
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 from musicians who’ve naturally passed away from old age, fresh hip-hop from rappers who’ve been shot, and every particular genre and decade.
Some notable losses in 2020 include Rush’s Neil Peart, “Barefootin'” R&B singer Robert Parker, The Kingston Trio’s Bob Shane, Funkadelic’s “Maggot Brain” guitarist Harold Beane, Head East guitarist Mike Somerville, Kenny Rogers, Bill Withers, John Prine, Was Not Was singer Sweet Pea Atkinson, Kraftwerk keyboardist Florian Schneider, Bad Company singer Brian Howe, Little Richard, Bonnie Pointer, Charlie Daniels, Fleetwood Mac guitarist/founder Peter Green, Toots Hibbert of Toots and the Maytals, Helen Reddy, Mac Davis, Eddie Van Halen, “I Can See Clearly Now” singer Johnny Nash, singer Tony Lewis of The Outfield, Spencer Davis, country crooners Jerry Jeff Walker, Charley Pride, and K.T. Oslin.
The musicians are listed in descending order (most recent to die) here and in ascending order on the Spotify playlist (to listen to the year’s musicians in order).
December 2020
[29 Dec 2020] Claude Bolling (French pianist and big band leader), 90
[25 Dec 2020] Tony Rice (American bluegrass guitarist), 69
[23 Dec 2020] John “Ecstasy” Fletcher (American rapper with Whodini), 56
[23 Dec 2020] Leslie West (American singer and guitarist for Mountain), 75, heart attack
[21 Dec 2020] K. T. Oslin (American country singer-songwriter), 78, Parkinson’s disease/COVID-19
[20 Dec 2020] Chad Stuart (English singer and musician for Chad & Jeremy), 79, pneumonia
[17 Dec 2020] Jeff Clayton (American jazz saxophonist), 66, complications from kidney cancer
[16 Dec 2020] Carl Mann (American rockabilly singer), 78
[15 Dec 2020] Albert Griffiths (Jamaican reggae musician for The Gladiators), 74
[15 Dec 2020] Sam Jayne (American rock musician for Love as Laughter), 46
[12 Dec 2020] Charley Pride (American Country Hall of Fame singer), 86, COVID-19
[10 Dec 2020] Joseph “Mojo” Morganfield (American blues singer), 56
[09 Dec 2020] Jason Slater (American rock bassist for Third Eye Blind), 49, liver failure
[07 Dec 2020] LD Beghtol (American musician for Flare Acoustic Arts League, the Magnetic Fields), 55
[06 Dec 2020] Eric Pacheco (American bass guitarist for Babylon A.D.), 53
November 2020
[26 Nov 2020] Herman Green (American jazz and blues saxophonist), 90
[23 Nov 2020] i_o (American techno DJ), 30
[23 Nov 2020] Hal Ketchum (American country singer-songwriter), 67, dementia
[18 Nov 2020] Dominic Grant (British pop singer for Guys ‘n’ Dolls), 71, abdominal aortic aneurysm
[18 Nov 2020] Tony Hooper (English guitarist for Strawbs), 81
[13 Nov 2020] Doug Supernaw (American country musician), 60, lung and bladder cancer
[11 Nov 2020] Mo3 (American rapper), 28, shot
[10 Nov 2020] Alec Baillie (American bassist for Leftöver Crack)
[08 Nov 2020] Alex Trebek (Canadian game show host), 80, pancreatic cancer
[07 Nov 2020] Bones Hillman (New Zealand musician for Midnight Oil), 62, cancer
[06 Nov 2020] King Von (American rapper), 26, shot
[05 Nov 2020] Len Barry (American singer for The Dovells), 78
[04 Nov 2020] Ken Hensley (English singer-songwriter for Uriah Heep), 75
[01 Nov 2020] Nikki McKibbin (American singer-songwriter), 42, cancer
[01 Nov 2020] Ronnie Peel (Australian guitarist and singer for Thunderclap Newman, The La De Da’s), 74
October 2020
[31 Oct 2020] MF DOOM (British rapper), 49
[31 Oct 2020] Sean Connery (Scottish actor), 90
[28 Oct 2020] Billy Joe Shaver (American country musician), 81, stroke
[23 Oct 2020] Jerry Jeff Walker (American singer-songwriter), 78, throat cancer
[22 Oct 2020] Margie Bowes (American country music singer for Grand Ole Opry), 79
[19 Oct 2020] Spencer Davis (Welsh singer and guitarist for The Spencer Davis Group), 81, pneumonia
[19 Oct 2020] Tony Lewis (English bassist, singer and songwriter for The Outfield), 62
[18 Oct 2020] Chet “JR” White (American bassist for Girls), 40
[16 Oct 2020] Johnny Bush (American country singer-songwriter), 85
[16 Oct 2020] Gordon Haskell (English singer-songwriter and musician for King Crimson), 74
[15 Oct 2020] Dave Munden (English drummer and singer for The Tremeloes), 76, respiratory infection
[13 Oct 2020] Saint Dog (American rapper for Kottonmouth Kings), 44
[08 Oct 2020] Brian Locking (English rock bass guitarist for The Shadows), 81, bladder cancer
[06 Oct 2020] Johnny Nash (American singer-songwriter), 80
[06 Oct 2020] Eddie Van Halen (American guitarist)
[02 Oct 2020] Cookie Monsta (American dubstep DJ), 31
September 2020
[29 Sep 2020] Mac Davis (American country singer), 78
[29 Sep 2020] Helen Reddy (Australian-American singer), 78
[23 Sep 2020] W. S. Holland (American drummer for The Tennessee Three), 85
[21 Sep 2020] Tommy DeVito (American musician and singer for The Four Seasons), 92, COVID-19
[21 Sep 2020] Roy Head (American singer), 79
[19 Sep 2020] Dave Kusworth (English musician for Jacobites), 60
[18 Sep 2020] Pamela Hutchinson (American singer for The Emotions), 61
[16 Sep 2020] Roy C (American southern soul singer-songwriter), 81
[14 Sep 2020] Al Kasha (American songwriter), 83
[14 Sep 2020] Peter Starkie (Australian rock guitarist for Skyhooks), 72, fall
[12 Sep 2020] Edna Wright (American R&B singer for Honey Cone), 76
[11 Sep 2020] Toots Hibbert (Jamaican singer for Toots and the Maytals), 77, Coronavirus
[09 Sep 2020] Ronald Bell (American saxophonist for Kool & the Gang), 68
[08 Sep 2020] Simeon Coxe (American musician for Silver Apples), 82
[06 Sep 2020] Bruce Williamson (American singer for The Temptations), 49, Coronavirus
[04 Sep 2020] Gary Peacock (American jazz double-bassist for Gary Peacock Trio), 85
[04 Sep 2020] Lucille Starr (Canadian singer), 82
[01 Sep 2020] Ian Mitchell (Irish bassist for Bay City Rollers), 62
[01 Sep 2020] Erick Morillo (American DJ for Reel 2 Real, music producer and record label owner), 49
August 2020
[31 Aug 2020] Mark Colby (American saxophonist), 71, cancer
[31 Aug 2020] John Meyer ( Australian slide guitarist for Rose Tattoo), 67
[27 Aug 2020] Mike Noga (Australian rock multi-instrumentalist for The Drones), 43
[25 Aug 2020] Gerry McGhee (Scottish singer for Brighton Rock), 58, cancer
[25 Aug 2020] Steve Sample Sr (American bandleader and arranger for Million Dollar Band), 90
[24 Aug 2020] Riley Gale (American trash metal singer for Power Trip), 34
[23 Aug 2020] Charli Persip (American jazz drummer), 91
[22 Aug 2020] Walter Lure (American guitarist for The Heartbreakers), 71, lung and liver cancer
[22 Aug 2020] D.J. Rogers (American soul singer and producer), 72
[20 Aug 2020] Justin Townes Earle (American singer-songwriter), 38
[20 Aug 2020] Frankie Banali (American drummer for Quiet Riot), 68, pancreatic cancer
[19 Aug 2020] Todd Nance (American drummer for Widespread Panic), 57
[19 Aug 2020] Lou Ragland (American R&B singer for Ink Spots), 78
[18 Aug 2020] Steve Gulley (American bluegrass singer-songwriter), 57, pancreatic cancer
[18 Aug 2020] Sean Pentecost (Australian metal drummer for Superheist)
[18 Aug 2020] Roger Quigley (English singer and songwriter), 51
[18 Aug 2020] Jack Sherman (American guitarist for Red Hot Chili Peppers), 64
[14 Aug 2020] Pete Way English rock bass guitarist for UFO), 69, injuries sustained in accident
[11 Aug 2020] Trini Lopez (American singer), 83, Coronavirus
[08 Aug 2020] Salome Bey (American-born Canadian singer), 86
[06 Aug 2020] Wayne Fontana (English singer for The Mindbenders), 74, cancer
[06 Aug 2020] Vern Rumsey (American recording engineer and bassist for Unwound, Fitz of Depression), 47
[05 Aug 2020] Jan Savage (American guitarist for The Seeds), 77
[04 Aug 2020] Tony Costanza (American metal drummer for Machine Head), 52
[04 Aug 2020] FBG Duck (American rapper), 26, shot
[02 Aug 2020] Leon Fleisher (American pianist), 92, cancer
[02 Aug 2020] Steve Holland (American guitarist for Molly Hatchet), 66
[01 Aug 2020] Wilford Brimley (American actor and singer), 85
July 2020
[29 Jul 2020] Malik B (American rapper for The Roots), 47
[27 Jul 2020] Denise Johnson (English singer for Primal Scream), 56
[25 Jul 2020] Peter Green (English rock singer-songwriter and guitarist for Fleetwood Mac), 73
[24 Jul 2020] Regis Philbin (American singer, entertainer and television personality), 88, heart attack
[21 Jul 2020] Annie Ross (British-American jazz singer and songwriter for Lambert, Hendricks & Ross), 89, emphysema and heart disease
[18 Jul 2020] Martha Flores (Cuban singer), 91, pancreatic cancer
[16 Jul 2020] Ken Chinn (Canadian punk rock vocalist for SNFU), 57
[16 Jul 2020] Jamie Oldaker (American drummer for Eric Clapton), 68
[12 Jul 2020] Rod Bernard (American singer), 79
[12 Jul 2020] Judy Dyble (British singer-songwriter for Fairport Convention), 71, lung cancer
[11 Jul 2020] Lil Marlo (American rapper), 30, shot
[06 Jul 2020] Charlie Daniels (American country singer-songwriter and musician), 83, hemorrhagic stroke
[05 Jul 2020] Cleveland Eaton (American jazz bassist), 80
[03 Jul 2020] J. Marvin Brown (American soul singer for The Softones), 66
June 2020
[29 Jun 2020] Stepa J. Groggs (American rapper for Injury Reserve), 32
[29 Jun 2020] Johnny Mandel (American composer), 94
[29 Jun 2020] Benny Mardones (American singer-songwriter), 73, Parkinson’s disease
[29 Jun 2020] Willie Wright (American soul singer), 80
[27 Jun 2020] Pete Carr (American guitarist for LeBlanc and Carr), 70
[27 Jun 2020] Freddy Cole (American jazz singer and pianist), 88, complications from cardiovascular disease
[27 Jun 2020] Tom Finn (American musician for The Left Banke), 71
[24 Jun 2020] Bris (American rapper), 24, shot
[26 Jun 2020] Charles Lawton Jiles (American songwriter and musician for Buck Owens), 90
[19 Jun 2020] Tray Savage (American rapper), 26, shot
[18 Jun 2020] Hux Brown (Jamaican guitarist for Toots and the Maytals), 75
[18 Jun 2020] Vera Lynn (British singer), 103
[14 Jun 2020] Keith Tippett (British jazz pianist for King Crimson), 72
[12 Jun 2020] Ricky Valance (Welsh singer), 84, dementia
[09 Jun 2020] Paul Chapman (Welsh rock guitarist for UFO), 66
[08 Jun 2020] Bonnie Pointer (American singer for The Pointer Sisters), 69, cardiac arrest
[07 Jun 2020] Frank Bey (American blues singer), 74
[05 Jun 2020] Rupert Hine (English musician for Quantum Jump), 72, cancer
[04 Jun 2020] Steve Priest (British bassist and singer for The Sweet), 72
[01 Jun 2020] Joey Image (American drummer for Misfits), 63, liver cancer
May 2020
[25 May 2020] George Floyd aka Big Floyd (African-American security guard and former rapper for Screwed Up Click), 46, killed by police during an arrest
[24 May 2020] Al Rex (American bassist for Bill Haley & His Comets), 91
[22 May 2020] KJ Balla (American rapper), 23, shot
[22 May 2020] Steve Hanford (American punk rock drummer for Poison Idea), 50, heart attack
[22 May 2020] Mory Kanté (Guinean singer and kora player), 70
[17 May 2020] Sean Tyla (English singer-songwriter and musician for Ducks Deluxe), 73
[17 May 2020] Lucky Peterson (American blues singer and musician), 55
[16 May 2020] Donn Trenner (American jazz pianist), 93
[15 May 2020] Fred Willard (American comedian), 86
[15 May 2020] Phil May (English singer for The Pretty Things), 75, hip surgery
[14 May 2020] Joey Giambra (American jazz musician, playwright and actor), 86, Coronavirus
[14 May 2020] Jorge Santana (Mexican guitarist for Malo, Santana), 68
[13 May 2020] Yoshio (Mexican singer), 70, Coronavirus
[12 May 2020] Renée Claude (Canadian actress and singer), 80, Coronavirus
[11 May 2020] Jean Nichol (Canadian singer), 75, cancer
[10 May 2020] Betty Wright (American soul and R&B singer), 66
[09 May 2020] Little Richard (American rock and roll pianist and singer), 87, bone cancer
[07 May 2020] İbrahim Gökçek (Turkish bass player for Grup Yorum), 41, suicide by starvation
[06 May 2020] Brian Howe (English rock singer for Bad Company), 66, heart attack
[06 May 2020] Florian Schneider (German electronic musician for Kraftwerk), 73, cancer
[05 May 2020] Sweet Pea Atkinson (American singer for Was (Not Was)), 74, heart attack
[05 May 2020] Kiing Shooter (American rapper), 24, Coronavirus
[05 May 2020] Alfred “Uganda” Roberts (American percussionist for Professor Longhair), 77, lung cancer
[03 May 2020] Dave Greenfield (English keyboardist for The Stranglers), 71, Coronavirus
[03 May 2020] Bob Lander (Swedish rock musician for The Spotnicks), 78
[02 May 2020] Cady Groves (American singer-songwriter), 30
[02 May 2020] Richie Cole (American jazz saxophonist), 72
April 2020
[29 Apr 2020] Stezo (American rapper), 51, heart complications
[28 Apr 2020] McKenzie Bell (American guitarist for He Is Legend), 24
[28 Apr 2020] Bobby Lewis (American singer), 95
[27 Apr 2020] Troy Sneed (American gospel singer), 52, Coronavirus
[27 Apr 2020] Scott Taylor (British guitarist for Then Jerico), 58, brain tumor
[27 Apr 2020] Young Jessie (American R&B singer for The Flairs, The Coasters), 83
[26 Apr 2020] Big Al Carson (American blues singer), 66, heart attack
[24 Apr 2020] Hamilton Bohannon (American percussionist, songwriter and record producer), 78
[24 Apr 2020] Harold Reid (American Country singer and songwriter for The Statler Brothers), 80, kidney failure
[24 Apr 2020] Mike Huckaby (American deep house and trance deejay)
[23 Apr 2020] Fred the Godson (American DJ and rapper), 35, Coronavirus
[22 Apr 2020] Bootsie Barnes (American jazz saxophonist), 82, Coronavirus
[21 Apr 2020] Derek Jones (American rock guitarist for Falling in Reverse), 35
[20 Apr 2020] Ebow Graham (UK rapper for Foreign Beggars), 41
[17 Apr 2020] Matthew Seligman (English new wave bassist for The Soft Boys), 64, Coronavirus
[17 Apr 2020] Giuseppi Logan (American jazz musician), 84, Coronavirus
[17 Apr 2020] Henry Grimes (American jazz musician), 84
[15 Apr 2020] Eddie Cooley (American songwriter and singer for Eddie Cooley & the Dimples), 87
[15 Apr 2020] Gary McSpadden (American gospel singer for Oak Ridge Boys), 77, pancreatic cancer
[10 Apr 2020] Jymie Merritt (American jazz bassist for The Jazz Messengers), 93, liver cancer
[10 Apr 2020] Big George Brock (American blues musician), 87
[09 Apr 2020] Richard Teitelbaum (American electronic music composer), 80, stroke
[08 Apr 2020] Chynna Rogers (American rap artist), 25, drug overdose
[07 Apr 2020] Steve Farmer (American songwriter and musician for The Amboy Dukes), 71
[07 Apr 2020] Eddy Davis (American jazz musician for Woody Allen), 80, Coronavirus
[07 Apr 2020] John Prine (American singer-songwriter), 73, Coronavirus
[06 Apr 2020] Black the Ripper (British MC and rapper), 32
[04 Apr 2020] Alex Harvey (American singer and songwriter), 73
[03 Apr 2020] Tweedy Bird Loc (American rapper), 52
[03 Apr 2020] Vaughan Mason (American music producer and songwriter for Vaughan Mason & Crew), 69
[01 Apr 2020] Bucky Pizzarelli (American jazz guitarist), 94, Coronavirus
[01 Apr 2020] Adam Schlesinger (American musician for Fountains of Wayne), 52, Coronavirus
[01 Apr 2020] Cristina (American singer), 61, Coronavirus
March 2020
[31 Mar 2020] Wallace Roney (American jazz trumpeter), 59, Coronavirus
[30 Mar 2020] Bill Withers (American singer-songwriter), 81, heart disease
[29 Mar 2020] Joe Diffie (American country music singer-songwriter), 61, Coronavirus
[29 Mar 2020] Alan Merrill (American musician for Arrows), 69, Coronavirus
[28 Mar 2020] Jan Howard (American country singer and songwriter), 91
[27 Mar 2020] Bob Andy (Jamaican reggae singer for The Paragons), 75
[27 Mar 2020] Delroy Washington (British-Jamaican reggae singer), 67
[25 Mar 2020] Landon Spradlin (American musician), 66, Coronavirus
[24 Mar 2020] Bill Rieflin (American rock drummer for King Crimson, Ministry, R.E.M.), 59, cancer
[23 Mar 2020] Tres Warren (American singer and guitarist for Psychic Ills), 41
[22 Mar 2020] Mike Longo (American jazz pianist), 83, Coronavirus
[22 Mar 2020] Eric Weissberg (American folk musician), 80, Alzheimer’s disease
[20 Mar 2020] Kenny Rogers (American singer and songwriter), 81
[20 Mar 2020] Jerry Slick (American rock drummer for The Great Society), 80
[19 Mar 2020] Black N Mild (American bounce music deejay), 44, Coronavirus
[16 Mar 2020] Jason Rainey (American guitarist for Sacred Reich), 53
[14 Mar 2020] Genesis P-Orridge (British musician for Psychic TV), 70, leukemia
[09 Mar 2020] Doug Rice (American musician), 72
[09 Mar 2020] Eric Taylor (American folk singer-songwriter), 70
[07 Mar 2020] Charlie Baty (American blues guitarist for Little Charlie & the Nightcats), 66
[06 Mar 2020] McCoy Tyner (American jazz pianist), 81
[04 Mar 2020] Barbara Martin (American singer for The Supremes), 76
February 2020
[28 Feb 2020] Mike Somerville (American rock guitarist for Head East), 67
[26 Feb 2020] Nick Apollo Forte (American musician and actor), 81
[26 Feb 2020] Ray Abshire (American accordionist for Balfa Brothers), 68
[25 Feb 2020] David Roback (American guitarist and and songwriter for Mazzy Star), 61
[19 Feb 2020] Pop Smoke (American rapper), 20, shot
[17 Feb 2020] Henry Gray (American Hall of Fame blues pianist and singer), 95
[17 Feb 2020] Andrew Weatherall (English music producer, disc jockey and musician for The Sabres of Paradise), 56, pulmonary embolism
[15 Feb 2020] Cavan Grogan (Welsh rock and roll singer for Crazy Cavan and the Rhythm Rockers), 70
[14 Feb 2020] Daniel Lee Martin (American country singer), 54, suicide
[13 Feb 2020] Scott Sessions (American musician for The Movers & Shakers), 53, murdered
[13 Feb 2020] Jacob Thiele (American rock keyboardist for The Faint), 40
[12 Feb 2020] Paul English (American drummer for Willie Nelson), 87, pneumonia
[11 Feb 2020] Joseph Shabalala (South African musician for Ladysmith Black Mambazo), 78
[10 Feb 2020] Lyle Mays (American jazz pianist and composer for Pat Metheny Group), 66
[08 Feb 2020] Robert Conrad (American actor and recording artist), 84, heart failure
[07 Feb 2020] Steve Weber (American guitarist for Holy Modal Rounders), 76
[06 Feb 2020] Diego Farias (American metal guitarist for Volumes), 27
[05 Feb 2020] Kirk Douglas (American actor and one-time singer), 103
[04 Feb 2020] Buddy Cage (American pedal steel guitarist for New Riders of the Purple Sage), 73, multiple myeloma
[04 Feb 2020] Andrew Brough (New Zealand musician for Straitjacket Fits)
[02 Feb 2020] Mario Vigil (American musician and producer for Ruben Ramos and the Mexican Revolution), colon cancer
[01 Feb 2020] Josh Pappe (American bassist for Dirty Rotten Imbeciles), 53
[01 Feb 2020] Harold Beane (American guitarist for Funkadelic), 73
[01 Feb 2020] Andy Gill (English guitarist and founder of Gang of Four), 64, respiratory illness
January 2020
[28 Jan 2020] Bob Nave (American jazz radio host and keyboardist for The Lemon Pipers)
[28 Jan 2020] Toni Smith (American R&B singer for The Crystals)
[27 Jan 2020] Reed Mullin (American rock drummer for Corrosion of Conformity), 53
[26 Jan 2020] Bob Shane (American singer and guitarist for The Kingston Trio), 85, pneumonia
[24 Jan 2020] Joe Payne (American heavy metal bassist and guitarist for Divine Heresy), 35
[19 Jan 2020] Robert Parker (American R&B singer), 89
[19 Jan 2020] Jimmy Heath (American jazz saxophonist for Heath Brothers), 93
[18 Jan 2020] David Olney (American singer-songwriter), 71, heart attack
[18 Jan 2020] Steve Fataar (American guitarist for The Flames)
[15 Jan 2020] Chris Darrow (American musician for Kaleidoscope and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band), 75
[14 Jan 2020] Steve Martin Caro (American singer for The Left Banke), 71
[09 Jan 2020] Bobby Comstock (American pop singer), 78
[09 Jan 2020] 5th Ward Weebie (American rapper), 42, complications from heart surgery
[07 Jan 2020] Neil Peart (Canadian Hall of Fame drummer for Rush), 67, glioblastoma
[06 Jan 2020] Martin Griffin (English drummer for Hawkwind)
[03 Jan 2020] Mikey Lawless (British bassist for Falling Red)
[03 Jan 2020] Bo Winberg (Swedish guitarist for The Spotnicks), 80
[02 Jan 2020] Lorraine Chandler (American singer and songwriter)
[01 Jan 2020] Lexii Alijai (American rapper), 21
[01 Jan 2020] Marty Grebb (American musician for The Buckinghams), 74