Days
Hours
Minutes
Since 2016, I have been curating Spotify playlists consisting of songs by artists who have passed away this year. It makes for a very interesting and eclectic playlist, because it will contain oldies rock and country from musicians who’ve naturally passed away from old age; young hip-hop and metal musicians cut down in their prime by overdose, accident, or murder; and every particular genre and decade.
Some notable losses in 2019 include The Captain & Tennille’s Daryl Dragon, Broadway legend Carol Channing, R&B singer James Ingram, Monkees’ singer Peter Tork, surf rock guitarist Dick Dale, General Public and The Beat singer Ranking Roger, rapper Nipsey Hussle, singer and actress Doris Day, keyboardist Dr. John, Geto Boys rapper Bushwick Bill, Easy Rider actor Peter Fonda, rocker Eddie Money, The Cars singer Ric Ocasek, Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter, Cream drummer Ginger Baker, and Roxette singer Marie Fredriksson.
The musicians are listed in descending order (most recent to pass) here and in ascending order on the Spotify playlist (to listen to the year’s musicians in order).
[31 Dec 2019] Vic Juris, 66, American jazz guitarist, liver cancer.
[29 Dec 2019] Norma Tanega, 80, American musician, singer-songwriter and artist, cancer.
[29 Dec 2019] Neil Innes, 75, English comedian (Monty Python), musician (The Rutles, Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band) and writer, heart attack.
[27 Dec 2019] Jack Sheldon, 88, American trumpeter (The Merv Griffin Show), singer (“I’m Just a Bill“) and voice actor (Schoolhouse Rock!).
[27 Dec 2019] Garrett List, 76, American trombonist, vocalist and composer.
[26 Dec 2019] Sleepy LaBeef, 84, American rockabilly singer.
[26 Dec 2019] Les Chadwick, 76, English bass player (Gerry and the Pacemakers), brain cancer.
[24 Dec 2019] Dave Riley, 59, American bassist (Big Black), throat cancer.
[24 Dec 2019] Allee Willis, 72, American Hall of Fame songwriter (“I’ll Be There for You“, “September“) and lyricist (The Color Purple), cardiac arrest.
[18 Dec 2019] Abbey Simon, 99, American classical pianist
[18 Dec 2019] Kenny Lynch, 81, English singer (“You Can Never Stop Me Loving You“), actor (Carry On Loving, The Playbirds) and entertainer.
[15 Dec 2019] Monique Leyrac, 91, Canadian singer and actress.
[13 Dec 2019] Emil Richards, 87, American percussionist.
[13 Dec 2019] Roy Loney, 73, American rock singer (Flamin’ Groovies).
[12 Dec 2019] Jack Scott, 83, Canadian-American rock singer and songwriter (“My True Love“, “Burning Bridges“).
[12 Dec 2019] Dalton Baldwin, 87, American pianist.
[09 Dec 2019] Marie Fredriksson, 61, Swedish singer-songwriter (Roxette) and musician, complications from a brain tumour.
[08 Dec 2019] René Auberjonois, 79, American actor (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, M*A*S*H, Benson), Tony winner (1970), lung cancer.
[08 Dec 2019] Juice Wrld, 21, American rapper (“All Girls Are the Same“, “Lucid Dreams“, “Bandit“), seizure following drug overdose.
[07 Dec 2019] Joe McQueen, 100, American jazz saxophonist.
[07 Dec 2019] Jerry Jumonville, 78, American saxophonist and arranger.
[05 Dec 2019] Jerry Naylor, 80, American musician (The Crickets).
[02 Dec 2019] Greedy Smith, 63, Australian musician (Mental As Anything), heart attack.
[29 Nov 2019] Irving Burgie, 95, American Hall of Fame songwriter (“Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)“, “Jamaica Farewell“, “In Plenty and In Time of Need“).
[27 Nov 2019] Martin Armiger, 70, Australian musician (The Sports) and composer (Young Einstein, Cody), genetic lung condition.
[25 Nov 2019] Iain Sutherland, 71, Scottish musician (The Sutherland Brothers) and songwriter (“(I Don’t Want to Love You But) You Got Me Anyway“, “Arms of Mary“).
[22 Nov 2019] Eddie Duran, 94, American jazz guitarist.
[20 Nov 2019] Doug Lubahn, 71, American rock bassist (Clear Light, The Doors, Billy Squier).
[20 Nov 2019] John Mann, 57, Canadian guitarist and singer (Spirit of the West), and actor (Underworld: Evolution).
[19 Nov 2019] Wee Willie Walker, 77, American soul and blues singer.
[16 Nov 2019] Browning Bryant, 62, American singer-songwriter.
[11 Nov 2019] Lisa Kindred, 79, American folk musician, POEMS syndrome.
[11 Nov 2019] Bad Azz, 43, American rapper.
[09 Nov 2019] Bob Szajner, 81, American jazz pianist.
[08 Nov 2019] Jackie Moore, 73, American singer.
[05 Nov 2019] Michael Sherwood, 60, American musician.
[26 Oct 2019] Paul Barrere, 71, American rock singer and guitarist (Little Feat), liver cancer.
[25 Oct 2019] Joe Sun, 76, American country singer (“Old Flames Can’t Hold a Candle to You“).
[17 Oct 2019] Ray Santos, 90, American saxophonist and composer.
[14 Oct 2019] Steve Cash, 73, American singer-songwriter, author and harmonica player (The Ozark Mountain Daredevils).
[08 Oct 2019] Molly Duncan, 74, Scottish saxophonist (Average White Band), cancer.
[06 Oct 2019] Larry Junstrom, 70, American bassist (Lynyrd Skynyrd, 38 Special).
[06 Oct 2019] Ginger Baker, 80, English Hall of Fame drummer (Cream, Blind Faith, Ginger Baker’s Air Force), subject of Beware of Mr. Baker.
[04 Oct 2019] Glen Brown, 75, Jamaican reggae musician and record producer.
[01 Oct 2019] Beverly Watkins, 80, American blues guitarist.
[30 Sep 2019] Jessye Norman, 74, American opera singer, Grammy winner (1984, 1988, 1989, 1998), Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2006), multiple organ failure.
[29 Sep 2019] Larry Willis, 78, American jazz pianist, complications from diabetes.
[29 Sep 2019] busbee, 43, American songwriter (“Try“, “Our Kind of Love“, “Summer Nights“) and music producer, glioblastoma.
[27 Sep 2019] Jimmy Spicer, 61, American rapper, brain and lung cancer.
[25 Sep 2019] Richard Wyands, 91, American jazz pianist.
[23 Sep 2019] Robert Hunter, 78, American Hall of Fame lyricist (Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia, Bob Dylan), poet and musician.
[19 Sep 2019] Larry Wallis, 70, English musician (Pink Fairies, Motörhead).
[19 Sep 2019] Yonrico Scott, 63, American drummer (The Derek Trucks Band).
[18 Sep 2019] Tony Mills, 57, English rock singer (Shy, TNT), pancreatic cancer.
[17 Sep 2019] Harold Mabern, 83, American jazz pianist and composer, heart attack.
[16 Sep 2019] Vic Vogel, 84, Canadian jazz pianist, composer and conductor.
[16 Sep 2019] John Cohen, 87, American folk musician (New Lost City Ramblers) and musicologist.
[15 Sep 2019] Ric Ocasek, 75, American Hall of Fame musician (The Cars), singer-songwriter (“My Best Friend’s Girl“, “You Might Think“) and record producer, cardiovascular disease.
[14 Sep 2019] Julian Piper, 72, English blues guitarist.
[13 Sep 2019] Eddie Money, 70, American singer (“Take Me Home Tonight“) and songwriter (“Two Tickets to Paradise“, “Baby Hold On“), complications from heart surgery.
[11 Sep 2019] Daniel Johnston, 58, American singer-songwriter (“Walking the Cow“) and visual artist, heart attack.
[10 Sep 2019] Jeff Fenholt, 68, American musician (Bible Black, Geezer Butler Band), actor (Jesus Christ Superstar) and television evangelist.
[05 Sep 2019] Jimmy Johnson, 76, American musician (Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section) and record producer.
[04 Sep 2019] Kylie Rae Harris, 30, American country singer, traffic collision.
[03 Sep 2019] LaShawn Daniels, 41, American songwriter (“Say My Name“, “Love and War“), Grammy winner (2000), traffic collision.
[27 Aug 2019] Donnie Fritts, 76, American keyboardist (Kris Kristofferson) and songwriter, complications from heart surgery.
[26 Aug 2019] Neal Casal, 50, American musician (Ryan Adams & the Cardinals, Blackfoot, Chris Robinson Brotherhood), suicide.
[25 Aug 2019] Clora Bryant, 92, American jazz trumpeter (International Sweethearts of Rhythm), heart attack.
[19 Aug 2019] Larry Taylor, 77, American bass guitarist (Canned Heat).
[16 Aug 2019] Peter Fonda, 79, American actor and screenwriter (Easy Rider, Ulee’s Gold, 3:10 to Yuma), lung cancer.
[15 Aug 2019] Claire Cloninger, 77, American Christian songwriter and author.
[13 Aug 2019] Kip Addotta, 75, American comedian (“Wet Dream”).
[11 Aug 2019] Jim Cullum Jr., 77, American jazz cornetist, broadcaster (Riverwalk Jazz) and music preservationist
[07 Aug 2019] David Berman, 52, American singer-songwriter (Silver Jews, Purple Mountains) and poet (Actual Air), suicide by hanging.
[05 Aug 2019] Lizzie Grey, 60, American rock musician (London, Spiders & Snakes), complications from Lewy body disease.
[04 Aug 2019] Bob Wilber, 91, American jazz clarinetist and bandleader.
[03 Aug 2019] Damien Lovelock, 65, Australian musician (The Celibate Rifles), cancer.
[03 Aug 2019] Katreese Barnes, 56, American musician (Juicy), musical director (Saturday Night Live) and songwriter (“Dick in a Box“), Emmy Award winner (2007), breast cancer.
[01 Aug 2019] Ian Gibbons, 67, English keyboardist (The Kinks), bladder cancer.
[22 Jul 2019] Art Neville, 81, American singer-songwriter and keyboardist (The Meters, The Neville Brothers).
[21 Jul 2019] Ben Johnston, 93, American microtonal composer.
[18 Jul 2019] Bob Frank, 75, American singer-songwriter.
[16 Jul 2019] Pat Kelly, 74, Jamaican rocksteady and reggae singer, complications of kidney disease.
[16 Jul 2019] Bill Vitt, American drummer.
[12 Jul 2019] Russell Smith, 70, American singer-songwriter (Amazing Rhythm Aces), cancer.
[12 Jul 2019] Arno Marsh, 91, American jazz saxophonist.
[10 Jul 2019] Jerry Lawson, 75, American a cappella singer (The Persuasions), Guillain–Barré syndrome.
[06 Jul 2019] João Gilberto, 88, Brazilian singer-songwriter and guitarist, pioneer of bossa nova music style.
[29 Jun 2019] Gary Duncan, 72, American rock guitarist (Quicksilver Messenger Service), complications from a seizure.
[24 Jun 2019] Jeff Austin, 45, American mandolinist and singer (Yonder Mountain String Band).
[23 Jun 2019] Dave Bartholomew, 100, American Hall of Fame musician, bandleader and songwriter (“Ain’t That a Shame“, “I Hear You Knocking“, “I’m Walkin’“), heart failure.
[22 Jun 2019] Jerry Carrigan, 75, American rock drummer (Elvis Presley, John Denver, Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section).
[16 Jun 2019] Bishop Bullwinkle, 70, American singer (“Hell to the Naw Naw“) and comedian, heart attack.
[16 Jun 2019] Adam Litovitz, 36, Canadian musician and composer (Year of the Carnivore, Octavio Is Dead!).
[10 Jun 2019] Paul Sinegal, 75, American zydeco and blues guitarist and singer.
[06 June 2019] Dr. John, 77, American Hall of Fame singer-songwriter (“I Walk on Guilded Splinters“, “Right Place, Wrong Time“), heart attack.
[31 May 2021] Roky Erickson, 71, American singer-songwriter (The 13th Floor Elevators).
[30 May 2019] Leon Redbone, 69, Cypriot-American singer-songwriter and actor (Elf), complications from dementia.
[29 May 2019] Tony Glover, 79, American blues harmonicist (Koerner, Ray & Glover)
[15 May 2019] Huelyn Duvall, 79, American rockabilly musician.
[14 May 2019] Mike Wilhelm, 77, American musician (The Charlatans, Flamin’ Groovies), cancer.
[14 May 2019] Leon Rausch, 91, American singer (The Texas Playboys).
[13 May 2019] Doris Day, 97, American actress (Pillow Talk, Calamity Jane), singer (“Que Sera, Sera“) and animal welfare activist, Golden Globe winner (1958, 1960, 1963, 1989), pneumonia.
[11 May 2019] Sol Yaged, 96, American jazz clarinetist.
[09 May 2019] Preston Epps, 88, American musician.
[04 May 2019] J. R. Cobb, 75, American musician (Atlanta Rhythm Section, Classics IV), heart attack.
[02 May 2019] Susan Beschta, 67, American punk rock musician and judge, brain cancer.
[02 May 2019] John Starling, 79, American bluegrass musician (The Seldom Scene), Grammy winner (1992), heart failure.
[30 Apr 2019] Boon Gould, 64, English musician (Level 42).
[28 Apr 2019] Jah Stitch, 69, Jamaican reggae singer.
[27 Apr 2019] Jack de Mello, 102, American composer.
[22 Apr 2019] Dave Samuels, 70, American percussionist (Spyro Gyra).
[18 Mar 2019] Eddie Tigner, 92, American blues keyboardist, singer and songwriter.
[17 Apr 2019] Frederick Hemke, 83, American saxophonist.
[16 Apr 2019] Kent Harris, 88, American songwriter (“Shoppin’ for Clothes“) and record producer, cancer.
[13 Apr 2019] Paul Raymond, 73, English keyboardist and guitarist (Plastic Penny, UFO, Savoy Brown), heart attack.
[10 Arp 2019] Earl Thomas Conley, 77, American country music singer-songwriter (“Holding Her and Loving You“), cerebral atrophy.
[06 Apr 2019] Jim Glaser, 82, American country music artist (“You’re Gettin’ to Me Again“), heart attack.
[02 Apr 2019] Kim English, 48, American house and gospel singer-songwriter, kidney failure.
[02 Apr 2019] Rick Elias, 64, American musician (A Ragamuffin Band), brain cancer
[31 Mar 2019] Nipsey Hussle, 33, American rapper (“Last Time That I Checc’d“, “Racks in the Middle“), shot.
[30 Mar 2019] Geoff Harvey, 83, Australian musician and music director (The Mike Walsh Show, Midday).
[29 Mar 2019] Joshua Hecht, 91, American operatic bass.
[29 Mar 2019] Margaret Lewis, 79, American singer-songwriter (“The Girl Most Likely“, “Reconsider Me“), pneumonia.
[28 Mar 2019] Maury Laws, 95, American television and film composer (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, The Little Drummer Boy).
[27 Mar 2019] Stephen Fitzpatrick, 24, English musician, guitarist and vocalist for indie rock band Her’s (2015–2019), traffic collision.
[26 Mar 2019] Ranking Roger, 56, British singer (The Beat, General Public), cancer.
[24 Mar 2019] Joe Harvard, 60, American musician, liver cancer.
[22 Mar 2019] Scott Walker, 76, American-born British singer-songwriter (The Walker Brothers), composer and record producer.
[21 Mar 2019] Doris Duke, 77, American soul and gospel singer.
[17 Mar 2019] Andre Williams, 82, American R&B singer and songwriter (“Shake a Tail Feather“), colon cancer.
[16 Mar 2019] David White, 79, American singer-songwriter (Danny & the Juniors, The Spokesmen).
[16 Mar 2019] Dick Dale, 81, American guitarist and surf music pioneer (“Let’s Go Trippin’“, “Misirlou“), heart failure.
[12 Mar 2019] John Kilzer, 62, American singer and songwriter, suicide by hanging.
[12 Mar 2019] Jim Beatty, 84, American jazz musician.
[11 Mar 2019] Danny Kustow, 63, English rock guitarist (Tom Robinson Band), pneumonia and liver infection.
[11 Mar 2019] Hal Blaine, 90, American Hall of Fame drummer (The Wrecking Crew).
[10 Mar 2019] Charlie Karp, 65, American musician, songwriter and Emmy-winning documentarian.
[09 Feb 2019] Francesca Sundsten, 59, American bassist (The Beakers) and artist, lymphoma.
[08 Mar 2019] Frankie Smith, 65–66, American funk and R&B musician (“Double Dutch Bus”).
[08 Mar 2019] Eddie Taylor Jr., 46, American blues singer and guitarist, heart failure.
[06 Mar 2019] James Dapogny, 78, American jazz musicologist and pianist.
[04 Mar 2019] Keith Flint, 49, English singer (The Prodigy), suicide by hanging.
[02 Mar 2019] Al Hazan, 84, American pianist (B. Bumble and the Stingers), songwriter and record producer.
[01 Mar 2019] Paul Williams, 78, English singer (Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band, Juicy Lucy, Allan Holdsworth).
[28 Feb 2019] Ed Bickert, 86, Canadian jazz guitarist.
[28 Feb 2019] André Previn, 89, German-born American composer (Gigi, Elmer Gantry) and conductor (My Fair Lady), Oscar winner (1959, 1960, 1964, 1965).
[27 Feb 2019] Doug Sandom, 89, English drummer (The Who).
[26 Feb 2019] Andy Anderson, 68, English rock drummer (The Cure, The Glove, Steve Hillage), cancer.
[25 Feb 2019] Mark Hollis, 64, English singer-songwriter (Talk Talk).
[24 Feb 2019] Mac Wiseman, 93, American bluegrass musician (Foggy Mountain Boys).
[23 Feb 2019] Johnnie Lovesin, 69, Canadian rock musician.
[21 Feb 2019] Gus Backus, 81, American singer (The Del-Vikings).
[21 Feb 2019] Peter Tork, 77, American musician and actor (The Monkees), complications of adenoid cystic carcinoma.
[21 Feb 2019] Jackie Shane, 78, American singer.
[20 Feb 2019] Fred Foster, 87, American Hall of Fame record producer (“Only the Lonely“, “Oh, Pretty Woman“) and songwriter (“Me and Bobby McGee“).
[19 Feb 2019] Artie Wayne, 77, American musician, songwriter and record producer.
[17 Feb 2019] Ethel Ennis, 86, American jazz singer, stroke.
[15 Feb 2019] Kofi Burbridge, 57, American rock multi-instrumentalist (Tedeschi Trucks Band, The Derek Trucks Band, Aquarium Rescue Unit), heart attack.
[13 Feb 2019] Connie Jones, 84, American jazz trumpeter.
[11 Feb 2019] Harvey Scales, 78, American soul singer and songwriter (“Disco Lady“, “Love-Itis“), kidney failure and pneumonia.
[07 Feb 2019] Randy Nauert, 74, American surf rock musician (The Bel-Airs, The Challengers), heart attack.
[07 Feb 2019] Bill Spence, 78, American hammered dulcimer player.
[02 Feb 2019] Bill Sims, 69, American blues pianist.
[31 Jan 2019] Harold Bradley, 93, American Hall of Fame country musician.
[29 Jan 2019] James Ingram, 66, American R&B singer-songwriter (“Baby, Come to Me“, “I Don’t Have the Heart“, “Yah Mo B There“), Grammy winner (1982, 1985), brain cancer.
[29 Jan 2019] Elaine Bonazzi, 89, American opera singer.
[29 Jan 2019] Sanford Sylvan, 65, American baritone, heart attack.
[28 Jan 2019] Paul Whaley, 72, American drummer (The Oxford Circle, Blue Cheer), heart failure.
[25 Jan 2019] Jacqueline Steiner, 94, American folk singer-songwriter (“M.T.A.”) and social activist.
[25 Jan 2019] Bruce Corbitt, 56, American musician (Rigor Mortis, Warbeast), esophageal cancer.
[21 Jan 2019] Mike Ledbetter, 33, American blues musician, complications from epilepsy.
[21 Jan 2019] Edwin Birdsong, 77, American funk keyboardist.
[21 Jan 2019] Maxine Brown, 87, American country singer (The Browns), complications of heart and kidney disease.
[19 Jan 2019] Ted McKenna, 68, Scottish drummer (The Sensational Alex Harvey Band), haemorrhage during hernia surgery.
[17 Jan 2019] Reggie Young, 82, American musician (The Memphis Boys).
[17 Jan 2019] Tara Simmons, 34, Australian musician, breast cancer.
[16 Jan 2019] Lorna Doom, 61, American punk rock bassist (Germs), breast cancer.
[15 Jan 2019] Carol Channing, 97, American Hall of Fame actress (Hello, Dolly!, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Thoroughly Modern Millie), singer and dancer, Tony winner (1964).
[13 Jan 2019] Willie Murphy, 75, American blues musician (Running, Jumping, Standing Still), pneumonia.
[12 Jan 2019] Bonnie Guitar, 95, American country musician (“Dark Moon“).
[12 Jan 2019] Sanger D. Shafer, 84, American country songwriter (“All My Ex’s Live in Texas“, “Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind“).
[10 Jan 2019] Kevin Fret, 25, Puerto Rican musician, shot.
[07 Jan 2019] Clydie King, 75, American singer.
[05 Jan 2019] Alvin Fielder, 83, American jazz drummer, complications from heart failure and pneumonia.
[05 Jan 2019] Eric Haydock, 75, British Hall of Fame bassist (The Hollies).
[03 Jan 2019] Steve Ripley, 69, American musician (The Tractors), cancer.
[02 Jan 2019] Daryl Dragon, 76, American musician and songwriter (Captain & Tennille, The Beach Boys), renal failure.
[01 Jan 2019] Kris Kelmi, 63, Russian singer-songwriter (Autograph), heart attack.
[01 Jan 2019] Pegi Young, 66, American educator, philanthropist, and singer-songwriter, cancer.