Music Business

Musicians who left us in 2021

In addition to all the heartache last year wrought, the list of notable musicians and producers who died in 2021 is extensive, with a host of innovators, groundbreakers, and icons joining their departed brethren at the eternal post-gig party.

A guest post by Andre Calilhanna of the Disc Makers Blog.

I did my best to make this a comprehensive tribute, but there are doubtless many musicians who were inadvertently overlooked. Please take a moment to share remembrances of anyone who didn’t make this list and share your thoughts in the comment section as we move past the trainwreck that was 2021 and look ahead to the new year.

musicians who died in 2021

mary wilson  musicians who died in 2021

Mary Wilson, 76
Founding member of The Supremes — died of hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease 2/28/21

Originally formed as The Primettes in Detroit, Mary Wilson — along with Diana Ross and Florence Ballard —  signed to Motown Records in 1961 as The Supremes, ultimately becoming the most successful Motown act of the 1960s and the best-charting female group in history with 12 of their singles reaching number one on Billboard‘s Hot 100. After their first few singles failed to make waves, 1964’s “Where Did Our Love Go” hit number one, soon followed by “Baby Love,” “Come See About Me,” “Stop! In the Name of Love,” and “Back in My Arms Again” — all of which hit number one. Wilson remained a Supreme until 1977 (Ballard and Ross has left before that), and the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.


don everly  musicians who died in 2021

Don Everly, 84
Singer, guitarist, songwriter of groundbreaking duo The Everly Brothers — died of undisclosed causes 8/21/21

Brothers Don and Phil Everly were accomplished musicians before becoming The Everly Brothers, and they are regarded as one of the most successful and influential acts of the burgeoning rock and roll scene in the ’50s. Combining elements of rock, country, and pop, the Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, Nick Lowe, and Dave Edmunds cite the duo as a major influence, fueled by a string of popular songs that started with the band’s first number one hit, 1957’s “Bye Bye Love.” Other notable songs include “Wake Up Little Susie,” “All I Have to Do Is Dream,” “Bird Dog,” “(‘Til) I Kissed You,” “When Will I Be Loved,” and “Cathy’s Clown.” The Everly Brothers were awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997 and were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001.


chick corea  musicians who died in 2021

Chick Corea, 79
Jazz keyboardist — died of a rare form of cancer 2/9/21

Chick Corea’s music career began in the early ’60s, and he released his first album, Tones for Joan’s Bones, in 1968. He joined Miles Davis’ band in the late ’60s, playing electric piano on In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew. That set Corea up to explore the jazz-rock fusion that really defined his career, as he formed Return to Forever in 1972, recording seven albums with the ever-changing ensemble and performing in various configurations of the band until he passed in 2021. In that time, Corea recorded nearly 90 albums, racking up 23 Grammys along the way.


stephen sondheim  musicians who died in 2021

Stephen Sondheim, 91
Composer-lyricist of American musicals — died of cardiovascular disease 11/26/21

Stephen Sondheim compiled a dizzying list of accomplishments, notably with American musicals, which began with his composing lyrics to 1957’s West Side Story and Gypsy in 1959. From there, Sondheim composed music and lyrics for a string of Broadway musicals, including A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, and Assassins. Sondheim’s work went beyond the musical, and in addition to having a theater named after him in New York, his career achievements include winning eight Tony Awards, an Oscar, eight Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize, and a 2015 Presidential Medal of Freedom, presented by Barack Obama. [Photo by Poemsstories: Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0.]


michael nesmith  musicians who died in 2021

Michael Nesmith, 78
Guitarist, songwriter, producer with The Monkees — died of heart failure 12/10/21

The Monkees formed in 1965 as a TV sitcom show about a fictitious band. But Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork, and Davy Jones’ band soon took flight, and while they had little creative and musical input on the first two albums, 1967’s Headquarters saw Nesmith getting writing credit on seven tracks. Nesmith-penned Monkees classics include “Circle Sky,” “Listen to the Band,” and “The Girl I Knew Somewhere.” Nesmith played in bands after The Monkees, including First National Band, and worked in the music biz for years after, founding Pacific Arts in 1974, a multimedia production and distribution company which helped pioneer music videos. [Photo by NBC Television. The photo was also used to answer fan mail during the height of their popularity. The card had no copyright marks either. eBayfrontbackeBaycard front card back, Public Domain.]


dusty hill  musicians who died in 2021

Dusty Hill, 72
Bassist for ZZ Top — died in his sleep, shortly after suffering a hip injury 7/28/21

ZZ Top formed in 1969, with Dusty Hill joining on bass and backing vocals in 1970. Together, the trio of Hill, Billy Gibbons, and Frank Beard released 14 studio albums between 1972 and 2012, and performed over 3,100 live concerts, including their World Wide Texas show, which lasted 18 months and went down in history as one of the craziest tours of the ’70s. The band’s signature long beards and dark shades played well with the advent of the music video, and the ’80s proved pivotal for the band, with songs like “Legs”, “Sharp Dressed Man,” and “Rough Boy” making waves with their music videos. ZZ Top was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. [Photo by Ralph ArvesenCC BY 2.0.]


barry harris  musicians who died in 2021

Barry Harris, 91
Bebop pianist — died of complications from COVID-19 12/8/21

Barry Harris came up as a jazz pianist in the late 1940s and ’50s in Detroit, where a thriving scene helped him develop the bebop style indelibly associated with the master player and educator. His catalog includes well over 30 releases, spanning seven decades. Harris was named a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts in 1989.


pat martino musicians who died in 2021

Pat Martino, 77
Jazz guitarist — died of chronic respiratory disorder 11/1/21

Pat Martino’s story is extraordinary, and unique. His professional debut as a jazz guitarist came shortly after being expelled from Catholic high school, joining singer Lloyd Price’s big band and saxophonist Willis Jackson’s combo in 1962. In the mid-’70s, after launching a career as a bandleader and having over a dozen albums released, Martino began experiencing frequent headaches and seizures, including one that came on while he was performing in 1976. An emergency operation to remove a brain tumor a year later left Martino with no memory. Martino literally had to relearn to play guitar, including listening to his own albums, from scratch. By the mid-’80s, he was performing again, and went on to release another 14 albums, beginning with 1987’s The Return.


phil spector musicians who died in 2021

Phil Spector, 81
Music producer — died of complications from COVID-19 1/16/21

Phil Spector changed the role of the record producer, creating his “Wall of Sound” technique that famously made the recording studio, essentially, another member of the band. Born in the Bronx, Spector moved to Los Angeles as a teenager, founding the Teddy Bears and recording the ballad “To Know Him Is to Love Him” in 1958, which went on to sell over a million records. His work as a record producer is now legend, crafting hits with the Crystals, the Ronettes, and the Righteous Brothers, as well as the Beatles, John Lennon, and George Harrison. After spending three decades in semi-retirement, Spector was sentenced to to 19 years to life in prison for the murder of the actress Lana Clarkson in 2003. He died in prison. [Photo by Kingkongphoto from Laurel Maryland, USA. Phil Spector, CC BY 2.0.]


ronnie wilson musicians who died in 2021

Ronnie Wilson, 73
Multi-instrumentalist, co-founder of the Gap Band — died after suffering a stroke 11/2/21

Hailing from Tulsa, OK, Ronnie Wilson formed the Greenwood Archer Pine Street Band (named for the streets in the Black part of Tulsa attacked in the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre) with his brothers Charlie and Robert, releasing their Gap Band debut, Magicians Holiday, in 1974. It was 1979’s self-titled album that started getting attention, and the band went on to record a string of hits over its 40-year career, including “Shake,” “I Don’t Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance (Oops Up Side Your Head),” “Early in the Morning,” “Burn Rubber (Why You Wanna Hurt Me),” and 1982’s “You Dropped a Bomb on Me.”


dee tee musicians who died in 2021

Dennis “Dee Tee” Thomas, 70
Saxophonist and a founding member of Kool & the Gang — died in his sleep 8/7/21

In 1964 in New Jersey, Dennis “Dee Tee” Thomas and six of his teen friends formed The Jazziacs, blending jazz, soul, and funk and rolling through several names and iterations before releasing the eponymous Kool & the Gang album in 1969. Dee Tee was known as the master of ceremonies at the band’s shows, and he also served as the group’s wardrobe stylist. Kool & the Gang has earned two Grammy Awards and seven American Music Awards in a career that spanned over 50 years, including 2021’s release, Perfect Union. Notable tracks by the group include “Get Down on It,” “Ladies’ Night,” “Cherish,” “Jungle Boogie,” and “Celebration,” the ubiquitous wedding/birthday favorite that was inspired by the Quran. [Photo: sourced from the Kool & the Gang website.]


joey jordison musicians who died in 2021

Joey Jordison, 46
Drummer and co-founder of Slipknot — died in his sleep 7/23/21

Joey Jordison helped found the Des Moines, Iowa alt-metal band Slipknot in 1995, with Roadrunner Records releasing the band’s eponymous debut in 1997. Through constant touring, exceptional musicianship, and a ghastly, Halloweenish persona, the band built a following, buoyed by a couple of appearance at the traveling Ozzfest music festival. Jordison appeared on the band’s first six releases, including the independent Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat., before leaving the band in 2013.


graeme edge musicians who died in 2021

Graeme Edge, 80
Drummer and co-founder of the Moody Blues — died of metastatic cancer 11/11/21

In addition to drumming for the seminal English band, The Moody Blues, Graeme Edge wrote spoken-word poems that, along with the orchestral and progressive elements of the band, helped define them as true pioneers. Their most famous song, 1967’s “Nights In White Satin,” includes Graeme’s “Late Lament,” read by keyboardist Mike Pinder on the album version of the release. Other notable tracks for the band from the ’60-’70s include “Tuesday Afternoon,” “I’m Just a Singer (in a Rock and Roll Band),” and “Ride My See-Saw,” and after a hiatus in the late seventies, the band scored a hit with 1986’s “Your Wildest Dreams.” The Moody Blues have sold more than 70 million albums and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2018. [Photo Nationaal Archief, Den Haag, Rijksfotoarchief: Fotocollectie Algemeen Nederlands Fotopersbureau (ANEFO), 1945-1989 (negatiefstroken zwart/wit, nummer toegang 2.24.01.05, bestanddeelnummer 923-9509 — Nationaal Archief), CC0.]


stonewall jackson musicians who died in 2021

Stonewall Jackson, 89
Singer, guitarist, songwriter — died of complications of vascular dementia 12/4/21

Born in 1932 in Tabor City, N.C, Stonewall Jackson (not a nickname, that’s his name at birth) was a honky-tonk singer steeped in “hard country,” a lean, shuffling brand of country music that features fiddle and steel guitar. Boasting more than 60 years as a member of the cast of the Grand Ole Opry — which includes a chapter in 2007 when he sued the organization for age discrimination — from 1958 to 1965, Jackson released 23 consecutive singles that reached the Country Top 40, and ultimately saw 44 of his songs make that list. Notable songs include “Don’t Be Angry,” “B.J. the D.J.,” “The Carpet on the Floor,” “Why I’m Walkin’,” “A Wound Time Can’t Erase,” and “I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water.”


BJ Thomas musicians who died in 2021

B.J. Thomas, 78
Vocalist — died of complications of lung cancer 5/29/21

Billy Joe Thomas made his name singing pop and country songs in the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. His best-known songs include “Hooked on a Feeling,” “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song,” “Don’t Worry Baby,” and “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head.”


bunny wailer musicians who died in 2021

Bunny Wailer, 73
Singer-songwriter and percussionist — died of complications from a stroke 3/2/21

The last surviving original member of the Wailers — which emerged from The Teenagers, a vocal trio that included Bob Marley and Peter Tosh — Bunny Wailer served as the “spiritual mystic” and helped propel the band into the most influential in the ska/reggae genre. Wailer left the band in the mid-’70s, but continued to make music, launching his solo career with 1976’s Blackheart Man. [Photo by Peter Verwimp, own work, CC0.]


junior mance musicians who died in 2021

Junior Mance, 92
Jazz pianist — died of a brain hemorrhage 1/17/21

Born in Evanston, Illinois, Julian Clifford Mance, Jr. (or Junior, to differentiate him from his father) got his first professional gig when he was 10. He played with Gene Ammons in the ’40s, Lester Young and Ammons-Sonny Stitt in ’50s, and released albums on his own, starting with 1959’s Junior.


sylvain sylvain musicians who died in 2021

Sylvain Sylvain, 69
Guitarist, co-founder of New York Dolls — died of cancer 1/13/21

The New York Dolls didn’t last long, but the legendary proto-punk’s renown grew in the years after it collapsed. Syl Sylvain joined the band just after it had formed, and is credited with coming up with the name. He performed on the bands ’70s releases, New York Dolls and Too Much Too Soon, as well as 2006’s “comeback,” One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This. [Photo by Erika Harding, Public Domain.]


lee scratch perry musicians who died in 2021

Lee “Scratch” Perry, 85
Reggae Innovator, record producer, and singer — died of undisclosed causes 8/29/21

Rainford Hugh Perry was a pioneer in the 1970s, developing dub music and mentoring artists like Bob Marley. He wrote and fronted his own bad, The Upsetters, and worked with luminaries including the Clash, Paul and Linda McCartney, the Beastie Boys, among many others. [Photo by pitpony.photography, own work, CC BY-SA 3.0.]


terence astro wilson musicians who died in 2021
brian travers musicians who died in 2021
terence astro wilson musicians who died in 2021

Terence “Astro” Wilson, 64
Founding member and toaster of UB40 —died after a short illness 11/6/21

 
 
 

Brian Travers, 62
Saxophonist, arranger, and lyricist for UB40 —
died of cancer 8/22/21

UB40 formed in December 1978 in Birmingham, England, with Terence “Astro” Wilson joining in February 1979. A percussionist and toaster (rapping, talking, or chanting, usually in a monotone melody), Perry joined Brian Travers and six other members and saw UB40 enjoy massive success, seeing more than 50 singles reach the UK Singles Chart and selling over 70 million records worldwide. Travers was part of the original lineup and was one of five members who stayed with the group from its inception to his passing in 2021.


robby steinhardt musicians who died in 2021

Robby Steinhardt, 71
Violinist and singer for Kansas — died of complications of acute pancreatitis 7/17/21

With a uniquely middle-American take on progressive rock, Kansas rose to be one of the most popular bands in the US in the ’70s and ’80s. With classically-trained Robby Steinhardt on violin, the band carved a niche for itself with massive hits including “Carry On Wayward Son” and “Dust in the Wind.” Steinhardt was also co-lead singer and emceed during concerts. [Photo by Kirshner Records, from file: Kansas 1976.JPG, Public Domain.]


jim steinman musicians who died in 2021

Jim Steinman, 73
Composer, lyricist, record producer, and playwright — died of kidney failure 9/19/21

Jim Steinman was notable for having a larger-than-life sensibility when it came to writing and producing music. The most notable example can be found on Meat Loaf’s Bat Out of Hell album, that seamlessly threads elements of rock and music theater into a genre unto itself. Other notable works by Steinman include Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” Air Supply’s “Making Love Out of Nothing at All,” and Meat Loaf’s “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That).” [Photo by Justin (aka Jsteinfan)CC BY-SA 3.0.]


jimmie rodgers musicians who died in 2021

Jimmie Rodgers, 87Jimmie Rodgers, 87
Vocalist, guitarist, pianist —
died of kidney disease 1/18/21


kangol kid musicians who died in 2021

Kangol Kid, 55
Hip hop producer, songwriter, member of hip hop group UTFO —
died of complications of colon cancer 12/18/21


wanda young musicians who died in 2021

Wanda Young, 78
Singer in the all-female Motown group the Marvelettes —
died of complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 12/15/21

[Photo by Motown/Tamla Records-photographer-James Kriegsmann, New York – Billboard page 13, Public Domain.]


lonnie smith musicians who died in 2021

Lonnie Smith, 79
Jazz organist —
died of pulmonary fibrosis 9/28/21


tom t hall musicians who died in 2021

Tom T. Hall, 85
Songwriter, vocalist, guitarist, banjo, mandolin, piano, saxophone —
died of undisclosed causes 8/20/21


les mckeown musicians who died in 2021

Les McKeown, 65
Singer, Bay City Rollers —
died of cardiac arrest 4/20/21


dmx musicians who died in 2021

DMX, 50
Rapper —
died of cocaine-induced heart attack 4/9/21


hub hubbard musicians who died in 2021

Leonard ‘Hub’ Hubbard, 62
Bassist, The Roots —
died of multiple myeloma (a type of blood cancer) 12/16/21


joe simon musicians who died in 2021

Joe Simon, 85
R&B singer —
died of undisclosed causes 12/13/21


keith allison musicians who died in 2021

Keith Allison, 79
Singer, songwriter, guitarist, Paul Revere & the Raiders —
died of undisclosed causes 11/17/21

Photo: © 1978 Ed Thrasher


sonny osborne musicians who died in 2021

Sonny Osborne, 84
Bluegrass banjoist —
died of a stroke 10/24/21


deon estus musicians who died in 2021

Deon Estus, 65
Bassist, vocalist (Wham! & George Michael) —
died of undisclosed causes 10/11/21


bob moore musicians who died in 2021

Bob Moore, 88
Bassist —
died of undisclosed causes 9/22/21

[Photo by Bill Forshee/CMHOF. Original publication: MusicRowImmediate. SourceFair use.]


srah dash musicians who died in 2021

Sarah Dash, 76
Vocalist —
died of undisclosed causes 9/20/21

[Photo by Vannessajg, own work, CC BY-SA 4.0.]


rob bushy musicians who died in 2021

Ron Bushy, 79
Drummer, Iron Butterfly —
died of esophageal cancer 8/29/21

[Photo by Onemore, wn work, CC BY 3.0.]


kenny malone musicians who died in 2021

Kenny Malone, 83
Drummer —
died of COVID-19 8/26/21


shock g musicians who died in 2021

Shock G, 57
Rapper, Digital Underground —
died of an accidental overdose of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and alcohol 6/10/21


mike mitchell musicians who died in 2021

Mike Mitchell, 77
Guitarist, The Kingsmen —
died of undisclosed causes 4/16/21


morris bb dickerson musicians who died in 2021

Morris ‘B.B.’ Dickerson, 71
Bassist, vocalist, founding member of War —
died of undisclosed causes 4/2/21

Photo: Gino Rossi


jim weatherly musicians who died in 2021

Jim Weatherly, 77
Singer, songwriter —
died of natural causes 2/3/21


ed bruce musicians who died in 2021

Ed Bruce, 81
Country singer-songwriter, guitarist —
died of natural causes 1/8/21


gerry marsden musicians who died in 2021

Gerry Marsden, 78
Singer, songwriter, guitarist, Gerry and the Pacemakers —
died after being diagnosed with a blood infection in his heart 1/3/21

[Photo by Paul Schumach, Metropolitan Photo Service, New York City. – eBay itemphoto front photo back, Public Domain.]


Robert ‘Bob’ Rudolph, 82
Jazz trombonist — died of pneumonia 10/8/21

Vicente Fernández, 81
Singer, songwriter, producer — died of undisclosed causes 12/12/21

Margo Guryan, 84
Singer, songwriter, pianist — died of undisclosed causes 11/8/21

Dave Frishberg, 88
Jazz pianist, vocalist, composer — died after battling illness for several years 11/17/21

Johnny Ventura, 81
Singer, merengue and salsa bandleader — died of a heart attack 7/28/21

Jay Black, 82
Singer, Jay and the Americans — died of pneumonia that led to cardiac arrest 10/22/21

Edita Gruberova, 74
Coloratura soprano — died after suffering a head injury 10/18/21

Paddy Moloney, 83
Uilleann pipes, tin whistle, button accordion, bodhrán, the Chieftans — died of undisclosed causes 10/12/21

Richard H. Kirk, 65
Keyboards, guitar, saxophone, clarinet, founding member of Cabaret Voltaire — died of undisclosed causes 9/21/21

Alemayehu Eshete, 80
Singer known as the “Ethiopian Elvis” — died after suffering from heart disease 9/7/21

Carlisle Floyd, 95
Opera composer — died of undisclosed causes 9/30/21

Carmen Balthrop, 73
Opera soprano — died after a yearlong battle with cancer 9/5/21

Mikis Theodorakis, 96
Composer and lyricist — died from cardiopulmonary arrest 9/2/21

R. Murray Schafer, 88
Composer and music educator — died of dementia 8/14/21

Chucky Thompson, 53
Hip hop and R&B producer — died of COVID-19 8/9/21

Nanci Griffith, 68
Singer, songwriter, guitarist — died of undisclosed causes 8/13/21

Jacob Desvarieux, 65
Guitarist and singer, Kassav — died of complications of COVID-19 7/30/21

Biz Markie, 57
Rapper, DJ, record producer — died after months of health issues 7/16/21

Louis Andriessen, 82
Composer, pianist — died after suffering from dementia 7/1/21

Frederic Rzewski, 83
Composer, pianist — died of an apparent heart attack 6/26/21

Jeanne Lamon, 71
Violinist, conducter — died of lung cancer 6/20/21

Alix Dobkin, 80
Folk singer, songwriter — died of a brain aneurysm and stroke 5/19/21

Jack Terricloth, 50
Guitarist, singer, The World/Inferno Friendship Society — died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease 5/13/21

Johnny Pacheco, 85
Multi-instrumentalist (flute, conga, bongo, güiro, saxophone, accordion) — died of pneumonia 2/15/21

U-Roy, 78
Vocalist and pioneer of toasting — died after after a long illness 2/17/21

Sophie, 34
Keyboardist, vocalist, producer, dj — died after an accidental fall from a balcony 1/30/21

Jimmie Rodgers, 87
Folk singer, guitarist — died of kidney disease 1/18/21

J.D. Crowe, 84
Banjo player and bluegrass band leader — died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) 12/24/21

David Lasley, 74
Singer, songwriter — died after a severe illness 12/9/21

Ralph Tavares, 79
Singer, Tavares — died of undisclosed causes 12/8/21

Steve Bronski, 61
Keyboardist, vocalist, founder of Bronski Beat — died from smoke inhalation shortly after suffering a stroke 12/7/21

Slim 400, 33
Rapper — died from a gunshot wound 12/9/21

Robbie Shakespeare, 68
Bassist, record producer, half of the reggae rhythm/production duo Sly and Robbie — died of complications from kidney and liver transplants 12/8/21

Billy Hinsche, 70
Guitarist, vocalist, Dino, Desi & Billy (and touring member of The Beach Boys) — died of giant cell carcinoma 11/20/21

Hank Von Hell, 49
Vocalist, Turbonegro — died of undisclosed causes 11/19/21

Young Dolph, 36
Rapper — died from a gunshot wound 11/17/21

Andrew Barker, 53
Bassist, keyboardist 808 State — died of undisclosed causes 11/6/21

Sarah Harding, 39
Vocalist, Girls Aloud — died of breast cancer 9/5/21

Adalberto Álvarez, 72
Pianist, musical director — died of complications of Covid-19 9/1/21

Larry Harlow, 82
Salsa pianist, composer, producer — died of heart failure 8/20/21

Kelli Hand, 56
DJ, keyboards — died of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease 8/3/21

Paul Johnson, 50
DJ, producer — died of COVID-19 8/4/21

Clarence McDonald, 75
Keyboardist, producer, composer — died of cancer 7/21/21

Mike Howe, 55
Vocalist, Metal Church — died of asphyxiation due to suicide by hanging 7/26/21

Byron Berline, 77
Bluegrass fiddle player — died of a stroke 7/10/21

Sanford Clark, 85
Rockabilly guitairst, vocalist — died of COVID-19 7/4/21

John Lawton, 74
Vocalist, Uriah Heap — died of undisclosed causes 6/29/21

Johnny Solinger, 55
Vocalist, Skid Row — died of liver failure 6/26/21

Gift of Gab, 50
Rapper, Blackalicious — died of natural causes 6/18/21

Lil Loaded, 20
Rapper — died of gunshot wound to the head (apparently self-induced) 5/31/21

John Davis, 66
Vocalist, Milli Vanili — died of complications of COVID-19 5/24/21

Patrick Sky, 80
Folk singer, songwriter, record producer — died of cancer 5/26/21

Lloyd Price, 88
R&B and swing singer-songwriter, record executive and bandleader — died of complications of diabetes 5/3/21

Nick Kamen, 59
Singer, songwriter — died after a long battle with bone marrow cancer 5/4/21

Tommy West, 78
Producer, singer, songwriter — died of of complications associated with Parkinson’s disease 5/2/21

Christa Ludwig, 93
Mezzo-soprano — died of undisclosed causes 4/24/21

Black Rob, 52
Rapper — died of cardiac arrest after battling numerous illnesses 4/17/21

Matt “Money” Miller, 34
Keyboardist, vocalist, Titus Andronicus — died of undisclosed causes 3/17/21

Doug Parkinson, 74
Pop/rock singer — died of undisclosed causes 3/15/21

Michael Stanley, 72
Guitarist, singer, songwriter — died of lung cancer 5/5/21

Anne Feeney, 69
Folk singer, guitarist, and songwriter — died of COVID-19 2/3/21

Double K, 43
Vocalist/MC, DJ, producer, People Under The Stairs — died of undisclosed causes 1/30/21

Tom Stevens, 64
Bassist, Long Ryders — died of undisclosed causes 1/23/21

Perry Botkin, Jr., 87
Pianist, composer, producer — died of undisclosed causes 1/18/21

Michael Fonfara, 74
Keyboardist — died of cancer 1/8/21

Jamie O’Hara, 70
Singer, songwriter — died in hospice after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer 1/7/21

Andy Williams, 49
Drummer, Casting Crowns — died of injuries sustained from a motorcycle accident 7/9/21


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