, best known as the founder, vocalist and keyboardist of the rock band Supertramp, died at the age of 81. They had the 1979 UK No.7 and US No.6 single with ‘The Logical Song’ and the 1979 US No.1 and UK No.3 album Breakfast In America. Davies is the only member of Supertramp to have been with the group for their entire history, and has composed many of their most well-known songs, including ‘Goodbye Stranger’ and ‘Bloody Well Right’. Supertramp became one of the first acts to sign to the emerging UK branch of A&M Records, and by the summer of 1970, they had recorded their first album, simply called Supertramp.

19 September, American singer and songwriter Bobby Hart from the duo Boyce and Hart died age 86. In addition to three top-40 hits as artists, the duo was well known for its songwriting for the Monkees (including both ‘(Theme from) The Monkees’ and ‘Last Train to Clarksville’) and other artists. They wrote hits for Jay & the Americans (‘Come a Little Bit Closer’), Paul Revere & the Raiders ‘(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone’).

11 September, Irish music producer and manager Nicky Ryan died at the age of 79. He was best known as the longtime business and recording partner for the singer, songwriter and musician Enya. Ryan gained initial recognition in the 1970s and 1980s for his work with several artists, including Gary Moore, Planxty, Christy Moore and Clannad.

12 September, The death of English drummer Viv Prince was announced after he died at his home in Faro, Portugal, at the age of 84. He played in a variety of bands during the 1960s, including the Pretty Things. He was noted for his wild and eccentric behaviour, which garnered a lot of publicity for the group and influenced Keith Moon. According to Jimmy Page, Prince was the one to coin the nickname “Moon the Loon” for Keith Moon. After leaving the Pretty Things, Prince played with the Denny Laine String Band. He also deputised on drums during concerts for the Honeycombs, the Who, and Hawkwind and was considered to become a drummer for the Jeff Beck Group.

13 September, Steve Luscombe, from English synth-pop band Blancmange died at the age of 70. With Blancmange he had the 1982 UK No.7 single ‘Living On The Ceiling’. Blancmange released three studio albums in the 80s, Happy Families (1982), Mange Tout (1984) and Believe You Me (1985). After Blancmange had disbanded, Luscombe collaborated with Boy George to create The West India Company, a music project that explored and fused traditional Indian music with Western pop.

19 September, American singer and songwriter Sonny Curtis died from pneumonia at a hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, at the age of 88. He was a member of The Crickets, who had the 1957 US No.1 single ‘That’ll Be The Day’, the 1959 UK No.1 single ‘It Doesn’t Matter Anymore’ plus over 15 other UK Top 40 singles. He wrote ‘Walk Right Back’, which was a 1960 hit for the Everly Brothers, ‘I Fought the Law’, notably covered by the Bobby Fuller Four and the Clash. Later, Curtis wrote the theme song of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, ‘Love Is All Around, which he also recorded for the show. The song was covered by Hüsker Dü in 1985, and by Joan Jett in 1996.

23 September, Danny Thompson the English multi-instrumentalist (best known as a double bassist), died age 86. He led a trio that included guitarist John McLaughlin and was a founding member of the British folk-jazz band Pentangle. During his musical career, he played with a variety of other musicians, particularly Richard Thompson and John Martyn as well as Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated, Paul Weller, Kate Bush, Rod Stewart and T. Rex.

25 September, English musician Chris Dreja died from complications of a stroke and COPD at a nursing home in London, at the age of 78. He was a rhythm guitarist and bassist with The Yardbirds who had the 1965 UK No.3 & US No.6 single ‘For Your Love’. The Yardbirds spawned such noteworthy musicians as Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton. Page offered Dreja the position of bassist in a new band he was forming (later to become Led Zeppelin). Dreja declined in order to pursue a profession in photography, and the position was filled by John Paul Jones. He photographed Led Zeppelin for the back cover of their debut album.

2 October, Stephen Caldwell from the American R&B group The Orlons died aged 82, making him the last of the original members to pass away. In 1962, the group provided back-up vocals for Dee Dee Sharp’s hits ‘Mashed Potato Time’ and ‘Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes). They later found fame with their first national hit, ‘The Wah-Watusi’, which reached No.2 in the US pop chart and triggered the brief Watusi dance craze.

8 October, Terry “Buzzy” Johnson, died in Las Vegas at the age of 86. The American singer, songwriter and music producer was a member of The Flamingos and a staff member of Motown Records, where he and Smokey Robinson were regular collaborators.

10 October, John Lodge, bassist and singer with English rock band The Moody Blues, died at the age of 82. The Moody Blues had the hit singles ‘Nights in White Satin’ and ‘Question’. Lodge was one of the primary songwriters of the Moody Blues, writing many songs such as ‘Isn’t Life Strange’ and ‘I’m Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)’, both songs for which he won an ASCAP songwriting award. They embraced the psychedelic rock movement of the late 1960s, with their second album, 1967’s Days of Future Passed, being a fusion of rock with classical music (performed with the London Festival Orchestra) that established the band as pioneers in the development of art rock and progressive rock.

10 October, American drummer Thommy Price died at the age of 68. In 1986, he started drumming for Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and was a member of the band for more than 28 years. He also played drums in Scandal and Blue Öyster Cult, performed with Billy Idol’s band and was an in-demand session drummer and played on albums for Debbie Harry, Roger Daltrey, the Waterboys, Ronnie Spector, Ric Ocasek, Ronnie Wood, Mink DeVille, and the Psychedelic Furs.

11 October, Welsh singer, songwriter, and convicted child sex offender Ian Watkins died after being stabbed in the neck at HM Prison Wakefield, England. He was pronounced dead at the scene after the incident by prison staff. West Yorkshire Police later charged two men with his murder. He was the lead singer and frontman of the rock band Lostprophets from 1997 to 2012. The band released five studio albums, four of which made the top 10 of the UK Albums Chart. Watkins was sentenced to 35 years in jail in December 2013 for a string of child sex offences after he had pleaded guilty at Cardiff Crown Court, Wales to 13 child sex offences.

14 October, Michael Eugene Archer, better known by his stage name D’Angelo died from pancreatic cancer in New York City, at the age of 51. The American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer was widely regarded as a pioneer of the neo-soul movement. His album, Voodoo (2000), debuted at No.1 on the US Billboard 200 and received widespread critical acclaim. Its third single ‘Untitled (How Does It Feel)’, earned him the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, while the album itself won Best R&B Album. D’Angelo became increasingly uncomfortable with his growing status as a sex symbol. He then had numerous personal struggles, including depression, drug addiction and alcoholism.

16 October, American musician Paul Daniel “Ace” Frehley, founding guitarist for the rock band KISS, died aged 74. The guitarist was known for his “Spaceman” persona, from the days when KISS was founded with the original line-up of Paul Stanley on vocals and rhythm guitar, Gene Simmons on vocals and bass guitar, Frehley, on lead guitar and vocals and Peter Criss on drums and vocals. The group rose to prominence in the mid-1970s with shock rock–style live performances that featured fire-breathing, blood-spitting, smoking guitars, shooting rockets, levitating drum kits and pyrotechnics. Frehley quit the group in 1982, which continued with different musicians. He returned for the band’s 1996 reunion tour and stayed on until 2002.

18 October, Sam Rivers, bassist from Limp Bizkit died at the age of 48 in his home in Florida. With Limp Bizkit he had the 2001 UK No.1 single ‘Rollin’ & the US and the UK No.1 album Chocolate Starfish and the Hotdog Flavoured Water, which set a record for the fastest-selling rock album upon release at the time, a record it holds to this day. The album debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in the United States, selling 1,054,511 copies in its first week alone.

22 October, English producer and electronic musician David Ball, died in his sleep at his home at the age of 66. With Soft Cell he had the 1981 UK No.1 single ‘Tainted Love’, (an obscure 1965 northern soul track originally released by Gloria Jones, the girlfriend of Marc Bolan). He also remixed for artists and bands such as David Bowie, Vanessa-Mae and Erasure.

30 October, American singer-songwriter Gerard Scott died from brain cancer on his 47th birthday. He was better known by his stage name Scott Sorry. Prior to being a solo artist, Scott played with Amen, The Wildhearts, Sorry and the Sinatras, and briefly Brides of Destruction.

2 November, American composer, musician and academic Joseph Byrd Jr. died at the age of 87. After first becoming known as an experimental composer in New York City and Los Angeles, he became the leader of the psychedelic rock band The United States of America. Their 1968 self-titled album, is often cited as an early showcase for the use of electronic devices in rock music, was met with critical acclaim and minor chart success. Byrd arranged and produced Ry Cooder’s critically acclaimed 1978 album Jazz.

2 November, American singer Donna Godchaux died from cancer at a Nashville hospice at the age of 78. She was best known for having been a member of Grateful Dead from 1972 until 1979. She had worked as a session singer in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, eventually singing with a group called Southern Comfort. She appeared as a backup singer on at least two No.1 hit songs: ‘When a Man Loves a Woman’ by Percy Sledge in 1966 and ‘Suspicious Minds’ by Elvis Presley in 1969. Her vocals were featured on other classic recordings by Boz Scaggs, Duane Allman, Cher, Joe Tex, Neil Diamond and many others.

3 November, American musician Victor Conte Jr. died from pancreatic cancer at home in San Mateo, California at the age of 75. He played bass with funk / R&B group Tower of Power, appearing on the band’s 1978 release We Came to Play! Conte served time in prison in 2005 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute steroids and money laundering.

5 November, English drummer Gilson Lavis died at his home in Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire, at the age of 74. He had worked with Squeeze, Chuck Berry, Jools Holland, Jerry Lee Lewis and Dolly Parton. He was working in a brickyard when he noticed the advertisement in Melody Maker for Squeeze whom he joined in the seventies. Lavis was also a portrait artist. He specialised in black and white acrylic portraits and painted numerous fellow musicians, including Eric Clapton, Amy Winehouse, Paul McCartney and The Rolling Stones, with his work being displayed at exhibitions in London and New York.

10 November, English singer, songwriter, and producer Richard Darbyshire died at the age of 65. He was a member of Living In A Box, who had the 1987 UK No.5 single ‘Living In A Box’. Darbyshire had written and produced songs for other artists, particularly Lisa Stansfield, Level 42, and Jennifer Rush, amongst others.

14 November, Todd Snider died in Nashville from pneumonia. The American singer-songwriter whose music incorporated elements of folk, rock, blues, alt country, and funk released over 20 albums. Sykes was a one-time member of Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band and Buffett had recorded a few of his songs. Tom Jones released an eclectic cover of Snider’s ‘Talking Reality Television Blues’ on his 2021 album Surrounded By Time.

15 November, Hilly Michaels died age 77. The American musician is best known for playing drums with Sparks in the 1970s. Then a New York-based session drummer, he performed on Sparks’ 1976 album Big Beat. Michaels released two solo albums in the early 1980s, Calling All Girls (1980) and Lumia (1981). Later, Michaels played with artists such as The Cherry Vanilla Band, The Hunter/Ronson Band, Dan Hartman, John Mellencamp, Marianne Faithfull, and Ronnie Wood.

20 November, English bassist, Gary “Mani” Mounfield died age 63. He is best known for being a member of the rock bands the Stone Roses and Primal Scream. Mani joined the Stone Roses in 1987 and played on both their albums before the group disbanded in 1996. Later that year, he became the full-time bassist for Primal Scream, performing on all five albums from Vanishing Point (1997) to Beautiful Future (2008). Mounfield had a guest role in the biographical comedy-drama film 24 Hour Party People (2002). He was in a supergroup band called Freebass with bassists Andy Rourke (the Smiths) and Peter Hook (Joy Division and New Order). Freebass disbanded before releasing their debut studio album, It’s a Beautiful Life in 2010.

21 November, American drummer, guitarist, songwriter, record producer, and musician Jellybean Johnson died at the age of 69. He is best known for his involvement with the Time and its predecessor group Flyte Time. He worked with many notable artists, including Alexander O’Neal, New Edition, and Janet Jackson, with whom he had the 1990 No. 1 single, ‘Black Cat’.

24 November, Jamaican ska, rocksteady, reggae and soul musician, singer and actor Jimmy Cliff died at the age of 81 from pneumonia. A star since the 1960s, he helped to bring the sound of Jamaica to a global audience through hits such as ‘Wonderful World, Beautiful People’ (1969) and ‘You Can Get It If You Really Want’ (1972) and his covers of Cat Stevens’s ‘Wild World’, and Johnny Nash’s ‘I Can See Clearly Now’. His lead role as a gun-toting rebel in the 1972 crime drama The Harder They Come is a cornerstone of Jamaican cinema and was attributed as the movie that brought reggae to America. At the time of his death, he was the only living reggae musician to hold the Order of Merit, the highest honour that can be granted by the Jamaican government for achievements in the arts and sciences.