Death events
- Dwight Hamilton Baldwin, piano manufacturer of Baldwin Piano, died in Cincinnati, Ohio, at the age of 78.
- Famed Italian tenor Enrico Caruso died on August 2, 1921, in Naples at the age of 48.
- Sofia Scalchi, an operatic contralto, died.
- Emile Berliner, inventor of the lateral-cut gramophone record, died in Washington, D.C., at the age of 78 from a heart attack.
- American blues musician Robert Johnson died at the age of 27, probably poisoned near Greenwood, Mississippi. His recordings from 1936–1937 influenced generations of musicians.
- Blues legend Robert Johnson, whose recordings had a major influence on artists including Muddy Waters and Eric Clapton, died at the age of 27, probably from poisoning.
- Biologist, entomologist, sexologist and author Alfred Kinsey died at the age of 62 from heart disease and pneumonia.
- English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams died in London at the age of 85. He became known for works such as “A Pastoral Symphony” and “The Lark Ascending”.
- Marilyn Monroe died in Brentwood, Los Angeles, at the age of 36 from a barbiturate overdose.
- After an intensive search, the bodies of country singer Jim Reeves and his manager and musical collaborator Dean Manuel were found on August 2, 1964, in the wreckage of their plane, which had crashed 42 hours earlier. At 1:00 p.m. local time, radio stations across the United States officially announced Reeves’s death. Reeves was known for hits including “Four Walls,” “I Won't Forget You,” and “Mexican Joe.”
- The rockabilly singer and lead vocalist of The Rock and Roll Trio died in a boating accident while fishing on Clear Lake, California, at the age of 30. His unlit boat was struck by an inattentive motorboat, throwing him overboard and causing him to drown. His body was found on August 16, but the coroner determined that he had drowned on August 14. In 1961, his US single “Your Sixteen” reached number 8 and its UK release reached number 3.
- The body of rockabilly singer Johnny Burnette was found in Clear Lake, California. Burnette had drowned after a boating accident on August 14, when a motorboat struck his unlit boat.
- Canadian fiddler Ward Allen died in Hull, Quebec, at the age of 41.
- The doo-wop tenor singer from The Olympics was shot dead at the age of 25 during the Watts riots in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles group reached number 8 in the US and number 12 in the UK in 1958 with the song “Western Movies”.
- Comedian and satirist Lenny Bruce died at the age of 40 from a morphine overdose.
- British music manager Brian Epstein, best known as the manager of The Beatles, was found dead in his locked bedroom at his home in London’s Belgravia at the age of 32, just a few weeks before his 33rd birthday. The coroner determined that the cause of death was an overdose of the sleeping medication Carbitrol and ruled his death accidental. The Beatles were then in Bangor, North Wales, attending a conference with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Epstein also managed Gerry & The Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, Cilla Black and The Remo Four. The first contract between The Beatles and Epstein was auctioned for £240,000 in 2008.
- Luther Perkins, Johnny Cash's guitarist and longtime member of his backing group The Tennessee Three, died at the age of 40, two days after a fire at his home in Hendersonville, Tennessee, from injuries sustained in the fire.
- Soul singer Joe Hinton died in Boston, Massachusetts, at the age of 38 from skin cancer. He became known for his cover of “Funny How Time Slips Away”, written by Willie Nelson.
- Former boxing champion and occasional recording artist Rocky Marciano died at the age of 45.
- Lefty Baker, born Eustace Britchforth Baker, guitarist for Spanky And Our Gang, died at the age of 29 from cirrhosis of the liver. He joined the group during the recording of their 1968 hit “Like To Get To Know You.”
- King Curtis was stabbed to death at the age of 37 during an argument with two drug dealers whom he found on the steps outside his Manhattan apartment. His saxophone appeared on numerous hits of the 1950s and 1960s, including “Yakety Yak” by The Coasters.
- Singer Thomas Wayne, known for the 1959 hit “Tragedy”, which reached No. 5 on the US chart, died at the age of 31 in a car accident in Memphis. His car crossed four lanes and the median into oncoming traffic. By then, he was working mainly behind the scenes as a recording engineer and producer in Nashville.
- Brian Cole, an original member and bassist of The Association, died on August 2, 1972, in Los Angeles at the age of 29 from a heroin overdose.
- The Temptations singer and choreographer Paul Williams died at the age of 34 from a gunshot wound that was officially ruled a suicide, although his relatives disputed the circumstances. Health problems had forced him to leave the group in 1971, but he continued to oversee its choreography.
- Jazz bassist J. R. "Jim" Carroll died at the age of 48.
- Composer and pianist Dmitry Shostakovich died in Moscow at the age of 68 from lung cancer. He is regarded as one of the most important composers of the 20th century.
- Peter “Puddy” Watts, road manager for Pink Floyd, died of a heroin overdose. His manic laughter was used on the album The Dark Side of the Moon.
- British composer, singer, organist and pianist Michael Head died at the age of 76.
- American blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter Jimmy Reed died in San Francisco at the age of 50 following an epileptic seizure, shortly before his 51st birthday. He became known for the songs "Honest I Do", "Baby What You Want Me to Do", "Bright Lights, Big City", and "Big Boss Man". Between 1955 and 1965, he had a total of 19 Top 40 R&B hits and strongly influenced artists including The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, Eric Clapton, Billy Gibbons, Hank Williams Jr., Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Jerry Garcia.
- Elvis Presley was found unresponsive in his bathroom at Graceland in Memphis by his girlfriend Ginger Alden. He was taken to Baptist Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at the age of 42.
- Elvis Presley, the “King of Rock 'n' Roll”, died at the age of 42 in Memphis.
- Pete Meaden, former manager and publicist for The Who, died at the age of 36.
- Louis Prima, who had the 1958 hit “That Old Black Magic” with his wife Keely Smith, died of pneumonia in New Orleans at the age of 67.
- American singer, trumpeter and bandleader Louis Prima died at the age of 67. He became known for leading and performing with several bands across various musical genres.
- American rockabilly singer and pioneer of the genre Dorsey Burnette, co-founder of Johnny Burnette and the Rock and Roll Trio, died at his home in Canoga Park, California, at the age of 46 from a massive heart attack. In 1960, he reached number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “There Was a Tall Oak Tree”. He also wrote “It’s Late”, which became a hit for Ricky Nelson and Shakin’ Stevens. When his pop hits dried up in 1969, he subsequently placed 15 songs on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. He was the father of musician Billy Burnette. After his death, his friend and singer Delaney Bramlett organized a benefit concert for his widow at the Forum in Inglewood, California, featuring Kris Kristofferson, Hoyt Axton, Tanya Tucker, Glen Campbell, Duane Eddy, Delaney and Bonnie, Gary Busey and Roger Miller. His pioneering contribution to rockabilly was later recognized with his induction into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
- American bandleader, pianist, composer and arranger Stanley “Stan” Kenton died in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 67, several days after suffering a stroke. He was known for hits with June Christy and a popular version of “Laura”, named after the 1944 film noir of the same name.
- American folk singer and songwriter Lee Hays, co-founder of the influential folk quartet The Weavers and co-writer of “If I Had a Hammer”, died at the age of 67. He died at Phelps Memorial Hospital in Tarrytown, New York, from a heart attack. After he was cremated, his friends, following his final wishes, mixed his ashes with compost in his garden in Croton-on-Hudson.
- Guy Stevens, British musician, producer, and manager, died at the age of 38 after overdosing on prescription medication he was taking to reduce his dependence on alcohol. He worked with Mott The Hoople, Free, and The Clash and produced The Clash’s third album “London Calling”. He was president of the Chuck Berry Appreciation Society and brought Chuck Berry to the UK for his first tour. Procol Harum and Mott The Hoople also owed their distinctive names to Stevens.
- Actress and singer Ingrid Bergman died at the age of 67.
- James Jamerson, the influential Motown bassist and member of The Funk Brothers, died on August 2, 1983, in Los Angeles at the age of 47 from complications related to cirrhosis of the liver, heart failure, and pneumonia. He played on numerous landmark Motown recordings and was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.
- Avant-garde German singer and musician and former David Bowie backing vocalist Klaus Nomi died in New York at the age of 39 from complications related to AIDS.
- American composer and lyricist Ira Gershwin died.
- Jerry Lee Lewis's fifth wife, Shawn Michelle Stevens, was found dead at their home in Mississippi after a methadone overdose. The couple had been married for only 77 days. A grand jury later cleared Jerry Lee Lewis of criminal responsibility.
- Americká R&B a soulová zpěvačka Esther Phillips zemřela v Carsonu v Kalifornii ve věku 48 let na selhání jater a ledvin způsobené dlouhodobým užíváním drog. Známá byla mimo jiné skladbami „Release Me“ a „What A Difference A Day Makes“ a získala čtyři nominace na cenu Grammy.
- American musician, producer and radio station owner Norman Petty died at the age of 57 from leukemia. He was also known as a recording engineer and Buddy Holly's first manager.
- Egyptian poet Abdul Rahim Mansour died.
- Jimmy Stokley died at the age of 41 from complications related to hepatitis. He was the singer of Exile, whose 1978 hit “Kiss You All Over” reached No. 1.
- Jock Mahoney, an actor and jazz musician, died at the age of 70.
- Michael Rudetsky, keyboardist and collaborator of Boy George, was found dead at Boy George's house in London.
- Jazz pianist Teddy Wilson died at the age of 73.
- Jazz trombonist Urbie Green died at the age of 59.
- David Martin, bassist with Sam the Sham & The Pharaohs and co-writer of “Wooly Bully,” died of a heart attack at the age of 50.
- One of the busiest studio drummers of the 20th century, Gary Chester died of cancer at the age of 62. During his career, he took part in more than 15,000 studio recording sessions and played on thousands of recordings, including with The Coasters and The Monkees and on songs such as “Sixteen Candles”, “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do”, “Brown Eyed Girl”, “Under the Boardwalk”, “Walk On By” and “It's My Party”.
- The guitarist died at the age of 48 in Fairfax, Virginia, after hanging himself with his own T-shirt in the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center, where he had been detained for intoxication. His death was ruled a suicide, although friends and family disputed this conclusion. He released more than 15 solo albums, and in 1975 Jeff Beck dedicated the song “Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers” to him on the album Blow by Blow.
- Tenor singer, guitarist, songwriter and founding member of The Statler Brothers Lew DeWitt died at the age of 52 from heart and kidney disease. He wrote their hit “Flowers on the Wall”, which reached No. 4.
- Singer and actress Pearl Bailey died in Philadelphia at the age of 72 from arteriosclerotic coronary artery disease. In 1952, she had a Top 10 hit with the song “Takes Two to Tango”.
- American composer, orchestra leader, pianist, arranger and conductor David Rose, leader of David Rose & His Orchestra, died in Burbank, California, of natural causes at the age of 80. He was best known for the compositions “Holiday for Strings” and “The Stripper”.
- American blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan died at the age of 35 in a helicopter crash.
- Stevie Ray Vaughan, aged 35, died in a helicopter crash near East Troy, Wisconsin, after a concert at Alpine Valley Music Theatre. The helicopter crashed into an artificial ski slope while flying in dense fog. During the evening, Vaughan performed with Robert Cray and his Memphis Horns, Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton and his older brother Jimmie Vaughan. Three members of Eric Clapton's entourage also died in the crash; everyone on board was killed. In 2003, Rolling Stone ranked Vaughan No. 7 on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.
- Singer Jeri Southern died of pneumonia at the age of 64.
- British radio presenter and commentator Wilfrid Thomas died in London at the age of 87. He wrote the English lyrics for the song "Rose, Rose, I Love You", recorded by Frankie Laine in 1951.
- Rick Griffin died after being forced off the road on his motorcycle, a Harley Heritage Softail, while attempting to overtake a van. Among his best-known works were the cover of the Grateful Dead album Aoxomoxoa and the legendary “Flying Eyeball” poster for a series of concerts by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Albert King and John Mayall in San Francisco.
- Jeff Porcaro, a highly sought-after session drummer and member of Toto, died in Los Angeles at the age of 38.
- John Cage died in New York from complications following a stroke at the age of 79.
- The member of The Platters died in his sleep in Manhattan, New York, at the age of 64 from emphysema. He sang most of the group's hits until 1961, when he was replaced by Sonny Turner. His lead vocals contributed to the success of “Only You (And You Alone)”, “The Great Pretender”, “My Prayer” and “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes”. The Platters had the US and UK number-one single “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” in 1959. In 1990, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Platters.
- Randy Jo Hobbs, bassist for The McCoys and Edgar Winter Group, was found dead in a hotel room in Dayton, Ohio, at the age of 45.
- Ed Roberts of Ruby And The Romantics died at the age of 57 from cancer. The Akron vocal group had three Top 40 hits, the biggest being “Our Day Will Come”, which reached No. 1 in 1963.
- Peter Daltry, keyboardist for the band Family, died at the age of 45.
- Comedic songwriter Allan Sherman died at the age of 68.
- Italian singer and actor Domenico Modugno, whose recording “Volare” topped the North American charts in 1958, died of a heart attack near his home on the island of Lampedusa, south of Sicily, at the age of 66. During his career, he also appeared in 44 films.
- The real-life mountain man from Tennessee who inspired Claude King's 1964 country hit “Wolverton Mountain” died at the age of 101, still living on his mountain. He left behind 15 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.
- Jerry Garcia, guitarist, singer and co-founder of The Grateful Dead, died at the age of 53 from a heart attack caused by atherosclerosis at the Serenity Knolls rehabilitation facility in San Francisco. Four days after his death, more than 25,000 fans attended a public memorial service in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Half of his ashes were later scattered in the Ganges River near the holy city of Rishikesh in India, with the remainder scattered in San Francisco Bay.
- Canadian electronic musician Dwayne Goettel of Skinny Puppy died in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, of a heroin overdose at the age of 31. He was best known for his work with the industrial group Skinny Puppy.
- Dutch rock'n'roll singer Arnie Treffers of Long Tall Ernie & the Shakers died in Westeremden, Netherlands, at the age of 48 from lung cancer. In 1977 he had the international hit “Do You Remember”.
- American musician Douglas “Doug” Stegmeyer died by suicide at the age of 43. The New York bassist and singer worked during his career with, among others, Billy Joel, Hall & Oates and The Carpenters.
- American singer and songwriter DiFosco T. Ervin Jr., known as Big Dee Irwin, died in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the age of 63 from heart failure. He was best known for his version of “Swinging on a Star”, which he recorded with Little Eva.
- Dwayne Goettel, keyboardist of Skinny Puppy, died at the age of 31.
- Sterling Morrison, guitarist for The Velvet Underground, died at the age of 53.
- Sterling Morrison, founding member and guitarist of The Velvet Underground, died in Poughkeepsie, New York, from non-Hodgkin lymphoma, one day after his 53rd birthday. He left the group in August 1971 and rejoined it in 1992 for a European tour. In the 1980s, he became a tugboat captain in Houston. The Velvet Underground were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.
- Mel Taylor, drummer for The Ventures, died in Los Angeles at the age of 62 from lung cancer. The Ventures had six Billboard Top 40 songs between 1962 and 1969. In 2008 Taylor was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Ventures.
- Blues guitarist Luther Allison died of cancer in Madison, Wisconsin, at the age of 57.
- Diana, Princess of Wales, died at the age of 36 in a car accident in Paris. Elton John released a reworked version of "Candle in the Wind" dedicated to her memory, and the recording became the best-selling single of all time.
- Jazz musician Nat Gonella, founder of the big band The Georgians, died in Gosport, Hampshire, England, at the age of 90.
- English jazz trumpeter, singer and bandleader Nathaniel Gonella, founder of the big band The Georgians, died at the age of 90.
- Gene Page, an American conductor, composer, arranger and record producer, died at the age of 58 after a long illness. He worked with artists including Barbra Streisand, The Supremes, Jefferson Starship, Jackson 5, Elton John, Marvin Gaye, Barry White, The Righteous Brothers, Aretha Franklin, Cher and Dobie Gray, and produced Whitney Houston's „Greatest Love of All“ and Roberta Flack's „Tonight I Celebrate My Love“.
- Rockabilly and country singer and songwriter Charlie Feathers died in Memphis, Tennessee, at the age of 66 from complications following a coma caused by a stroke. He was a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and was also known for 1950s hits such as "Peepin' Eyes".
- Singer, songwriter and Rockabilly Hall of Fame member Charlie Feathers died at the age of 66 from complications following a stroke-induced coma.
- Dick Latvala died at the age of 56 after falling into a coma caused by a heart attack. From the early 1980s, he managed The Grateful Dead's archive of live recordings, which later became the “Dick's Picks” album series.
- Spice Girls manager Bob Herbert died in a car accident in Windsor, England. He was involved in the formation of the Spice Girls and Five, and managed the group Bros in the 1980s.
- American big-band trombonist and studio musician Warren Covington died in New York at the age of 78.
- Robert Fisher of the new wave duo Naked Eyes and the group Climie Fisher died of cancer at the age of 39. With Climie Fisher he had the 1988 UK hit “Love Changes Everything” and wrote songs for Rod Stewart, Milli Vanilli, Fleetwood Mac and Jermaine Jackson.
- Johnny Byrne, guitarist with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, died in Liverpool, Merseyside, at the age of 59 from motor neuron disease.
- Jerome Smith of KC and the Sunshine Band died after being crushed by a bulldozer while working. He was a member of the group, which had the U.S. No. 1 hits “Get Down Tonight” and “That's the Way (I Like It).”
- Maurice Kinn, founder and publisher of the British music magazine New Musical Express, died in London at the age of 76.
- Alan Caddy, guitarist for The Tornados on their American and British hit "Telstar", died at the age of 60. He was also an original member of Johnny Kidd and the Pirates, played on their hit "Shakin' All Over", and worked as a session musician and arranger.
- Alan Caddy, guitarist with The Tornados, who had the 1962 hit “Telstar”, died. He also contributed to early British rock arrangements.
- Oscar-winning composer, arranger, producer and musician Jack Nitzsche died at the age of 63 at Queen of Angels Hospital in Hollywood from cardiac arrest caused by a recurring bronchial infection. He was known for his work with Phil Spector, The Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Buffalo Springfield and The Walker Brothers; with The Rolling Stones he also worked as an arranger and keyboardist. He contributed music to the films “The Exorcist” and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and co-wrote the Oscar-winning song “Up Where We Belong” with Buffy Sainte-Marie and Will Jennings for the 1982 film “An Officer and a Gentleman”.
- American musician and songwriter Allen Woody, former bassist of The Allman Brothers Band and co-founder of Gov't Mule, died at the age of 44 in New York City. When he was found dead in a hotel room in Queens, initial reports listed the cause of death as undetermined; a later toxicology examination linked it to an apparent heroin overdose.
- Ron Townson, singer with The 5th Dimension, died on August 2, 2001, at the age of 68 from kidney failure.
- Ron Townson, co-founder of The 5th Dimension, died at the age of 68 from kidney failure.
- Skladatel, hudebník, herec a virtuózní hráč na harmoniku Larry Adler zemřel v Londýně ve věku 87 let. Proslul spoluprací s Georgem Gershwinem, Kate Bush, Stingem a Ralphem Vaughanem Williamsem i vlastními virtuózními vystoupeními.
- The American soul singer and pianist died at the age of 61 and was found dead at her home in Beloit, Wisconsin, after her heart problems worsened. She was best known for “The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss)”, which reached number 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1964; she was the first artist to have a hit with the song. After her initial success, she released another seventeen singles, with “Let It Be Me” (#5 in 1964) and “There’ll Come a Time” (#26 in 1969) making the biggest impact on the Hot 100. “The Shoop Shoop Song” was used in the opening titles of the 1984 film Desperately Seeking Susan starring Madonna, and in 1990 Cher recorded it for the closing credits of Mermaids; her version reached number one on the UK singles chart and was also successful in other European countries.
- Aaliyah Haughton, a 22-year-old American R&B singer and actress, died along with eight other people in a plane crash in the Bahamas shortly after takeoff. She had been filming the music video for “Rock the Boat” there. Her third studio album “Aaliyah” continued to be successful after her death and has sold more than 13 million copies worldwide.
- Michael Houser, founding member and lead guitarist of Widespread Panic, died at the age of 40 from complications related to pancreatic cancer, which had been diagnosed earlier that year.
- The lead singer of the American hard rock band Drowning Pool was found dead on the band's tour bus during Ozzy Osbourne's Ozzfest tour in Manassas, Virginia. An autopsy concluded that he suffered from a form of heart disease. More than 1 million copies of the debut album Sinner had been sold in the US since its release in June 2001.
- Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Roger Voudouris died at the age of 48 after a prolonged illness of the liver.
- Ed Townsend died in San Bernardino, California, from a heart attack at the age of 74. After the success of his 1958 hit “For Your Love”, he focused primarily on songwriting and production and co-wrote Marvin Gaye's “Let's Get It On”, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- Singer and bassist Tony Jackson of The Searchers died in Nottingham, England, at the age of 65 from a combination of health problems including diabetes, heart disease and cirrhosis of the liver. His distinctive voice was heard on the group's early major hits “Sweets for My Sweet” and “Sugar and Spice.”
- Rick James, known as “The King of Punk-Funk,” was found dead at his home in Los Angeles at the age of 56. His album “Street Songs” reached No. 3 on the U.S. chart and the single “Super Freak part 1” reached No. 16. During his career, he placed thirteen albums on the Billboard 200 and 29 singles on the R&B chart. He also worked as a songwriter and producer for Motown.
- Oscar-winning composer and conductor Elmer Bernstein died at the age of 82. He was known for, among other scores, The Magnificent Seven, To Kill a Mockingbird, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Airplane!, The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters.
- Al Dvorin died at the age of 81 in a car accident near Ivanpah, California, while returning to Las Vegas after appearing at an Elvis tribute show at Trump 29 Casino in Coachella, where he hosted the program with Elvis impersonator Paul Casey. Dvorin was the longtime announcer at Elvis concerts, introducing them for 22 years from 1955, and became famous for the distinctive phrase “Elvis has left the building”, which he used in the early 1970s to announce that Presley would not return for an encore. At the time of the accident, he was riding in a car driven by Elvis photographer Ed Bonja. He was never paid for recordings of his announcements and harbored resentment toward Elvis Presley Enterprises because of this.
- American cinematographer David Myers died following a stroke. He worked on numerous music films, including “Woodstock”, “Elvis On Tour”, “The Last Waltz”, “The Grateful Dead Movie”, “Mad Dogs & Englishmen” and “Cracked Actor: A Film About David Bowie”.
- Singer, songwriter and actress Laura Branigan died in her sleep at her home in East Quogue, New York, from a brain aneurysm at the age of 52. She was best known for the hit “Gloria”, which reached No. 2 in the US and No. 6 in the UK in 1982. Her song “Self Control” reached No. 4 in the US and No. 5 in the UK in 1984. She also portrayed Janis Joplin in the American musical “Love, Janis”.
- English singer and actor Carl Wayne, best known as the lead singer of The Move, died at the age of 61 from esophageal cancer. He sang lead vocals on the group's songs "Blackberry Way" and "I Can Hear the Grass Grow" and also performed with The Hollies.
- American blues singer and guitarist Little Milton died at the age of 70 after suffering a brain aneurysm on July 25, followed by a stroke and a coma.
- Carlo Little, The Rolling Stones' original drummer from 1962 to 1963, died in Cleadon, Tyne and Wear, England, at the age of 66 from lung cancer.
- Francine Barker, the original singer of Peaches & Herb known as “Peaches”, died at the age of 58.
- Country and bluegrass fiddler Vassar Clements, known among other things for his work with Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys, died in Jamestown, New York, from lung cancer at the age of 77.
- Robert A. Moog, American engineer, inventor, pioneer of electronic music and inventor of the Moog synthesizer, died in Asheville, North Carolina, at the age of 71, four months after being diagnosed with brain cancer. At the age of 14, he built his first electronic instrument, a theremin, and in 1970 created the portable MiniMoog, described as the first compact and easy-to-use synthesizer. His first commercial synthesizer was launched in 1964 and had a major influence on and changed the music industry. In 2001, he received the Swedish Polar Music Prize. Wendy Carlos's 1968 Grammy-winning album “Switched-On Bach” played a major role in bringing him wider recognition. His instruments, particularly the MiniMoog, became essential tools for many artists, including The Beatles, Stevie Wonder and Pink Floyd.
- Robert Moog died at the age of 71; he was a pioneer of the synthesizer and electronic music.
- Hal Kalin of The Kalin Twins died at the age of 71 from injuries sustained in a car accident in Charles County, Maryland.
- Barry Cowsill of The Cowsills died at the age of 50 by drowning during the flooding in New Orleans caused by Hurricane Katrina.
- Arthur Lee, singer and guitarist of the psychedelic rock group Love, died in Memphis at the age of 61 after battling acute myeloid leukemia.
- John Locke, keyboardist with Spirit and Nazareth, died in Ojai, California, at the age of 62 from cancer.
- American R&B singer Barbara George, who reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “I Know (You Don't Love Me No More)” in 1961, died at the age of 63 in Chauvin, Louisiana, from a lung infection related to liver disease and hepatitis C. Although two more of her songs reached the Hot 100 the following year, she never repeated the success of her first hit and largely withdrew from the music industry in the early 1980s.
- American entertainer and talk-show host Mike Douglas died suddenly in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. He hosted The Mike Douglas Show from 1965 to 1981 and had the 1966 hit “The Men In My Little Girl's Life,” which reached No. 6 on the Billboard chart.
- Bruce Gary, American musician, producer, and drummer for The Knack, died at the age of 55 in Tarzana, California, from non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He was best known as the drummer of The Knack on their multimillion-selling hit “My Sharona”. He was also a sought-after session musician and recorded or performed with George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Sheryl Crow, Rod Stewart, and Jack Bruce.
- Canadian composer John Weinzweig died at the age of 93.
- Canadian-American actor and occasional singer Glenn Ford died at the age of 90.
- Jumpin' Gene Simmons, American rockabilly singer and songwriter, died after a long illness at the age of 69. He became known especially for his version of the song "Haunted House", which reached No. 11 in the US in 1964. KISS bassist Gene Simmons, born Chaim Witz, chose his stage name in his honor.
- Lee Hazlewood, American singer, songwriter, and producer known in part for his work with Nancy Sinatra, died at the age of 78 at his home near Las Vegas after a three-year battle with kidney cancer.
- Mark Marush, saxophonist with The Fabulous Wailers, died.
- Anthony Wilson, the British music entrepreneur behind some of Manchester’s most successful bands, died of kidney cancer at the age of 57. He was a television presenter, co-owner of Factory Records, an artist manager, and the founder of the Haçienda and Dry Bar. In 2000, he also helped launch Music33, one of the first digital music stores.
- Hilly Kristal, founder of New York punk club CBGB, died at the age of 75 from complications related to lung cancer. He is credited with discovering Patti Smith and The Ramones, and his club became an important venue for the development of punk rock. It originally opened as a venue focused on country, bluegrass and blues.
- Erik Darling, a member of The Rooftop Singers and The Tarriers, died in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, at the age of 74 from Burkitt lymphoma.
- American musician Robert Hazard, songwriter and composer of “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” died at the age of 59 from pancreatic cancer.
- Pioneering American singer, songwriter and musician Isaac Hayes was found dead at his home in Memphis, Tennessee, at the age of 65 after an apparent stroke. He won an Oscar and a Grammy for “Theme From Shaft,” was a major creative force at Stax Records, and co-wrote the iconic songs “Soul Man” and “Hold On, I'm Comin'.” He was also known as the voice of Chef on “South Park”.
- Don Helms, the steel guitarist best known as a member of Hank Williams' Drifting Cowboys, died at the age of 81. He played on more than 100 Hank Williams recordings and also appeared on classic country recordings by Patsy Cline, Stonewall Jackson, the Louvin Brothers, Lefty Frizzell and Loretta Lynn.
- She died in Liverpool, England. In 1953, she had a number-one hit with her version of Patti Page's “How Much Is That Doggie In The Window”. She was the first British female singer to reach number one on the UK singles chart.
- American music producer and journalist Jerry Wexler died at the age of 91 from heart failure. He significantly influenced the development of modern rhythm and blues and worked on Aretha Franklin's “Respect”, Wilson Pickett's “In the Midnight Hour” and Bob Dylan's album Slow Train Coming. He also worked with Ray Charles, Percy Sledge, Solomon Burke, Led Zeppelin and Dire Straits. As a Billboard journalist, he helped establish the term “rhythm and blues” in 1949 as a replacement for the then-used term “Race Records”.
- Spiral Starecase keyboardist Harvey Kaye, who can be heard on their 1969 hit “More Today Than Yesterday”, died of a heart attack five days before his 70th birthday.
- Pervis Jackson, bassist and original member of the Motown group The Spinners, died at the age of 70 from brain cancer. The group had a number of hits in the 1970s, including “I'll Be Around,” “Could It Be I'm Falling in Love,” “Then Came You” and “Rubberband Man.”
- American saxophonist and arranger LeRoi Holloway Moore, a founding member of Dave Matthews Band, died at the age of 46. A month earlier, he had suffered serious injuries, including a punctured lung, in an accident involving an ATV/vehicle on his farm in Virginia. He died as a result of those injuries and subsequent pneumonia.
- Wayne Wadhams, keyboard player and lead vocalist of The Fifth Estate, who had the 1967 Billboard No. 11 hit “Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead”, died at the age of 61. In addition to his music career, he was a respected author and educator and spent many years as a professor at Berklee College of Music, where he helped create and develop the Music Production and Engineering (MP&E) programme.
- Drummer Buddy Harman died of congestive heart failure at the age of 79. He worked with Elvis Presley (“Little Sister”), Patsy Cline (“Crazy”), Roy Orbison (“Pretty Woman”), Johnny Cash (“Ring Of Fire”) and Tammy Wynette (“Stand By Your Man”). He was the first studio drummer for the Grand Ole Opry and can be heard on more than 18,000 recordings.
- Rockabilly singer and musician Billy Lee Riley died on August 2, 2009, at the age of 75 from colon cancer.
- Willy DeVille, frontman of New York's Mink DeVille, died at the age of 58 after battling pancreatic cancer. In the 1970s, the band regularly performed at CBGB in New York and had the hit “Spanish Stroll.”
- Folkový zpěvák a hudebník Mike Seeger ze skupiny New Lost City Ramblers zemřel na rakovinu v Lexingtonu ve Virginii.
- Les Paul, a pioneering guitarist, inventor and recording innovator, died at the age of 94 from complications related to pneumonia.
- Allen Shellenberger died in Artesia, California, from cancer at the age of 39. He was the drummer for Lit.
- Guitarist, songwriter, and inventor Les Paul died at a hospital in White Plains, New York, at the age of 94 from severe pneumonia. He was a pioneer of the solid-body electric guitar and made significant contributions to the development of overdubbing, tape delay, phasing, and multitrack recording.
- American singer, multi-instrumentalist and producer Jim Dickinson died at the age of 67. He was best known as the frontman of Mud Boy and the Neutrons.
- American keyboardist and bassist Larry Knechtel, best known as a member of the studio collective The Wrecking Crew, died at the age of 69 at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital in Washington, apparently from a heart attack. In 1970, he won a Grammy for his piano part on Simon & Garfunkel's “Bridge over Troubled Water”. In 1972, he played on Johnny Rivers' recording “Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu”, and from 1971 to 1973 he was a member of Bread. As a member of The Wrecking Crew, he worked with Simon & Garfunkel, Duane Eddy, The Beach Boys, The Mamas & the Papas, The Monkees, The Doors, Jerry Garcia and Elvis Presley, among others. In 2007, he was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville along with other members of the Wrecking Crew studio collective.
- Doo-wop and R&B singer Johnny Carter, a member of The Dells (“Stay In My Corner” from 1968) and The Flamingos (“I Only Have Eyes for You”), died in Harvey, Illinois, at the age of 75 from lung cancer.
- Soul and doo-wop singer Johnny Carter, a member of The Dells and The Flamingos, died of lung cancer at the age of 75. He was known for his distinctive falsetto and was among the few artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with two different groups.
- A Los Angeles coroner ruled that Michael Jackson's death was a homicide caused by a combination of drugs used to treat insomnia. Doctor Conrad Murray was later charged with involuntary manslaughter and in November 2011 was sentenced to four years in prison.
- Edward “Ted” Kennedy died; although he was best known as an American senator, he supported music and the arts through legislation.
- American pop singer, songwriter and producer Eleanor “Ellie” Greenwich died at the age of 68 from a heart attack after suffering from pneumonia. She collaborated with Phil Spector and Jeff Barry on numerous hits, including “Da Doo Ron Ron”, “Be My Baby”, “Then He Kissed Me”, “Do Wah Diddy Diddy”, “Leader of the Pack”, “Chapel of Love”, “Maybe I Know” and “River Deep – Mountain High”. In 1991, she was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame together with her former husband Jeff Barry.
- Adam “DJ AM” Goldstein died at the age of 36 from an accidental overdose in his New York apartment. It happened almost a year after Goldstein and his friend Travis Barker survived a plane crash that killed four other people.
- Hit songwriter Ellie Greenwich, known for songs including “Be My Baby” and “Leader of the Pack”, died at the age of 68.
- Bobby Hebb, singer and songwriter best known for “Sunny,” died in Nashville at the age of 72 from lung cancer.
- Ted Kowalski, a member of the Canadian vocal group The Diamonds, died of heart disease at the age of 79. The group had fifteen Billboard Top 40 hits during the second half of the 1950s.
- Richie Hayward, drummer and co-founder of Little Feat, died at the age of 64.
- Bassist Robert Wilson of The Gap Band died at the age of 53 from a heart attack. From the late 1970s onward, the group had four platinum albums and placed 30 songs on the Billboard R&B chart.
- Kenny Edwards, a founding member of the country-rock group The Stone Poneys, died at the age of 64 from cancer. The group, led by Linda Ronstadt, reached No. 13 in 1967 with “Different Drum.”
- Songwriter George David Weiss, author of “What a Wonderful World” and “Can't Help Falling in Love”, died at the age of 89.
- Marshall Grant, americký baskytarista a dlouholetý člen doprovodné skupiny Johnnyho Cashe, zemřel ve věku 83 let na aneurysma v Jonesboro v Arkansasu. V letech 1954 až 1980 působil jako baskytarista Johnnyho Cashe, později byl manažerem skupiny The Statler Brothers a napsal autobiografii „I Was There When It Happened“.
- Jani Lane, lead singer of Warrant, died at the age of 47 after a long battle with drug and alcohol addiction.
- Ross Barbour, singer and co-founder of the vocal quartet The Four Freshmen and the last original member of the group from the 1950s, died at the age of 82 from cancer in Southern California. The group's biggest hit was “Graduation Day”, which reached No. 17 in 1956.
- Songwriter and producer Jerry Leiber, half of the songwriting and production team Leiber & Stoller, died at his home in Los Angeles at the age of 78 from cardiopulmonary failure. Together with Mike Stoller, he wrote and produced more than 70 hit singles, including “Hound Dog”, “Jailhouse Rock”, “King Creole”, “There Goes My Baby”, “Searchin'”, “Yakety Yak”, “Stand By Me”, “Poison Ivy” and “Kansas City”. The duo also wrote hits for The Coasters and The Drifters. Leiber & Stoller were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1985 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
- One half of the married songwriting, production, and recording duo Ashford & Simpson, Nickolas Ashford, died in New York at the age of 70 from complications related to throat cancer. With his wife Valerie Simpson, he wrote some of Motown's most significant hits, including “Ain't No Mountain High Enough”, “You're All I Need to Get By”, “Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing”, and “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)”. The duo also had hits of their own, including “Found a Cure”, which reached No. 36 on the U.S. chart in 1979, and “Solid”, which reached No. 3 on the British chart in 1985.
- Songwriter Jerry Leiber, whose songwriting catalogue included “Hound Dog”, “Jailhouse Rock”, “Yakety Yak”, “Poison Ivy” and “Love Potion Number 9”, died at the age of 78. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame with songwriting partner Mike Stoller in 1985 and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame two years later.
- Nick Ashford of the songwriting duo Ashford & Simpson died.
- American delta blues guitarist and singer David "Honeyboy" Edwards died in Chicago, Illinois, from congestive heart failure at the age of 96.
- Singer Jimmy Jones, known for the hits “Handy Man” and “Good Timin',” died at the age of 82.
- Blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter Johnnie Bassett died of cancer at the age of 76.
- Singer and guitarist Stephen Hill, who worked with artists including Dolly Parton, Don McLean, Marie Osmond, Nancy Sinatra and Lynn Anderson, died at the age of 55 from a heart attack.
- Composer and conductor Marvin Hamlisch died in Los Angeles at the age of 68. He wrote the music for the film “The Way We Were” and was one of only a few people to receive Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Awards.
- American bassist Bob Birch died at his Los Angeles home at the age of 56 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He had been a member of Elton John's band since 1992 and also worked with Bryan Adams, Lionel Richie, George Michael, Eric Clapton, B. B. King, Phil Collins and The Doobie Brothers.
- American singer and songwriter Philip Blondheim, known as Scott McKenzie, died at the age of 73 in Los Angeles, California, after a two-year battle with Guillain–Barré syndrome. He was best known for his 1967 hit “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)” and co-wrote The Beach Boys' hit “Kokomo,” which reached No. 1 in 1988.
- American lyricist Hal David, longtime collaborator of Burt Bacharach, died at the age of 91.
- Entertainer Max Bygraves died after a battle with Alzheimer's disease in Hope Island, Queensland, Australia, at the age of 89.
- Nat Weiss, a lawyer and manager associated, among other things, with Beatles merchandising in the United States, died in New York City.
- Singer, keyboardist, composer and producer George Duke, known for his work with Frank Zappa and the Clarke/Duke Project with Stanley Clarke, died in Los Angeles at the age of 67 from chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
- Cowboy Jack Clement, a songwriter and producer who worked with, among others, Johnny Cash, died at the age of 82 in Nashville, Tennessee, from liver cancer.
- Eydie Gorme, a respected nightclub and television singer, died at Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center at the age of 84 after a short, unspecified illness. She was survived by her husband Steve Lawrence, to whom she had been married for 56 years, and her son, songwriter David Nessim Lawrence. She was best known for her 1963 hit “Blame It on the Bossa Nova,” which reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. Between 1956 and 1964, she had six more songs on the Hot 100 and won Grammy and Emmy Awards.
- Jody Payne, guitarist for The Family, Willie Nelson's backing band, died at the age of 77 from heart complications in Stapleton, Alabama.
- The drummer of The Charlatans died at the age of 44. He had been undergoing treatment for a brain tumor since 2010 after suffering a seizure during a tour.
- A founding member of Blue Öyster Cult died in Manhattan, New York, at the age of 67 from complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (C.O.P.D.) after a long battle with lung disease.
- Music promoter Sid Bernstein, best known for arranging The Beatles' concerts at Carnegie Hall and later at Shea Stadium, died in Manhattan, New York, at the age of 95. In the 1960s, he brought The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Herman's Hermits, The Moody Blues and The Kinks to America. He also worked as manager of The (Young) Rascals and singer Tony Bennett. He was the first promoter to organize rock concerts in sports stadiums.
- Rosetta Hightower, singer with The Orlons, died on August 2, 2014, at the age of 70. The group had five U.S. Top 20 hits in the 1960s.
- Lauren Bacall died at the age of 89; the source describes her as the last surviving film star mentioned in Madonna's song “Vogue.”
- Doo-wop singer Tommy Gough of The Crests died at the age of 74 from throat cancer at his home in Flint, Michigan.
- Glenn Cornick, the original bassist and a founding member of Jethro Tull, died at the age of 67 from heart failure. He was with the group from its formation in late 1967 until 1970.
- Belgian music promoter Gustav De Ridder died at the age of 78.
- Jimi Jamison, lead singer of Survivor, died at the age of 63 from a heart attack. He joined the group in 1984 and sang on "The Moment of Truth", "High on You", "I Can't Hold Back", "The Search Is Over", "Burning Heart" and "Is This Love". Together with other writers, he also wrote and sang the theme song "I'm Always Here" for the television series "Baywatch".
- Country music producer, songwriter, and arranger Billy Sherrill died after a short illness at the age of 78.
- The American music producer died at the age of 83 in Nashville, Tennessee. He produced numerous important albums, including Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited, Blonde on Blonde, John Wesley Harding, Nashville Skyline, Self Portrait and New Morning; Simon & Garfunkel's Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme and Sounds of Silence; Leonard Cohen's Songs from a Room; and Johnny Cash's At Folsom Prison. He also produced for Aretha Franklin, The Byrds and Patti Page.
- Ricci Martin, musician and youngest son of Dean Martin, died at the age of 62 at his home in Utah.
- She died at the age of 95; she was the mother of Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb and Andy Gibb.
- The former keyboardist and synthesizer player, who worked with Nine Inch Nails from 1991 to 1994 and also with Rob Halford's group 2wo, died at the age of 49. He fell from a ladder in his studio in Illinois and died from neck injuries. John 5 of Marilyn Manson also played in 2wo.
- American music producer, manager and con artist Lou Pearlman died at the age of 62 from cardiac arrest while serving a 25-year sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Texarkana, Texas. He was the manager of successful boy bands Backstreet Boys and NSYNC. In 2006, he was accused of running one of the largest and longest-running Ponzi schemes in history, leaving more than $300 million in debt. After being caught, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy, money laundering and making false statements during bankruptcy proceedings. In 2008, he was sentenced to up to 25 years in prison.
- Former 3 Doors Down guitarist Matt Roberts died at the age of 38 in a hotel room in Wisconsin, probably as a result of an accidental prescription drug overdose. 3 Doors Down achieved international fame with their debut single “Kryptonite”, which reached the Top 3 of the Billboard chart. Their 2000 debut album “The Better Life” was the 11th best-selling album of the year and was certified six-times platinum in the U.S.
- Tom Searle of Architects died at the age of 28 from skin cancer.
- Belgian jazz multi-instrumentalist and composer Jean-Baptiste Frédéric Isidor, professionally known as Toots Thielemans, died in Brussels at the age of 94. He became best known as a legendary harmonica player.
- Toots Thielemans, the legendary Belgian jazz harmonica player, died.
- Jeanne Martin, the late Dean Martin's former wife, died of cancer at the age of 89. She married the singer in 1949 and had three children with him, including Dean Paul Martin, while also raising four children from Dean's first marriage. They divorced in 1972.
- Mexican singer and songwriter Juan Gabriel died of a heart attack at the age of 66. He sold more than 200 million recordings worldwide and was one of the best-selling Latin American singers and songwriters. His nineteenth studio album “Recuerdos, Vol. II” was reportedly the best-selling album of all time in Mexico, with more than eight million copies sold.
- American country-pop singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor and television host Glen Campbell died at the age of 81 after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. During his career, he had 21 Billboard Top 40 hits, 75 additional songs on the country chart and more than 70 studio albums. He sold 45 million records worldwide, hosted his own television show and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
- Jerry Lewis, an actor and comedian who also had a Billboard No. 10 hit in 1956 with “Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody”, died at the age of 91. After making seventeen films with Dean Martin, he continued with a solo career and succeeded in films such as “The Bellboy” and “The Nutty Professor”. As host of the Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon, he helped the charity raise more than $1.5 billion. His will later revealed that he had excluded all six of his sons, including musician Gary Lewis, and left his estate to his second wife SanDee Pitnick and adopted daughter Danielle.
- Sonny Burgess, a musician associated with Sun Records, died at the age of 88.
- Canadian drummer, guitarist and keyboard player Ronald Harry “Skip” Prokop, founding member of the rock groups The Paupers and Lighthouse, died at the age of 73. In 1969, he co-founded Lighthouse with Paul Hoffert, and the group later became internationally successful. During his career, Prokop also recorded with Janis Joplin, Carlos Santana, Peter, Paul & Mary, and Al Kooper and Mike Bloomfield.
- Aretha Franklin, known as the "Queen of Soul" and one of the best-selling female recording artists of all time, died in Detroit at the age of 76 from pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer. During her career, she had 20 No. 1 hits on the Billboard R&B chart, 45 Billboard Top 40 hits and won 18 Grammy Awards.
- “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin died at the age of 76, representing a major loss to music and cultural history.
- Eddie “Chank” Willis died at the age of 82 from complications caused by polio. During the 1960s and early 1970s, he played electric guitar and occasionally electric sitar with Motown's studio group The Funk Brothers. He contributed to many hits, including “Please Mr. Postman” by The Marvelettes, “The Way You Do the Things You Do” by The Temptations, “You Keep Me Hanging On” by The Supremes and “I Was Made to Love Her” by Stevie Wonder.
- American musician and songwriter Ed King died at his home in Nashville, Tennessee, at the age of 68. He became known as the guitarist of the psychedelic rock group Strawberry Alarm Clock and as guitarist and bassist of the Southern rock group Lynyrd Skynyrd, where he performed from 1972–1975 and again from 1987–1996. With Strawberry Alarm Clock, he co-wrote the 1967 hit “Incense and Peppermints”, and with Lynyrd Skynyrd he co-wrote the 1974 song “Sweet Home Alabama”. In 2006, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Lynyrd Skynyrd.
- Jazz pianist and composer Randy Weston died at the age of 92.
- Henri Belolo, French music producer, co-founder of The Ritchie Family and The Village People, and co-writer of many of their hits, died at the age of 82.
- American bassist Lawrence “Larry” Taylor, a founding member of Los Angeles boogie/rock group Canned Heat, died at the age of 77 after a twelve-year battle with cancer. He was best known as a member of Canned Heat, in which he performed from 1967 to 1970. With the group, he appeared at its major performances at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 and Woodstock in 1969, and played on “Going Up the Country” and “On the Road Again”. Before joining Canned Heat, he worked as a studio bassist for The Monkees and Jerry Lee Lewis. He was the younger brother of Mel Taylor, longtime drummer of The Ventures.
- Songwriter LaShawn Daniels, who wrote hits for Destiny's Child and Brandy, died at the age of 41.
- Steve Holland, a founding member and guitarist of Molly Hatchet, died after a long illness at the age of 66.
- British music producer and audio engineer Martin Birch died at the age of 71. He was known for producing and engineering albums by British rock bands including Deep Purple, Rainbow, Fleetwood Mac, Whitesnake, Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden.
- English rock and pop singer Wayne Fontana, born Glyn Geoffrey Ellis, died at the age of 74 from cancer. With The Mindbenders, he reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “The Game of Love” in 1965.
- Francouzský hudební producent, skladatel, zpěvák a hudebník Mark Wirtz zemřel ve věku 76 let na Pickovu chorobu. Proslavil se mimo jiné nedokončeným konceptuálním albem A Teenage Opera.
- Singer, guitarist and actor Trini Lopez died at the age of 83 from complications of COVID-19. In 1963 he had the hit “If I Had A Hammer,” which reached No. 3 on the Billboard chart. He also appeared in the 1967 film The Dirty Dozen.
- The English hard rock and heavy metal bassist died at the age of 69 from life-threatening injuries sustained in an accident two months earlier. He was the bassist of UFO and a founding member of Waysted and Fastway, and also played with the Michael Schenker Group and Ozzy Osbourne.
- Jazz and R&B saxophonist Hal Singer died at the age of 100.
- Jack Sherman died at the age of 64 from a heart attack at his home in Savannah, Georgia. He was the second guitarist to join the Red Hot Chili Peppers between Hillel Slovak's departure and return. He played on the band's debut album and co-wrote most of their second album, Freaky Styley. He also worked with Bob Dylan, George Clinton and Feargal Sharkey.
- American rock drummer Frankie Banali died at the age of 68 from pancreatic cancer. He was best known for his work with the multiplatinum heavy metal band Quiet Riot.
- American screenwriter and producer Joe Ruby, co-creator of Scooby-Doo and producer of numerous Hanna-Barbera animated programs connected with music, died at the age of 87.
- Stan Lark, bassist with The Fireballs, died of cancer at the age of 81.
- Dennis „Dee Tee“ Thomas, spoluzakladatel skupiny Kool & the Gang, zemřel ve spánku několik hodin po vystoupení se skupinou ve věku 70 let. Se skupinou měl mimo jiné americký hit číslo jedna „Celebration“ a britský hit „Joanna“ a v letech 1973 až 1987 se skupinou umístil 22 skladeb v Billboard Top 40.
- American hip-hop and R&B producer Carl “Chucky” Thompson died at the age of 53 from complications related to COVID-19. In the 1990s, he was a member of Bad Boy Entertainment’s production team The Hitmen and worked with artists including Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans, Sean Combs and The Notorious B.I.G.
- American blues guitarist, singer and songwriter Roy Gaines died at the age of 83, one day before his 84th birthday. As a backing musician he worked with the Everly Brothers, The Supremes, Bobby Darin, Stevie Wonder and Gladys Knight, among others. He co-wrote “No Use Crying,” recorded by George Jones and Ray Charles.
- American singer and songwriter Nanci Griffith died at the age of 68. In 1994, she won a Grammy for the album Other Voices, Other Rooms and recorded duets with numerous prominent performers.
- Country singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and Country Music Hall of Fame member Tom T. Hall died at the age of 85. He wrote 12 songs that reached No. 1 on the charts, including “Harper Valley P.T.A.”, made famous by Jeannie C. Riley in 1968, and “I Love”, which reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974. Another 26 of his songs reached the Top 10.
- Connie Hamzy Parente died after an unspecified illness. She was also known as “Sweet Sweet” Connie or Connie Flowers. She became famous as a well-known groupie who claimed to have had sexual relationships with many rock musicians. Connie Hamzy was immortalized in the song “We're An American Band” by Grand Funk.
- Don Everly, the last surviving member of the rock'n'roll duo The Everly Brothers, died at the age of 84. Don and his brother Phil had worldwide hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s including “Bye Bye Love” and “All I Have To Do Is Dream”. The duo had a total of 27 songs in the Billboard Top 40 between 1957 and 1967 and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. Four of their recordings, “Wake Up Little Susie”, “All I Have To Do Is Dream”, “Bird Dog” and “Cathy's Clown”, reached No. 1 in the US. Don's brother Phil died in 2014 at the age of 74.
- Brian Travers, founding saxophonist of UB40, died.
- Founding member and keyboardist of Simply Red Fritz McIntyre died at the age of 62.
- Fritz McIntyre, keyboardist in the original lineup of Simply Red and one of the band's founding members, died at the age of 62. He was with the group from its 1985 debut album „Picture Book“ through the 1995 album „Life“.
- Charlie Watts, legendary English drummer and graphic artist, died in a London hospital at the age of 80. He originally studied graphic art, later turned to jazz and played in London's rhythm and blues clubs, where he met future members of The Rolling Stones. He joined the group as drummer in 1963 and remained a member for 58 years. In 2016, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him No. 12 on its list of the 100 greatest drummers of all time.
- Jamaican music producer and singer Lee "Scratch" Perry died at the age of 85 from an unspecified illness. He became known for his innovative studio techniques and production style and was a pioneer in the development of dub in the 1970s through his early use of remixing and studio effects to create new instrumental or vocal versions of existing reggae songs. He collaborated with and produced for numerous artists including Bob Marley and the Wailers, Junior Murvin, Beastie Boys, Ari Up, The Clash, and The Orb.
- Ron Bushy, drummer of Iron Butterfly, died at the age of 79 after battling esophageal cancer.
- Sam Gooden, founding member of the soul group The Impressions, died in Chattanooga, Tennessee, at the age of 87 from a heart attack.
- Judith Durham, singer of The Seekers, died at the age of 79 from complications related to lung disease at Alfred Hospital in Melbourne.
- American singer, songwriter and producer Lamont Herbert Dozier died at the age of 81 at his home near Scottsdale, Arizona. As a member of the Holland–Dozier–Holland songwriting and production team, he contributed to 14 U.S. No. 1 hits, including hits by The Supremes, The Four Tops and The Isley Brothers.
- British-Australian singer and actress Olivia Newton-John died at the age of 73 from breast cancer. During her career, she won four Grammy Awards, had 15 Billboard Top 10 hits and sold more than 100 million records worldwide. She was also known for her role as Sandy in the film “Grease”.
- American guitarist and studio musician Bill Pitman died at the age of 102 from complications following a fall. He also played ukulele on the Oscar-winning song “Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head” and as a studio musician contributed to recordings by The Byrds, The Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, The Ronettes, Deep Purple, Nancy Sinatra and others.
- Scottish singer, songwriter and actor Darius Danesh was found unresponsive in his apartment in Rochester, Minnesota, and was later pronounced dead. He became known after appearing on the first series of the UK show Popstars in 2001. In 2002 he had the UK No. 1 single “Colourblind” and later played Billy Flynn in the London musical Chicago and Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls.
- Jerry Allison, drummer of the American rock'n'roll group The Crickets and a member of Buddy Holly's backing band, died of cancer at the age of 82. Together with Buddy Holly, he co-wrote the songs “That'll Be the Day” and “Peggy Sue”, which he recorded with him. His only solo appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 was the song “Real Wild Child”, released in 1958 under the name Ivan. After Holly's death in 1959, Allison retained control of the name The Crickets and later performed and recorded with bassist Joe B. Mauldin and guitarist Sonny Curtis.
- American blues singer Mable John died at the age of 91. She was the first female singer signed by Berry Gordy to Motown's Tamla label. In 1960 she released her first single, “Who Wouldn't Love a Man Like That?”. After leaving Motown she spent several years as a Raelette, backing Ray Charles.
- English artist Jamie Reid, best known for his work on the album Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols and the singles “Anarchy in the U.K.” and “God Save the Queen”, died at the age of 76.
- Singer and songwriter Sixto Rodriguez, whose story was featured in the documentary Searching for Sugar Man, died at the age of 81.
- Robbie Robertson, guitarist and songwriter with The Band, died after a long illness at the age of 80. He was also renowned as Bob Dylan’s lead guitarist. The Band began as Ronnie Hawkins’ backing group The Hawks, later backed Bob Dylan and eventually became an independent act with the 1968 album “Music From Big Pink”. Over the following ten years, they released eleven more albums and finally disbanded in 1978.
- American music producer and manager Jerry Moss, co-founder of A&M Records with Herb Alpert, died at his home in Bel Air, Los Angeles, at the age of 88.
- Ray Hildebrand, “Paul” of the pop duo Paul and Paula, died at the age of 82. With his partner Jill Jackson, he reached No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 1963 with “Hey Paula.” After two more Top 40 hits, the duo split in 1965, and Hildebrand subsequently turned to Christian music.
- American songwriter and producer Bob Feldman died at the age of 83. Together with Jerry Goldstein and Richard Gottehrer, he wrote several hits including “My Boyfriend's Back” by The Angels in 1963. In 1964, the three founded The Strangeloves, who had the hit “I Want Candy”. The trio also wrote the song “Sorrow”, later successful in versions by The Merseys and David Bowie, and produced The McCoys' hit “Hang On Sloopy”.
- Bernie Marsden, the original guitarist of Whitesnake, died at the age of 72. Together with David Coverdale, he wrote the band's 1987 hit „Here I Go Again“, which reached No. 1 on the chart.
- American guitarist Jack Sonni, known as the “second guitarist” of Dire Straits during the “Brothers in Arms” era, died at the age of 68. He met Dire Straits founding members and guitarists David and Mark Knopfler in 1978 while working at Rudy's Music Stop guitar store in Manhattan.
- Maurice Williams, singer of Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs and writer of “Stay,” died at the age of 86 from unspecified causes.
- Americký rockový zpěvák Jack Russell, bývalý frontman a zakládající člen hardrockové skupiny Great White, zemřel ve věku 63 let po boji s demencí s Lewyho tělísky a atrofií svalového systému. Great White měli v závěru 80. a na začátku 90. let šest skladeb v Billboard Hot 100, včetně „Once Bitten Twice Shy“, která dosáhla 5. místa.
- He died at the age of 63 from Lewy body dementia. He was the singer of Great White, known among other things for the hit “Once Bitten, Twice Shy”.
- Patricia Carey, Mariah Carey's mother, and her sister Alison Carey died on the same day. Patricia Carey died at the age of 87 and Alison Carey at the age of 63.
- Danielle Moore, singer of the British electronic group Crazy P, died at the age of 52. The group released six albums and several singles, beginning with “Digging Deeper” in 1996, and built a strong following in Australia, where they performed several times.
- English singer, songwriter, and guitarist Terry Reid, nicknamed “Superlungs,” died in Rancho Mirage, California, at the age of 75.
- American singer, songwriter and musician Bobby Whitlock died after a short illness at his home in Texas at the age of 77. He worked with Sam & Dave, Booker T. & the M.G.’s, Delaney & Bonnie, Dr. John and Joe Cocker. In 1970, he co-founded Derek and the Dominos with Eric Clapton and contributed to half of the songs on the album “Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs.” He also worked on George Harrison’s album “All Things Must Pass.”
- Tom Shipley of the duo Brewer and Shipley died at the age of 84 from unspecified causes. The duo became known for the controversial hit „One Toke Over the Line“, which reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1971.
- Ray Mayhew, drummer of the British new wave band Sigue Sigue Sputnik, died at the age of 60. The band had three UK Top 40 singles, including “Love Missile F1-11”, produced by Giorgio Moroder, which reached No. 3 on the UK chart in 1986. The band’s popularity was also boosted by the inclusion of the song in John Hughes’s film “Ferris Bueller's Day Off”.
- ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard died at the age of 77 at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, in the presence of his family. During his 56-year career, he appeared on all 15 of the band's studio albums, from ZZ Top's First Album in 1971 to La Futura in 2012. His death left Billy Gibbons as the last surviving member of ZZ Top's classic lineup.
- Shelley Fabares, who reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962 with the million-selling hit “Johnny Angel”, died at the age of 82. At the height of her fame as a teen idol, she moved into film and appeared alongside Elvis Presley in three films: Girl Happy (1965), Spinout (1966), and Clambake (1967). In addition to other films, she also starred in the television series The Donna Reed Show from 1958 and in the series Coach alongside Craig T. Nelson from 1989. In 1984, she married MAS*H actor Mike Farrell, with whom she remained married for more than 41 years.
- Dolly Parton died at the age of 80 after a short battle with cancer. Rising from poverty through her talent, she became an iconic songwriter, singer and entertainer and used her wealth to support various projects, including Imagination Library, which promotes children's literacy by distributing books.
- Dolly Parton was buried during a private family ceremony at Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery and Mausoleum in Nashville, Tennessee. She was laid to rest beside her husband Carl Dean, with whom she had been married for almost 60 years. Several US cities, including New Orleans, Lexington, and New York, proclaimed September 25 “Dolly Parton Day” in honor of her 1981 hit “9 to 5”.