Musicians Who've Passed Away In 2023

While the legendary outfit Earth, Wind & Fire could be categorized most accurately as an R&B group, their sound has always defied labels. Early '70s hits like "Shining Star," "Sing a Song," and "September" revealed strong traces of jazz and funk running through their tunes, and when the band pivoted to disco in the late '70s, the most prominent result was a little tune titled "Boogie Wonderland," a song which has your butt shaking at this very minute simply from reading the title.

While co-lead vocalists Maurice White and Philip Bailey tended to steal the spotlight, the entire band was legendarily tight. And that all began with the rhythm section — brothers Verdine White on bass and Fred White on drums. According to The New York Times, the pair played on the vast bulk of Earth, Wind & Fire's most recognizable tunes. Unfortunately, Fred passed away at the age of 67 on January 1 — Verdine had the unfortunate task of letting the world know via Instagram of the sad news. In his memoir, "My Life with Earth, Wind & Fire," Maurice White — the half-brother of Verdine and Fred — called the drummer a "brick wall... [with] a rock-solid tempo and a rock-solid feel." Fred White may be gone, but as long as there are parties to be rocked and booties to be shaken, his contributions to music will live on.

Scottish band The Associates isn't necessarily a household name in the United States, unless the members of your household were really into the United Kingdom post-punk scene in the '80s. If they are, then they're bound to recognize that the duo of vocalist Billy Mackenzie and guitarist/keyboardist Alan Rankine were far more influential than their relatively slight discography and cult status might suggest. Just ask the uber-talented Icelandic singer Björk, who didn't hesitate to name The Associates' 1982 sophomore effort "Sulk" as the album everyone should hear before they die, when posed the question by NME in 2018.

The Associates boasted a similarly heavy influence on a slew of post-punk and new wave bands of the '80s, and according to the BBC, said bands all came out to pay tribute to Rankine on social media when he passed away on January 3 at the age of 64. In addition to his work with The Associates, Rankine established Electric Honey Records, a student-run label at Glasgow Kelvin College, where he was a professor; in 1996, the label dropped "Tigermilk," the debut release from the critically acclaimed indie pop outfit Belle and Sebastian.

When you are the daughter of the King of Rock 'n Roll, your life is bound to be an interesting and publicly-lived one. This was certainly true for Lisa Marie Presley, who was born into music royalty, became an heir to her father's vast estate after his 1977 death at only nine years old (per Today), and even took an unsuccessful crack at keeping her royal lineage going with a brief marriage to King of Pop Michael Jackson between 1994 and 1995 (via US Magazine). 

She may have been more well-known for being constantly scrutinized by the tabloids and for her charitable endeavors, of which she had many, per The Guardian — but she inherited her father's love of music, and she was a pretty talented artist in her own right. Presley released three albums during the course of her career: 2003's "To Whom It May Concern," 2005's "Now What," and 2012's "Storm & Grace," with the former two having notched spots in the Billboard Top 10. 

Unfortunately, Presley's final years were marred by tragedy; her son Benjamin Keough, from her pre-Michael Jackson marriage to musician Danny Keough, died by suicide at the age of 27 in 2020 (via US Magazine). Then, in January 2023, Presley went into cardiac arrest at her home and was rushed to the hospital, but she was unable to pull through; she died the evening of January 12 at the age of 54. Per CBS News, her final resting place will be at her father's iconic Graceland estate, next to her son.

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.

Many professional musicians live colorful lives, but David Crosby's was perhaps a bit more colorful than most. A folk-rock pioneer, Crosby has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice — as a member of the Byrds, and as a member of Crosby, Stills, and Nash, both iconic groups that made enormous contributions to popular music in the '60s and '70s. Crosby remained committed to performing for decades, even as his recording career wound down, and as he has openly struggled with addiction and health problems. Throughout it all, his voice — which was so often heard beautifully blending with those of his partners Graham Nash and Stephen Stills — remained strong, as did his opinions on music, politics, and life in general.

In his final interview with Rolling Stone published in February 2023, Crosby confessed to being puzzled as to how he had managed to outlive so many of his peers and also offered some gems of wisdom in response to readers' questions. Queried as to how the "Peace and Love" generation went wrong, he responded, "Well, I've asked myself the same thing. I'm an idealist ... We are trying to evolve as human beings to the point where we don't have ego, and anger, and greed, and lust running our affairs. I don't know if we're going to make it. I believe that we will." Crosby passed away on January 18 at the age 81.

While New York band Television only recorded two albums during their '70s heyday — 1977's "Marquee Moon" and 1978's "Adventure" — the band had an outsized influence on their peers. Although the band is closely identified with legendary Big Apple club CBGB — and the bands whose careers it helped to launch, like Blondie and Talking Heads — its sound was something entirely different, sprawling art-rock delivered with a punk attitude. It was a sound that would exert a heavy influence on such future megastars as R.E.M., Red Hot Chili Peppers, and U2 — and a key piece of its musical puzzle was guitarist and singer Tom Verlaine.

Verlaine's experimental guitar work, unique vocal delivery, and clever lyrics earned the praise of critics and peers alike, but the unclassifiable nature of Television's music and Verlaine's strong anti-commercial leanings combined to ensure that the band would never amass the ginormous following that they probably should have. In a 2006 New York Times interview, when asked to sum up how a biographer would present his life, Verlaine replied, "Struggling not to have a professional career." Indeed, Television reunited for just one additional album, a self-titled 1991 effort, after leaving their indelible mark on countless bands with their '70s work — but they continued to thrill fans with sporadic live performances into the aughts and teens, with even their latter-day performances drawing rave reviews. Verlaine passed away on January 28 at the age of 73.

Although they were founded in 1978, Britpop band Pulp enjoyed next to no commercial success for well over a decade afterwards. Formed by vocalist and lyricist Jarvis Cocker as a teen, the band plowed through members and various styles throughout the '80s, finally settling on a semi-stable lineup that included bassist Steve Mackey. With Mackey aboard, the group cashed in on the Britpop explosion of the mid-'90s, having commercial success with their albums "His 'n' Hers" (1994), "Different Class" (1995), and "This is Hardcore" (1998).

After Pulp disbanded in the early aughts, Mackey dabbled in photography and continued to work as a songwriter, producer, and remixer for the likes of Florence + The Machine and Arcade Fire. Unfortunately, Mackey's intriguing post-Pulp journey ended on March 2, when he passed away from an undisclosed illness. On its official Instagram page, Pulp shared a photo of Mackey hiking in the Andes in 2012. "Steve made things happen. In his life [and] in the band," read the caption. "We'd very much like to think that he's back in those mountains now, on the next stage of his adventure." Mackey was 56 years old.

In another universe, Jim Gordon is remembered for one thing, and one thing only — being one of the most rock-solid, talented drummers to ever sit behind a kit. A student of the great Hal Blaine and a former member of the legendary group of studio musicians known as the Wrecking Crew, Gordon's drums have featured on some of the most iconic recordings of rock's early era. A partial list of songs on which he played includes "Layla" by Derek and the Dominoes (which he co-wrote), "You're So Vain" by Carly Simon, "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" by Steely Dan, and "Apache" by the Incredible Bongo Band; he's worked with the likes of John Lennon, George Harrison, Tom Waits, and Harry Nilsson. Unfortunately, his incredible work ethic and blinding talent masked a terrible secret — he had schizophrenia, and he had been experiencing auditory hallucinations, hearing voices in his head, since his youth.

Speaking with Rolling Stone in 1985, Gordon said, "The voices were chasing me around. Making me drive to different places. Starving me. I was only allowed one bite of food a meal. And, if I disobeyed, the voices would fill me with a rage." Gordon learned to obey those voices without question, and on June 3, 1983, they directed him to do the unthinkable — he attacked and killed his 71-year old mother at her apartment in Hollywood. He was sentenced to 16 years to life in prison, and while he had been eligible for parole several times, he always declined to attend his hearings. Gordon passed away from natural causes at 77 on March 13.

Saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter may not be a household name — unless your household is one that enjoys modern jazz music. In that case, you likely acknowledge him as one of the greats of the genre. He was an expressive instrumentalist, equally yet distinctly adept on tenor and soprano sax with a keen talent for songcraft, who has shared the stage and studio with some of the true jazz titans. As noted by his biography page on the website of the legendary jazz label Blue Note, Shorter as a young man practiced the sax with John Coltrane. Early in his career, he put in time with Art Blakely's Jazz Messengers, becoming that outfit's music director before he was lured away by none other than Miles Davis.

With Davis' quintet, Shorter composed some of the legendary trumpeters' signature tunes, including "Footprints," "Nefertiti," and "Prince of Darkness," in the process becoming a pioneer of jazz fusion. In the '70s, Shorter and pianist Joe Zawinul formed the fusion outfit Weather Report, whose 1977 LP "Heavy Weather" went Platinum in the era of disco. Late in his career, Shorter toured with the likes of the Rolling Stones and Herbie Hancock while also cutting records with his own quartet. His final studio album on Blue Note, "Emanon," was released in 2018. Shorter passed away in Los Angeles on March 2, at the age of 89.

Memphis outfit Saliva dropped its self-titled, self-released debut in 1997, but it took mainstream rock radio a few years to catch up to their brand of rap-infused hard rock. The band — comprised of vocalist Josey Scott, guitarists Wayne Swinny and Chris Dabaldo, bassist Dave Novotny, and drummer Paul Crosby — struck gold, or rather platinum, with their 2001 sophomore effort "Every Six Seconds." That release spawned the hit singles "Your Disease" and "Click Click Boom," earned the band a Grammy nomination, and thrust them into the national spotlight. Their profile was further raised with Scott's collaboration with Nickelback singer Chad Kroeger on the single "Hero" from 2002's "Spider-Man" soundtrack, and a steady stream of hit albums followed.

The band went through a couple of lineup shuffles in its later years, with founding members Dabaldo and Scott leaving the band for other projects in 2005 and 2011, respectively. Their revised lineup continued to record and tour, however — and it was only three dates into their latest outing, in support of three new singles released in 2022, that tragedy struck. On March 22, the band reported via its Facebook that Swinny had died from a spontaneous brain hemorrhage; he was only 59. In a subsequent post, the band announced its intention to release the album they had just completed, "so everyone can hear the new songs that Wayne put his heart and soul into," and to continue with their tour.

You may not know the name John Regan, but if you've ever classic rocked, you've definitely heard him play bass. The ace session and touring musician has rocked out with some absolute legends: the Rolling Stones, Billy Idol, David Bowie, and Peter Frampton have all enlisted his services, and he's played on recordings including Bowie and Mick Jagger's "Dancing in the Street" and three solo albums by KISS guitarist Ace Frehley. In 2016, he played on the debut effort from his own band, Four By Fate — but unfortunately, that proved to be the band's only release.

On April 7, Regan's friend Don Presutti posted a message to Facebook shared with him by the bassist's wife Cathy Merran-Regan, disclosing that her husband had passed away that afternoon; he was 71 years old. In his memory, she posted one of his favorite quotes: "All that you can take with you is that which you've given away." On Twitter, Frampton remembered his friend in a moving series of posts. "There might only be a handful, if that, of people who come into your world and truly enrich your life," he wrote. "I have lost one of my closest buddies. He certainly enriched my life because of the person and the great player he was. John Regan was the best of us."

There are wildly successful, genre-transcending artists, and then there is Harry Belafonte, whose title "King of Calypso" barely scratches the surface of his legendary career. Sure, the tag certainly fits: his 1956 album "Calypso" single-handedly popularized the genre, spent an unbelievable 31 weeks atop the Billboard chart, and became the first album in history by a solo artist to sell a million copies. 

But Belafonte was a man of many talents and interests: He is an EGOT winner who enjoyed a decades-spanning career not only as a recording artist, but on the stage, screen, and television. He is a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, the mastermind behind one of the biggest charity singles of all time ("We Are the World" by USA for Africa), and the producer of a feature film (1984's "Beat Street") which helped introduce the world at large to hip-hop. He was also a tireless humanitarian and activist, whose achievements and accolades in that respect are far too numerous to list here.

His was a life well-lived, and on April 25, it came to an end at the age of 96. In his 2011 memoir "My Song," Belafonte summed up his own legacy and philosophy with characteristic eloquence. "Artists are truly empowered, as they were generations before, with the gift to make a difference. ... I expect that the rest of my life will be spent in this pursuit." Indeed it was.

Canadian singer and songwriter Gordon Lightfoot was one of the most distinctive voices of his generation. With his earthy, unique vocal timbre and penchant for insightful, personal lyricism, Lightfoot became one of the premier solo recording artists of the '70s. He scored Top 10 hits with the intimate, literary classic tunes "Sundown," "If You Could Read My Mind," and "Carefree Highway" — and also with the unlikely smash "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," an epic, 14-verse recounting of one the most famous maritime disasters of the decade. In the song, arguably his magnum opus, Lightfoot describes how the November 10, 1975, shipwreck claimed the lives of all 29 men aboard "when the gales of November came early" on Lake Superior. The song spent a whopping 21 weeks on the Billboard chart, peaking at No. 2.

Lightfoot continued to perform up until his final days, and on April 11, he was forced to cancel a planned U.S. and Canadian tour. Less than a month later, on May 1, Lightfoot died in a Toronto hospital at the age of 84. In a tweet, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed the sentiments of his countrymen and all of Lightfoot's loyal fans, writing, "We have lost one of our greatest singer-songwriters. Gordon Lightfoot captured our country's spirit in his music — and in doing so, he helped shape Canada's soundscape. May his music continue to inspire future generations, and may his legacy live on forever."

British singer, songwriter, lyricist, and poet Pete Brown may not have exactly been a household name — but the chances are very good that some of his lyrics are etched into your brain if you're a fan of classic rock in general, and the legendary supergroup Cream in particular. When that band was founded in the mid-'60s, Brown — a Beat poet who had made a name for himself on that scene earlier in the decade — caught the attention of drummer Ginger Baker with his work in jazz guitarist John McLaughlin's First Real Poetry Band. Baker enlisted Brown to contribute lyrics to what would become Cream's first studio album, "Fresh Cream" — and contribute he did, first penning the hit single "I Feel Free," before going on to author a number of Cream's most iconic tunes. "Sunshine of Your Love," "Deserted Cities of the Heart," "Politician," and perhaps the band's signature tune, "White Room," were all Brown's handiwork — making him the unsung hero of one of the biggest and most influential bands of the '60s.

Brown went on to perform as a vocalist in bands such as Piblokto and The Battered Ornaments, and also continued to frequently collaborate with Cream bassist Jack Bruce, with whom he shared a special chemistry. His passing at the age of 82, after battling cancer, was announced via his Facebook page; he leaves behind his wife, Sheridan, and two adult children.

One of rock's all-time great vocalists, Tina Turner was also the embodiment of perseverance. As a duo with her husband Ike Turner, she became legendary for her vocals on tunes like "River Deep, Mountain High" and the outfit's cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Proud Mary" — but as their fame grew, the couple was torn apart by Ike's violent, brutal behavior. After breaking from Ike in 1976, Tina Turner embarked on a solo career later in that decade, one that appeared to peter out as the '80s dawned — but appearances can be deceiving. In 1984, Turner released "Private Dancer," an outright smash that would sell 20 million copies worldwide, win three Grammy awards, and generate timeless classic singles with tunes like "What's Love Got to Do With It," "Better Be Good to Me," and the title track.

Turner continued recording throughout the '80s and '90s, scoring hit albums with 1986's "Break Every Rule" and 1993's "What's Love Got to Do With It," the latter being the soundtrack album to the Angela Bassett-starring biopic of the same name. On May 24, at the age of 83, Turner passed away from natural causes at her home in Switzerland. In announcing her passing in a statement (via Sky News), Turner's publicist wrote, "With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model."

Godfather of Soul James Brown had occasion to work with a great many vocalists, but of them all, he held one in particularly high esteem: Vicki Anderson, who joined his ensemble in 1965 and served two stints in the '60s and '70s. Anderson was the wife of Bobby Byrd, a rhythm guitarist in Brown's outfit who was nearly as integral to the development of the bombastic soul sound that launched the outfit to stardom as was Brown himself — but she earned Brown's respect not by virtue of association with his right-hand man, but with her blazing talent alone. Brown's 2003 autobiography "James Brown: The Godfather of Soul" featured a section dedicated to old photos of all the various musicians that had been in Brown's orbit over the years, captioned by the man himself — and his description of Anderson was short and to the point. "Vicki Anderson, who married Bobby Byrd, stayed with the Revue for six years," it read. "She could outsing anybody I ever heard." Given Brown's legendary perfectionism, this was high praise, indeed.

Anderson cut a number of records under her own name, and also contributed to the legacy of soul music by way of her daughter, R&B vocalist Carleen Anderson. On July 4, her goddaughter Margie Randle shared on Facebook that Anderson had passed away at the age of 83. "A large part of my heart is missing my Godmother Vicki Anderson Byrd," her post read in part. "It's going to be hard walking past your bedroom and you are not there."

The great Tony Bennett may have launched himself to fame with "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," his signature tune — but the man embodied the spirit of his hometown, New York City. Bennett benefited early in his career from the counsel and friendship of Sinatra, one of the many artists whom Bennett has dueted with over a career spanning over seven decades — but despite the similarities between the two, Bennett always forged his own path. A master of phrasing and a unique, thoughtful interpreter of the work of some of the greatest songwriters to ever pen a tune, Bennett's legend only seemed to grow as he aged — thanks in part to a 1994 "MTV Unplugged" special and accompanying album that introduced a new generation to his talents, and the 2014 album "Cheek to Cheek," an unlikely but inspired collaboration with Lady Gaga. 

Despite a 2016 Alzheimer's diagnosis, Bennett continued to record and perform over the following five years. Bennett passed away in the Big Apple on July 21 at the age of 96, inspiring a worldwide tidal wave of tributes from the likes of Elton John, David Letterman, President Joe Biden, and many, many more. On the occasion of what would have been his 97th Birthday on August 3, Gaga wrote on Instagram, "I'll be celebrating you a lot more than once a year. I'll celebrate you every time I'm on stage singing jazz music ... every time I walk down the streets of New York I'll look around and remember all you did for this city and the whole world."

Few bands not called The Beatles have been as absolutely stacked with talent as The Eagles; even as their lineup changed over the years, it has always been a band populated with ace instrumentalists, uniformly stellar vocalists, and gifted songwriters. As guitarist Glenn Frey and drummer Don Henley came to dominate the band's creative direction, though, one member — original bassist Randy Meisner — was always quite content to stay out of the spotlight. In a 2013 conversation with Rolling Stone, Meisner explained that he "was always kind of shy," reluctant to take center stage even when singing lead, but there was just one problem: his voice, a crisp, clear tenor, was simply otherworldly.

It was he who sang lead on one of the Eagles' best-known tunes: "Take It to the Limit," a vocal showcase featuring Meisner hitting high notes on the fadeout that might have made the throats of lesser vocalists self-destruct. It was partly Meisner's reluctance to constantly perform the song live that led to his departure from the band in 1977, to be replaced by Timothy B. Schmit; he enjoyed a reasonably successful solo career in the early '80s before largely checking out of the music industry, although he joined his Eagles bandmates for a reunion performance upon the occasion of their 1998 Rock Hall of Fame induction. On July 26, Meisner passed away in a Los Angeles hospital at the age of 77; in a statement on their website, the band wrote, "Randy was an integral part of the Eagles and instrumental in the early success of the band. His vocal range was astonishing." 

The story of folk singer Sixto Rodriguez, who performed under his last name only, is one of the more interesting in the annals of popular music. Rodriguez plied his trade in Detroit bars in the '60s and cut a pair of records, 1970's "Cold Fact" and 1971's "Coming from Reality," which went nowhere — at least, not in the United States. In 1979 and again in 1981, after spending years as a laborer and the occasional unsuccessful venture into local politics, he was invited to tour Australia, even playing some shows with the legendary band Midnight Oil. It seemed that, unbeknownst to him, his Bob Dylan-esque, vehemently anti-establishment music was developing a dedicated following in several overseas markets, including the land down under.

After that brief brush with fame, Rodriguez again largely vanished until the mid-'90s. Around this time, South African record store owner Stephen Segerman, and journalist Craig Bartholomew-Strydom, managed to locate the man whose music had been as integral a part of many of their fellow citizens' lives as The Beatles or Simon and Garfunkel. In 1998, Rodriguez played six sold-out shows in South Africa, jump-starting his long-dormant career. More international tour dates followed; his albums were re-released by U.S. label Light in the Attic in 2009 to widespread acclaim, and the 2012 documentary "Searching for Sugar Man," which detailed Segerman and Bartholomew-Strydom's mission to find Rodriguez, won an Academy Award for Best Documentary. Rodriguez passed away on August 8 at the age of 81, having improbably found the fame and accolades that eluded him in his younger years.

Somehow simultaneously noisy and laid back, cacophonous and lazy, detached but obsessed, the indie rock band Pavement helped to define that term in the early '90s. After their first EP was picked up by legendary British DJ John Peel, the band's legend grew, and they soon added bassist Mark Ibold and drummers Gary Young, who had appeared on the EP (and who owned the studio it was recorded in) and guitarist Stephen Malkmus' college buddy Bob Nastanovich.

The second drummer was required for a couple of reasons: Young's playing could be a little bit ... uneven, and he was often preoccupied during shows with antics such as performing handstands and passing out food (and sometimes, passing out drunk). This, of course, only added to the band's legend. Even though Young was part and parcel of their often sloppy, disoriented sound, he was asked to depart in 1993, after appearing on the band's breakthrough album, 1992's "Slanted and Enchanted." He remained on friendly enough terms with his former bandmates, though, that he returned to produce a pair of songs on their last recording, 1999's "Major Leagues" EP, and he even sat in behind the skins for a couple of shows when the group mounted a reunion tour in 2010. Young's death at the age of 70 on August 17 came just months after "Louder Than You Think," a well-received documentary about his life, premiered at SXSW; on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Malkmus wrote of his friend, "Gary's pavement drums were 'one take and hit record '... Nailed it so well. RIP."

It's pretty much impossible to be indifferent to veteran rockers Smash Mouth; music fans seem to either love them or hate them, and this is for the simple reason that their songs are mind-blowingly (or maddeningly, depending upon whom you ask) catchy. This is thanks in large part to lead singer Steve Harwell, who led the band from its inception in 1994 to his retirement in 2021, and whose perfectly poppy voice and totally committed delivery made the band one of the more successful of the '90s. Behind monster hit singles like "All Star," "Walkin' On the Sun," and the Monkees cover "I'm a Believer," Smash Mouth moved over 6 million records during the course of their career, and Harwell's larger-than-life vocal and stage presence were the band's not-so-secret sauce.

His retirement came due to problems with his health, and in a statement at that time, he called himself "fortunate to live out that dream" of being a rock star. Unfortunately, Harwell was never able to resolve his medical issues, and he passed away on September 4 after suffering liver failure; he was 56. In a statement to Rolling Stone, Smash Mouth manager Robert Hayes called Harwell "a true American original. A larger-than-life character who shot up into the sky like a Roman candle ... His only tools were his irrepressible charm and charisma, his fearlessly reckless ambition, and his king-size cajones. Steve lived a 100% full-throttle life."

Born in Houston and raised in the tiny Texas town of Bandera, Charlie Robison came by his rough-and-tumble style of songwriting honestly. Influenced equally by Texas honky-tonk and hard rock, he dropped his first album, "Bandera," in 1995 — but it was his 1998 sophomore effort, "Life of the Party," that was his breakthrough, with tunes like "My Hometown" and "Loving County" proving to exert a strong influence on a generation of Texas country artists. His first major label recording, "Step Right Up," followed in 2001, spawning the No. 35 hit "I Want You So Bad" and ushering his talent into the national spotlight.

Robison continued to record and perform, releasing his final LP "High Life" in 2013, but he soon developed health issues which took a serious turn in 2018. That year, he announced to fans that he would be forced to retire from music after a throat procedure had left him permanently unable to sing. "It's been an amazing ride and I cannot tell you all what the last 25 years has meant to me," he wrote in an Instagram post at the time. "I was looking forward to another 25 but as they say 's*** happens'" (via Rolling Stone). Unfortunately, Robison's ride came to an end on September 10, with his wife Kristen confirming in a Facebook post that the singer had died from undisclosed causes.