It has been a heartbreaking year so far for the music world with nearly 30 singers or industry insiders having died already.
The following is a look at those we have lost thus far:
Ed Askew
Ed Askew, a cult folk music singer/songwriter and painter, died on Jan. 4.
He was 84.
PEOPLE Magazine reported that Askew had been battling “ongoing health struggles” and had been in hospice.
“Ed was a brave gay songwriter from the beginning, and I hope more come to know this,” Jay Pluck, Askew’s manager and friend, told PEOPLE. “Ed’s music changed the lives of people from many generations and continues to do so.”
Askew was a native of Stamford, Connecticut, and according to PEOPLE he studied paining at Yale Art School. The site said Askew was called up for the draft in 1966 but ended up teaching at a prep school in Connecticut instead. It said that is when he began writing his songs.
PEOPLE said Askew released 11 albums during his career. His first album “Ask The Unicorn” came in 1968 and his final, “London” came in 2020. PEOPLE said he also “had a prolific painting career.”
Beej Chaney
Beej Chaney, described as a punk rock hero in Minnesota, died on Jan. 5.
Chaney, 68, who played with the band The Suburbs, was reportedly found after he went for a swim in the Pacific Ocean.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that Chaney had a daily routine of swimming in the ocean, and that he went out around sunset. Friends and bandmates reportedly found his body on Hermosa Beach later that night.
The newspaper said that the Hermosa Beach Police Department said crews responded to a call at around 7 p.m. after Chaney’s body washed up. His death was ruled accidental. The Suburbs drummer Hugo Klaers told the newspaper that Chaney survived a near-death experience during a swim last year. On that occasion, he said, the musician collapsed on the beach.
“His body temperature had dropped to like 75 degrees,” Klaer told the newspaper. “They put him in an induced coma for three days and he actually came back, and the doctor called him ‘her little miracle’ because she said most people when their body temperature gets this low don’t survive. They told him he couldn’t swim for a month and any future swimming he had to wear a wet suit because he was only wearing swim trunks when he was swimming in the ocean.”
Chaney helped found The Suburbs in 1977 and played with the band through 2014.
Jackie Farry
Jackie Farry, who hosted an MTV show and rubbed shoulders with some legendary rock acts, died on Jan. 12.
She was 58.
Variety reported that she died from a lung disease. The site also noted that she had battled cancer for more than 20 years.
The site said that Farry “worked closely with Nirvana,” and was the first nanny for Frances Bean Cobain. She later served as a tour manager for Elliott Smith, the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and the Lemonheads, according to Variety.
The site also said that, following Kurt Cobain’s death in 1994, Farry hosted the MTV show “Super Rock,” although it described that as “short-lived.”
She reportedly got into the industry as a receptionist for Homestead Records.
“Jackie’s love for music was matched only by her sharp wit, humor, and magnetic personality,” Janet Billig Rich, a friend and associate, told the Hollywood Reporter. “She was a beacon for friends and strangers alike, drawing people with infectious energy.”
Peter Forrest
Peter Forrest, better known as former frontman P. Fluid for rock band 24-7 Spyz, has died.
He was 64.
Loudwire.com reported that Forrest was found beaten to death on Jan. 13 in New York City. Forrest had reportedly been driving an ambulette and after he failed to make pickups and stopped answering his phone they became concerned. That’s when a co-worker used GPS to track his vehicle, and when they found him, per the report, the front window had been broken and Forrest was lying face down in the back of the ambulette.
Police determined he was beaten to death.
Loudwire said that 24-7 Spyz had its “greatest success in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s delivering a brand of funk metal representative of the difference influences the band picked up in their native Bronx.”
Forrest was the frontman for the three of the band’s eight studio albums.
He left the band for four years, per Loudwire, leaving following a 1990 tour alongside Jane’s Addiction and returning in 1994.
“He brought a sense of reckless abandon, but in a fun way,” 24-7 Spyz guitarist Jimi Hazel told Rolling Stone. “He was climbing on the rafters. When he wanted to sing, he could sing. But he got more into screaming and shouting.”
Loudwire reported that Forrest had a couple of other projects, including forming the band BlkVampires with which he split in 2019.
Wayne “Doobie” Fabra
Wayne “Doobie” Fabra, a founding member and drummer for the metal band Graveyard Rodeo, has died.
He was 58.
Blabbermouth.com reported that Fabra died on Jan. 15.
The site called Graveyard Rodeo a “groundbreaking” band and “pioneers of the New Orleans underground scene fusing metal, hardcore and doom which would later spawn the ‘sludge’ sound that New Orleans has become famous for.”
Blabbermouth noted that Graveyard Rodeo’s roots date back to 1980, but the band’s big break came in 1993 when it signed with Century media and released its debut album, “Sowing Discord In The Haunts of Man.” The site said the band then went on a European Tour and was “very well received.” However, the group broke up when it returned home. A second version of the band produced a second album, per Blabbermouth, but broke up for good after that.
“I just saw the devastating news — and I’m not okay upon learning it,” Kyle Thomas of the New Orleans metal band Exhorder wrote on social media. “Rest well, Wayne ‘Doobie’ Fabra. A friend and mentor to me when I was a fifteen year old kid just learning about punk and hardcore.”
Thomas wrote that Graveyard Rode was “bridging punk and metal on the New Orleans scene before Exhorder was even a thought.”
“We played many shows together, had lots of fun and laughs as well over the years,” he added. “Never did this Goliath of a man make me feel any smaller than he was – and he was SCARY looking. He’d be proud to hear me say that. A vicious drummer that hit hard and sang as well, he helped shape this New Orleans scene. If you don’t know much about him or Graveyard Rodeo, start doing your homework now – it’s worth it.
“I love ya big guy. May you rot in peace…”
Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Faithfull, a popular singer and actress, died on Jan. 30.
She was 78.
Faithfull was best known for her version of the Rolling Stones’ “As Tears Go By,” which was a top 10 hit in the United Kingdom back in 1964.
She was known for collaborations with the likes of Metallica, and she also dated Mick Jagger in the 1960s
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of the singer, songwriter and actress Marianne Faithfull,” a spokesperson said in a statement, according to the BBC and the Guardian. “Marianne passed away peacefully in London today, in the company of her loving family. She will be dearly missed.”
Read more about Faitfhull here.
Barry Goldberg
Barry Goldberg, a legendary blues and rock keyboardist, died on Jan. 22.
He was 83.
Rolling Stone reported that he died on Wednesday after battling non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
PEOPLE Magazine reported that Goldberg collected performing, writing and producing credits across his career with artists such as Rod Stewart, Leonard Cohen, the Ramones, Stephen Stills and Steve Miller.
“Barry Goldberg was a great pianist, a brilliant songwriter and a lifetime friend,” the Steve Miller Band X account posted. “We played together in Chicago in 1965 as the Goldberg-Miller blues Band and he was an important part of the blues revival in Chicago in the mid ‘60s. R.IP. Barry, yours was a great musical journey.”
He also famously played the keyboard with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band which backed Bob Dylan during the Newport Folk Festival in 1965.
Goldberg was also a founding member of the band Electric Flag.
Rolling Stone reported that Goldberg began visiting nightclubs as a teenager and artists such as Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Buddy Guy and Otis Rush became mentors to him.
Goldberg was also the nephew of former Supreme Court Justice Arthur Goldberg.
Irv Gotti
Famed record producer Irv Gotti died on Feb. 5.
He was 54.
Gotti reportedly suffered a stroke.
Gotti co-founded the legendary Murder Inc. Records in 1998 and was credited with helping get the likes of Jay-Z, DMX, Ja Rule and Ashanti going in the business.
Gary Grier
Gary Grier, a longtime member of the iconic R&B group The Contours, died in February.
The group announced his passing in a post on social media.
“Today, we lost one of our own,” the post on Facebook read. “We are profoundly saddened by the sudden death of Gary Grier. Gary has been a member of The Countours for over three decades. He was an integral part of our group, and he will be sorely missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of Gary’s family and friends.
SoulTracks.com called Grier “a seasoned performer with a commanding stage presence.” He joined The Countours in 1993, and the website said that he “played a vital role in preserving and rejuvenating the legacy of The Contours.”
While Grier was a longtime member of the group, the Contours’ start stretches all the way back to the early 1960s when they had the breakout hit “Do You Love Me,” which hit No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold more than a million copies.
Bruce Howe
Bruce Howe, a legendary rock bassist in the 1970s band Fraternity, died on Jan. 29, according to multiple reports.
He was 77.
Howe reportedly died after a lengthy battle with cancer.
Howe was in Fraternity along with Jimmy Barnes and AC/DC legend Bon Scott. Barnes wrote about Howe’s death on social media.
“My dear friend Bruce Howe has passed away after a battle with cancer,” Barnes wrote. “Bruce was the first person I rang when I went solo. He played bass with my band and helped guide me through the early years of my career. He will be sadly missed. RIP, you were the most ferocious bass player I’ve ever heard.”
Howe helped found Fraternity in 1970 and had a five-year run before it disbanded. Along the way, the band rose to the top of the charts in Australia.
Music promoter Victor Marshall praised Howe for his “crucial role” in changing the musical landscape in Australia.
Garth Hudson
Garth Hudson, the last living member of The Band, died on Jan. 21.
He was 87.
The Toronto Star reported that Hudson died in his sleep in a nursing home in Woodstock, New York.
He was known for playing a handful of different instruments for the group including the accordion, keyboard and saxophone.
“Today, we say goodbye to Garth ‘Honey Boy’ Hudson, the last living original member of The Band,” the group’s X account said in a statement. “A musical genius and cornerstone of the group’s timeless sound, Garth once said, ‘I found some true enjoyment in helping people get to the bottom of their feelings.’
“Through his music, he did just that – helping us all feel more deeply and connect to something greater,” he continued. “Rest easy, Garth.”
The Band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Hall also acknowledged Hudson’s death with a long post on X calling him a “master of the organ, piano, accordion and saxophone.”
“Garth Hudson was a key architect of the sound of (The Band), one of the most influential rock groups of all time,” the Hall’s statement read. “With the classically trained Hudson contributing unique sounds and textures, The Band became the embodiment of what is now called Americana music, synthesizing country, R&B, early rock & roll, and folk music while thematically fusing the past with the present. The Band’s impact on the music that came after them is immeasurable.
“Following the break-up of the group, Hudson went on to become an in-demand session musician, recording with numerous artists including Hall of Famers Elton John, Van Morrison, and Tom Petty.”
Dave Jerden
Dave Jerden, a record producer, audio engineer and mixer, who worked with some of the most popular rock bands of the 1990s died on Feb. 5.
He was 75.
The list of bands Jerden worked with included the likes of The Rolling Stones, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane’s Addiction, Alice in Chains, The Offspring, Anthrax, Meat Puppets, Spinal Tap, Fishbone and Social Distortion.
Owen Leahy
Owen Leahy might not have been a household name, yet, but if you Google his name you will see the stories.
A report on PopCulture.com referred to Leahy, a founding member and bassist for This Is Pointless, as an “undeniable talent.” Sadly, that same report featured Leahy because, it said, he “passed away suddenly,” on Jan. 6.
He was just 28.
Leahy was a native of Winchester, Massachusetts.
“Owen was so many things to so many people,” his obituary read. “To his family, he was a loving son, a protective brother, and the family prankster. To his DIY Emo Band, This Is Pointless, he was a co-founder and a bass player.
“In the community of recovery, Owen was a mentor, a support system, and dedicated to helping those looking to change their lives for the better,” it continued. “Owen was proud to have celebrated 10 years of his own sobriety. If you had the privilege of becoming a friend of Owen’s, you were a friend for life. He would do anything for those he loved and those in need.”
A GoFundMe launched to help pay for his funeral and other expenses has raised nearly $30,000.
Fredrik Lindgren
Pioneering metal guitarist Fredrik Lindgren has died.
He was 53.
Lindgren was reportedly the original guitarist for legendary Swedish death metal band Unleashed, and also played with Terra Firma and Harms Way.
Unleashed shared the news of his death, which actually occurred on Jan. 5, on Facebook.
Warriors!!!” the post read. “Sadly, the news have reached us that Fredrik Lindgren, lead guitar of Unleashed 1989-1995 has passed away. Fredrik was a huge part of the early history of the band. For this we are eternally grateful. See you in Valhalla brother!”
Lindgren was credited with co-founding Unleashed in 1989 and playing on the group’s first four albums. He left the band in 1995 and joined Terra Firma. Consequence reported that he was with that band through 2003.
The site said he then went on to form Harms Way, which it described as a stoner metal band, and it said he then formed another band, Atlantic Tide.
“In loving memory of Freddie Eugene 1971-2025,” Terra Firma singer Lord Chritus wrote on Facebook. Numbed by the news of your passing. Fredrik my old friend. Hard to put emotions into words. Just hope you have found your peace as you deserve no less. You will not only be missed by me but many, I know this much. Thank you for being a part of my life and colored it with your friendship and musicianship both embodied in what was Terra Firma. We had some really great timeds and that will never change. All my love.”
Sal Maida
Sal Maida died on Feb. 1.
Google his name and you will find a Vice headline from back in 2017 that calls him “one of the coolest 70s rock stars you’ve never heard of.”
And maybe he wasn’t a household name, but when news of his death broke Tuesday it certainly seemed like enough folks appreciated his body of work. His wife, Lisa Burns-Maida, said that the bassist died Saturday in New York from complications following a fall back in December.
Maida was a native of New York who played in bands Roxy Music, Sparks and Milk ‘N’ Cookies.
The Hollywood Reporter said that Maida, who was a towering figure at 6-foot-6, also played with the likes of Ronnie Spector and The Runaways.
The site said that Maida hosted a radio show, “Spin Cycle,” in recent years and a memoir in 2017 entitled “Four Strings, Phony Proof and 300 45s.”
His publisher for that memoir, HoZac, released a statement on his death.
“Sal had such an incredible life that it just had to be made into a book, and we’re so glad we got to not only make that happen several times but also got to meet him in person, as he was like the cool older brother we’d never had.” the statement on Facebook read.
Melba Montgomery
Country music legend Melba Montgomery has died, according to Taste of Country.
The site reported that Montgomery died on Jan. 15.
She was 86.
Her daughter, Melissa Solomon Barrett, posted about her death on Facebook, too.
“It is with great sadness that we announce our family has lost our mother, Melba Montgomery Solomon,” she wrote. “She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, sister to my uncle, sister-in-law to my aunts and aunt to my cousins. She fought a long battle with dementia but is now with her loving husband, Jack Solomon in Heaven. We know mom has been waiting to hold dad for over 10 years.
“Thank you for loving our mom as much as we have,” she added. “She was an incredibly talented, kind and generous woman.”
Taste of Country noted that Montgomery was known for her duets with the likes of George Jones and her No. 1 hit, “No Charge,” which came in 1974.
Montgomery was born in Tennessee in 1938, and she got her career going in 1958. She had 22 solo studio albums, and was inducted into Nashvhille’s Walkway of the Stars in 1974.
George Jones’ daughter, Georgette, remembered Montgomery with a post on Facebook.
“Very sad news as yesterday the legendary Melba Montgomery passed away at age 86,” she wrote. “Melba recorded with my Dad many songs including ‘We Must Have Been Out Of Our Minds.” She was an incredible singer and songwriter as well as a very sweet and wonderful person. Please join me in praying for her family and friends.”
Sam Moore
Legendary soul singer Sam Moore died on Jan. 10, according to multiple reports.
He was 89.
Moore reportedly died from complications while recovering from a surgery.
Moore was best known as one-half of the R&B group Sam & Dave. His partner in that group, Dave Prater, died in 1988.
Together, Sam & Dave had such hits as “Soul Man,” “Hold On, I’m Comin’,” “You Don’t Know Like I know,” “I Thank You,” “When Something Is Wrong with My Baby,” and “Wrap It Up.”
“Soul Man” hit number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967 and won the duo a Grammy for Best R&B group performance. They were nominated for three more Grammy awards and received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.
“It means more to me than anything in the world,” Moore said at the time. “It means my work — what I’ve done and what I’m going to do in the near future — is not in vain.”
Although the duo had near unparalleled success, they had a tumultuous relationship that led them to a breakup in 1970. Bruce Springsteen was among those memorializing Moore.
“Over on E Street, we are heartbroken to hear of the death of Sam Moore, one of America’s greatest soul voices,” he said on Instagram. “He was filled with stories of the halcyon days of soul music, and to the end had that edge of deep authenticity in his voice I could only wonder at.”
Sam & Dave were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.
Chad Morgan
Australian country music star Chad Morgan died on Jan. 1.
He was 91.
Morgan was called “The Sheik of Scrubby Creek.” Known for his vaudeville style, he was considered a pioneer of country music in his country.
Popculture.com said Morgan released more than 20 albums across a 70-year career.
Linda Nolan
Popular pop singer Linda Nolan died on Jan. 15.
She was 65.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Linda Nolan, the celebrated Irish pop legend, television personality, Guinness World Record-holding West End star, Sunday Times bestselling author and Daily Mirror Columnist,” her manager, Dermot McNamara, said in a statement. “As a member of The Nolans — one of the most successful girl groups of all time — Linda achieved global success, becoming the first Irish act to sell over a million records worldwide, touring the world and selling over 30 million records with hits such as ‘Gotta Pull myself Together,’ ‘Attention to Me,’ and the iconic disco classic, ‘I’m In The Mood for Dancing.’
Popular pop singer Linda Nolan has died.
She was 65.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Linda Nolan, the celebrated Irish pop legend, television personality, Guinness World Record-holding West End star, Sunday Times bestselling author and Daily Mirror Columnist,” her manager, Dermot McNamara, said in a statement. “As a member of The Nolans — one of the most successful girl groups of all time — Linda achieved global success, becoming the first Irish act to sell over a million records worldwide, touring the world and selling over 30 million records with hits such as ‘Gotta Pull myself Together,’ ‘Attention to Me,’ and the iconic disco classic, ‘I’m In The Mood for Dancing.’
Teddy Osei
Teddy Osei, the singer and founding member for the rock band Osibisa, has died.
He was 88.
The band announced his death on its Facebook page on January 14.
“The members of Osibisa, and the band’s management, are deeply saddened by the death today of their dear client and friend Francis ‘Teddy’ Osei,” the statement read. “Known the world over as the leader and founder of Osibisa, the groundbreaking Afro-Rock band, he was a talented and passionate, man, musician, and mentor to many.
“A talented saxophone player, drummer and vocalist, Teddy found success but also fulfilment with his bands, most notably Osibisa,” the statement continued. “His was an important voice in music and culture, and he will be missed, but never forgotten.”
The band shared several more tributes to Osei on its page.
LouderSound.com wrote that the “Ghanaian-born Osei was instrumental in introducing white music audiences to Africa’s infectious Afro-beat sound, finding favor with progressive rock fans for their first few albums in the early 1970s.”
Osibisa began performing in 1969 and is still active today.
It has released 24 albums with the last — “New Dawn” — coming in 2021.
Wayne Osmond
Wayne Osmond, the second oldest in the Osmond Brothers band, died on Jan. 1.
He was 73.
His daughter, Amy Cook, shared the news on Facebook.
“Wayne Osmond, beloved husband and father, passed away peacefully last night surrounded by his loving wife and five children,” Cook wrote. “His legacy of faith, music, love and laughter have influence the lives of many people around the world. He would want everyone to know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true, that families are forever, and that banana splits are the best dessert. We love him and will miss him dearly.”
Cook wrote that she was “having a hard time expressing the depth of my sadness that I won’t have my ‘twin’ in my life for a while.”
“But I am so grateful for the time I was able to spend with him,” she continued. “I am grateful for the incredible memories. I am grateful for his strength, loyalty to our family, incredible talent and energy, and most of all, his love. I look forward to the day when I can see him again on the other side.
“I love you, Dad.”
His younger brother, Donny Osmond, posted about his death on Instagram and said that he “passed away peacefully last night from a stroke.”
“Wayne brought so much light, laughter, and love to everyone who knew him, especially me,” he wrote. “He was the ultimate optimist and was loved by everyone.”
The Los Angeles Times noted that Osmond also had surgery for a brain tumor in 1997 and had another stroke in 2012 “that left him unable to play guitar.”
Osmond was a native of Ogden, Utah.
Along with his brothers Alan, Merrill and Jay, he started The Osmond Brothers. They were considered teen idols.
Mike Ratledge
Mike Ratledge, a founding member of Soft Machine, died on Feb. 5.
He was 81.
Ratledge reportedly died following a short illness.
“Incredibly sad news that my great friend and Soft Machine legend passed away two hours ago after a brief illness,” former Soft Machine guitarist John Etheridge wrote on Facebook. “Mike was the backbone of Soft Machine in early years and a man with an absolutely incisive mind — a marvelous composer and keyboardist. A real renaissance man — so talented, cultured, charming — and a wonderful companion.
“We used to meet every few weeks for over 40 years — a treat for me,” he continued. “What a loss to all of us and his sister and wonderful girlfriend Elena, who were with him at the end.”
Ratledge was with Soft Machine when it started in 1966, and was the last founding member to leave the band in 1976.
Louder called Soft Machine “pioneers of both progressive rock and jazz fusion.”
“Mike Ratledge was my favorite keyboard player by far, the man who left the live music business almost 5 decades ago, leaving an eternal legacy of a true legend,” MoonJune Records’ Leonardo Pavkovic wrote. “One of my favorite musicians of all time. And I was really looking forward to seeing him again.
“The world is a sad and weird place right now, and this adds to the general sadness, and I was curious to know by the man himself, what Mike would think about what is going on in the world,” he added. “he was one of the most knowledgeable, wise and read people I have ever met.”
John Sykes
John Sykes, a guitarist who played with both Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake, died on Jan. 20
He was 65.
The news was first announced on Sykes’ Facebook page.
“It is with great sorry we share that John Sykes has passed away after a hard fought battle with cancer,” the post read. “He will be remembered by many as a man with exceptional musical talent but for those who didn’t know him personally, he was a thoughtful, kind, and charismatic man whose presence lit up the room.
“He certainly marched to the beat of his own drum and always pulled for the underdog,” the post continued. “In his final days, he spoke of his sincere love and gratitude for his fans who stuck by him through all these years. While the impact of his loss is profound and somber, we hope the light of his memory will extinguish the shadow of his absence.”
Sykes was a native of England, and per Billboard, began playing guitar as a teen. He began playing with the band, Tygers of Pan Tang, in 1980, and eventually got started with Whitesnake in 1984.
He also spent time with Thin Lizzy in the 1980s, and formed his own band, Blue Murder, too.
“Just heard the shocking news of John’s passing …” Whitesnake’s David Coverdale wrote. “My sincere condolences to his family, friends & fans.”
DJ Unk
Atlanta rapper DJ Unk, best known for his hit song “Walk It Out,” died on Jan. 24.
He was 42.
Unk’s real name was Anthony Leonard Platt, and his wife, Sherkita Long-Platt, posted about his death on Facebook on Friday.
“Please respect me and my family,” she wrote. “I just lost my husband and my kids just lost their father. Our life will never be the same. I LOVE YOU ANTHONY FOREVER.”
Unk began performing in the Atlanta area in 1998, and in 2006 he released the album “Beat’n Down Yo Block!” That featured the hit “Walk It Out,” which hit the Billboard Hot 100 top 10.
He released a second album, titled “2econd Season,” in 2008 and also has a handful of mixtapes.
Ragne Wahlquist
Heavy metal legend Ragne Wahlquist has died.
Wahlquist, who was 69, actually died back on Jan. 7.
Wahlquist was described as the “Godfather of Swedish heavy metal,” by Blabbermouth.com.
The site said Wahlquist was the guitarist and vocalist for Heavy Load, which it said is widely regarded as the first Swedish heavy metal band and first Viking metal band in the world.
SVT reported that Wahlquist and his younger brother, Styrbjorn, were recording the band’s fifth album at the time of his death. It said the band intends to complete the project and to continue on with the band.
Blabbermouth said that Heavy Load is credited with starting the Swedish wave of heavy metal.
The band first began performing in 1976 and released its first studio album, “Full Speed at High Level” in 1978. They released three more albums with the last — “Riders of the Ancient Storm” — coming in 2023.
Buck White
Country music legend Buck White died this week
He was 94.
The news of his death was relayed from his four daughters by another country music legend, Ricky Skaggs, on his Facebook page.
“The Lord answered our prayers and took our daddy, Buck White, home peacefully this morning at 8:00 a.m.,” the message from the daughters — Sharon, Cheryl, Rosie and Melissa — read. “We are so thankful for his 94 years on this earth. He was a great dad who taught us by example to put Jesus first always. His great loves were the Lord, our mother, his family, and music. Most people will remember him not only for being a great musician and entertainer, but also for being fun-loving and full of mischief. He lived a full life and finished well.
White, along with his daughters Sharon and Cheryl, formed the Grammy Award-winning trio The Whites. Per Taste of Country, the group had several top 10 and Top 20 singles in the 1980s. The Whites were inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 1984, and in 2008 they were inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame.
According to Taste of Country, the group was nominated for five Grammys and won two.
The Grand Ole Opry posted about White’s death on X.
“Thank you for all the music, memories, laughs and for ‘Doing It By The Book,’ Buck White,” the post read. “We will miss you.”
Brenton Wood
Legendary soul singer Brenton Wood died on Jan. 3.
He was 83.
His manager, Manny Gallegos, told Variety that he died from natural causes and was surrounded by family at home.
Per Variety, Gallegos said Wood had a final message for fans: “Catch you on the rebound.”
That, the site said, was a reference to his 1967 song.
Wood, whose real name is Alfred Jesse Smith, was born in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1941.
He is perhaps best known for his 1967 hit “The Oogum Boogum Song,” which rose to No. 19 on the Billboard R&B charts. Variety noted that the song “found new audiences” throughout the years as it was used in films and TV shows including “Almost Famous,” and “The Umbrella Academy.”
Another of his 1967 songs, “Gimme Little Sing,” hit No. 9 on the pop charts.
Variety reported that Wood launched a farewell tour called “Catch You on the Rebound: The Last Tour,” recently but that was paused when he had to be hospitalized.