Musicians and singers who died in August 2023

• Musicians who died in 2023

August (64)

[30 Aug 2023] Jack Sonni (American musician for Dire Straits), 68 His name is linked to that of Dire Straits, with whom he had participated in the disc and tour of Brothers In Arms, the fifth album recorded between November 1984 and March 1985 at the AIR Studios in Montserrat, at the AIR Studios in London and at the Power Station in New York. He was 68 years old … via musicalnews

[29 Aug 2023] Peter King (Nigerian multi-instrumentalist and bandleader), 84 Legendary Nigerian musician, Peter King Adeyoyin Osubu, popularly known by his stage name “Peter King”, is dead. Also called PK, the veteran musician and instrumentalist, died on Tuesday, August 29, 2023, aged 84 years. … via thebladengr

[29 Aug 2023] Jamie Crick (British radio broadcaster for Classic FM), 57 Jazz FM and Scala Radio presenter Jamie Crick has passed away aged 57 after a short illness. Jamie, who was last on-air at Jazz FM yesterday afternoon, began his radio career in 1988 at Guildford based County Sound in Surrey … via radiotoday

[28 Aug 2023] August 08 (American singer-songwriter), 31 Los Angeles, California, singer and songwriter August 08 has passed away on Monday. He was 31. August 08's family took to Instagram with a tribute post in honor of the singer who signed to Def Jam Recordings and released his last album, Seasick, in August 2022. … via complex

[28 Aug 2023] James Casey (American saxophonist for Trey Anastasio Band), 40, colon cancer Saxophonist James Casey of the Trey Anastasio Band, has died at age 40. Casey was diagnosed with colon cancer in July 2021. … via jambase

[28 Aug 2023] Len Chandler (American folk musician), 88 Len H Chandler, age 88, of Los Angeles, California passed away on Monday, August 28, 2023. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at … via neptunesociety

[27 Aug 2023] Brian McBride (American musician for Stars of the Lid), 53 Brian McBride, the influential ambient musician who was one half of the duo Stars of the Lid, has died, his label Kranky confirmed to Pitchfork. “I am deeply saddened to tell everyone that Brian McBride has passed away. I loved this guy & he will be missed,” the band wrote on Instagram. According to his family, the coroner’s report cited natural causes. McBride was 53 years old. … via pitchfork

[27 Aug 2023] Denyse Plummer (Trinidadian singer), 69, cancer Denyse Plummer, a former pop singer who switched to calypso and later gospel in a musical career that spanned more than five decades, died Sunday at age 69. Her death was confirmed to Guardian Media by a close family member. … via guardian

[27 Aug 2023] Eddie Skoller (American-born Danish singer and actor), 79 Eddie Skoller has died after a long illness, the family informs Ritzau. The entertainer was 79 years old … via bt

[26 Aug 2023] Bosse Broberg (Swedish jazz trumpeter and composer), 85 Uppsala's jazz legend Bosse Broberg is dead … via unt

[26 Aug 2023] John Kezdy (American punk singer for The Effigies), 64, traffic collision John Kezdy, singer of the Chicago post-hardcore punk band the Effigies, has died. According to local reports, Kezdy succumbed to collision injuries after an Amazon delivery van illegally stopped in a bike lane on Wednesday afternoon in the Chicago suburb of Glencoe. … via stereogum

[26 Aug 2023] Iulian Nicolae (Romanian singer and television host presenter), 53 Iulian Niculae, one of the most famous TV presenters, died at the age of 53. Jull, as his friends called him, had recently been battling a serious illness. The news of his death came as a thunderbolt for his former colleagues at Etno TV. … via ego

[26 Aug 2023] MC Marcinho (Brazilian funk melody singer), 45, organ failure Known as the Prince of Funk, a pioneer of the style in Rio de Janeiro and an exponent of the melody and romantic aspects, MC Marcinho died this Saturday (27th), as a result of heart problems that had left him hospitalized since June 27th. Singer and composer, famous for the hits “Rap do Solitário”, “Princesa”, “Glamurosa” and “Garota nota 100”, … via globo

[26 Aug 2023] Dev Kohli (Indian poet and lyricist for Maine Pyar Kiya), 80 Veteran lyricist Dev Kohli has died at the age of 80. He wrote songs for more than 100 hit films like 'Maine Pyar Kiya', 'Baazigar', 'Judwaa 2', etc. … via indiatoday

[25 Aug 2023] Sanjay Verma (Indian film editor and sound designer) Sanjay Verma death: Veteran film editor Sanjay Verma, a prominent face in the Hindi film industry, passed away on Friday (August 25). Considered to be Rakesh Roshan's favourite editor, he worked with the filmmaker in several films. Verma won the Filmfare Award for best editing for Hrithik Roshan starrer Kaho Na Pyaar Hai. … via filmibeat

[25 Aug 2023] Sylvia Mdunyelwa (South African singer and actress), 74 Musician, broadcaster and actor Sylvia Mdunyelwa has died. In a statement, her family said: "She passed away peacefully in the early hours of the morning on 25 August 2023 after a long illness. … via news24

[25 Aug 2023] Carlos Gonzaga (Brazilian singer), 99 At the beginning of it all, in the 1950s, before Ronnie Cord, Tony Campello, Demetrius and Erasmo, there was Carlos Gonzaga. Born in the small Paraisópolis, Minas Gerais, Carlos Gonzaga died this Friday, aged 99, in a hospital in the Italian city of Velletri, in Lazio, according to his Facebook page. … via farofafa

[24 Aug 2023] Bernie Marsden (English rock guitarist for Whitesnake), 72 The family of Bernie Marsden have issued a statement saying the British rock guitarist and songwriter died yesterday. Marsden was best known for his association with the iconic rock band Whitesnake, where he played a crucial role in shaping the band’s sound during its early years. … via metaltalk

[23 Aug 2023] Bob Feldman (American songwriter and record producer), 83 Bob Feldman, the producer and songwriter behind some of the biggest hits of the 1960s, including the hit “My Boyfriend’s Back,” died on Wednesday (August 23). He was 83. A cause of death was not revealed. … via americansongwriter

[22 Aug 2023] Toto Cutugno (Italian singer-songwriter and musician), 80, prostate cancer Toto Cutugno has died. Having just turned 80 in July, the singer-songwriter died today around 4 pm at the San Raffaele hospital in Milan where he was hospitalized. … via rainews

[21 Aug 2023] Denis LePage (Canadian musician for Lime), 74, cancer An obscure genius of Quebec music has passed away. Producer and composer Denis LePage died Monday morning of generalized cancer. He was 74 years old. … via lapresse

[20 Aug 2023] Luc Smets (Belgian singer, composer and keyboardist for The Pebbles), 76 Smets started his career as an accordionist, but ended up with The Pebbles in the late 1960s. He co-wrote their biggest hit Seven horses in the sky. Despite the fact that that song is considered one of the best Belgian pop songs ever - and that another single, Incredible George, was favored by ex-Beatle George Harrison - the group never achieved the commercial success … via nieuwsblad

[19 Aug 2023] Tineke Beishuizen (Dutch author, lyricist), 84 Writer Tineke Beishuizen has passed away. The former columnist of women's magazine Libelle and thriller writer died in the night from Friday to Saturday in Doesburg, where she had lived with her husband Jan Ravesteijn since 1997. … via gelderlander

[19 Aug 2023] Gloria Coates (American composer), 89 The American composer Gloria Coates has died this Saturday, August 19, at the age of 89 (the family has denied that she was born in 1938, but rather in October 1933). … via plateamagazine

[19 Aug 2023] Václav Patejdl (Slovak musician and composer for Elán), 68 Artist Vašo Patejdl died at the age of 68. The Elán group published information about the musician's death on its Facebook page. He was its founding member. … via ta3

[18 Aug 2023] Ray Hildebrand (American singer and songwriter for Paul & Paula), 82 Ray Hildebrand, who topped the pop charts in the 1960s as half of the duo Paul & Paula, died Friday in Kansas City at age 82. No cause of death has been given. … via variety

[18 Aug 2023] Chico Novarro (Argentine singer-songwriter), 88 The Argentine musician Chico Novarro, author of classics such as "Something With You" and "Count on Me" among other boleros and songs, died this Friday at the age of 88, his son reported on social networks. … via emol

[17 Aug 2023] Gary Young (American drummer for Pavement), 70 Sad news. Gary Young, who was Pavement‘s original drummer, died today in Stockton, CA after years of ill health. He was 70. The news was confirmed by his wife, Geri Bernstein Young. … via brooklynvegan

[17 Aug 2023] Walter Aipolani (American singer), 68 The island music community has suffered another loss. Walter Aipolani, better known as Bruddah Waltah, died Thursday after a battle with liver cancer. … via hawaiinewsnow

[17 Aug 2023] Jiří Černý (Czech music critic and activist for Civic Forum), 87 Leading Czech music critic, writer and journalist Jiří Černý has died at the age of 87. Černý hosted the first Czechoslovak radio hit parade Dvanáct na houpačce (Twelve on a Swing) and was the first editor-in-chief of Rock & Pop magazine. He was a popular Czech Radio music show host playing the Beatles and Karel Kryl for listeners … via radio

[17 Aug 2023] Bobby Eli (American guitarist for MFSB), 77 Bobby Eli, producer and lead guitarist of Philly studio band MFSB, has died. The news was confirmed by the Spinners’ official Instagram account — Eli famously played on recordings with the Spinners, among many other acts. … via stereogum

[16 Aug 2023] Renata Scotto (Italian operatic soprano for La Scala), 89 Renata Scotto, one of Italy's most important voices, has disappeared. Soprano, born in Savona in 1934, was 89 years old. Scotto studied singing in Milan with Emilio Ghirardini and made her debut very young in 1952 at the Chiabrera in Savona in the role of Violetta in Traviata … via lastampa

[15 Aug 2023] Arnold Östman (Swedish conductor), 83 Opera pioneer Arnold Östman is dead - aged 83 The conductor, harpsichordist and artistic director Arnold Östman is dead after a long illness, writes … via dn

[14 Aug 2023] Jessica Cash (British soprano and voice coach), 84 On August 4, British Coloratura soprano Jessica Cash died at the age of 84. The soprano graduated from The Royal College of Music before she began her singing career. … via operawire

[14 Aug 2023] Petch Osathanugrah (Thai singer-songwriter), 69, heart failure Reporters report that Mr. Petch Osathanukroh died at the age of 69 years, which had previously been continuously ill. 'Petch Osathanugrah' is the President of Bangkok University. Surat's son good fortune Founder of Bangkok University and executive of Osotspa Public Company Limited. owns famous songs like just this man (not a magician) … via bangkokbiznews

[13 Aug 2023] Clarence Avant (American music executive and film producer, founder of Sussex Records), 92 Clarence Avant, the beloved recording industry insider whose work as an executive, label owner, dealmaker and mentor earned him the nickname the “Godfather of Black Music,” has died. He was 92. … via hollywoodreporter

[12 Aug 2023] Mohammad Esmaili (Iranian musician), 88 According to Mehr reporter, Mohammad Esmaili, one of the veteran musicians of Iranian music and tambak, passed away on Sunday, August 22, after a period of Darfani disease. … via mehrnews

[12 Aug 2023] Rachel Laurin (Canadian organist, composer and music educator), 62 Quebec organist and composer Rachel Laurin died on Sunday morning, August 13, 2023. She was 62 years old. The news was announced by his family on his Facebook page. … via ludwig-van

[12 Aug 2023] Magoo (American rapper for Timbaland & Magoo), 50 Magoo has died, Variety reports, citing the Virginia Chief Medical Examiner. A cause of death was not disclosed. The Virginia rapper, best known for his work with Timbaland in the rap duo Timbaland & Magoo, also collaborated with Pharrell Williams, Missy Elliott, and Aaliyah during his career. He was 50 years old. … via pitchfork

[12 Aug 2023] Ceferino Nieto (Panamanian musician and singer), 85 Panamanian musician Ceferino Nieto died early this Sunday, August 13, 2023, family members reported. Known as "The Titan of the Americas", the Panamanian typical music singer was 85 years old. … via prensa

[12 Aug 2023] Vilayil Faseela (Indian singer), 63 Vilayil Faseela, known for her contribution in popularizing Mappilapattu worldwide passed away in Kozhikode on Saturday. Faseela, who was 63-year-old suffered a heart attack in her residence in Velliparamba, which eventually led to her death, informed the family members. … via newindianexpress

[12 Aug 2023] Carlos Camacho ( Puerto Rican singer for Los Hispanos), 73 Puerto Rican singer Carlos Camacho, who became known for being one of the voices of the Los Hispanos quartet, died this Friday. … via primerahora

[12 Aug 2023] Florence Malgoire (French classical violinist, pedagogue and conductor), 63 Hospitalized in Marseille, violinist Florence Malgoire died overnight from Thursday to Friday following an illness at the age of 63. Long first violin of her father Jean-Claude Malgoire's ensemble, La Grande Écurie and La Chambre du Roy, she then exercised her talents with many other prestigious early music ensembles: Les Arts Florissants … via resmusica

[11 Aug 2023] Ron Peno (Australian singer-songwriter for Died Pretty), 68, cancer Ron S. Peno – the redoubtable lead singer of Died Pretty, The Superstitions and The Darling Downs – has died after a battle with cancer. He was 68. … via themusic

[11 Aug 2023] Shoji Tabuchi (Japanese-American fiddler), 79 Shoji Tabuchi, a beloved Branson fiddler and showrunner, has passed away at age 79 on August 11. Tabuchi was best known for The Shoji Tabuchi Show, a family variety show featuring Tabuchi, his wife, and his daughter. … via ozarksfirst

[11 Aug 2023] Lizeta Nikolaou (Greek singer), 71, fall At the age of 72, Lizeta Nikolaou passed away, who for the last few days was intubated in the Intensive Care Unit of a private hospital in Piraeus, after an accident. … via tanea

[10 Aug 2023] Brad Thomson (American guitarist for The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza) The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza guitarist Brad Thomson has passed away. An original member of the eclectic metal outfit, he appeared on several of their recordings until his 2008 exit. … via theprp

[09 Aug 2023] Robbie Robertson (Canadian musician for The Band and film composer), 80, prostate cancer Guitarist and singer-songwriter Robbie Robertson, best known as front man of Americana pioneering group The Band whose songs included “The Weight,” “The Night They Drove Ol’ Dixie Down,” “Up On Cripple Creek” and numerous others, died earlier today at the age of 80, confirmed to Variety by his management company. … via weheartmusic

[09 Aug 2023] Peppino Gagliardi (Italian singer), 83 The world of music mourns Peppino Gagliardi. The Neapolitan genius, known throughout the world, died at the age of 83. The musician friend Gianni Aterrano gave the news with a social post. Gagliardi, born in the Vasto district, is also remembered for his appearances in Sanremo, winning two second places out of five appearances. … via napolitoday

[08 Aug 2023] Jamie Reid (British visual artist for Sex Pistols), 76 Jamie Reid, the artist best known for creating the Sex Pistols' famous record covers, has died at the age of 76. Reid designed the artwork for the punk band's releases like God Save the Queen and Anarchy in the UK in the 1970s. … via bbc

[08 Aug 2023] Sixto Rodriguez (American singer-songwriter), 81 Sixto Rodriguez, a musical icon from Detroit who would launch a successful career that would eventually take him overseas has died. He was 81. … via fox2detroit

[07 Aug 2023] Gillian Bibby (New Zealand composer, pianist, and music teacher), 77 Bibby, Gillian MNZM – Peacefully at Te Hopai Home and Hospital surrounded by close family. Dearly loved and respected wife of Roger Wilson. Mother of Miranda and Charles, their partners Sean and Louise, Nana of Eliana. Sister of Lauris and Martin and the late Alistair, Graham and Denise. Aunt of many nieces and nephews. … via tributes

[07 Aug 2023] DJ Casper (American DJ and songwriter), 58, kidney and liver cancer Fans of DJ Casper, the man behind the infectious "Cha-Cha Slide," were celebrating what he meant to his native Chicago, after the songwriter died on Monday. … via cbsnews

[07 Aug 2023] Erkin Koray (Turkish singer-songwriter and guitarist), 82 Legendary Turkish musician Erkin Koray, considered to be one of the forefathers of Anatolian rock music, died at the age of 82 on Monday, according to a statement made by his daughter. … via dailysabah

[07 Aug 2023] David LaFlamme (American singer and violinist), 82 David LaFlamme, the violinist and singer who led It’s a Beautiful Day, the San Francisco band of “White Bird” fame, has died. His passing yesterday (Aug. 7, 2023) was confirmed by a niece, Chantelle LaFlamme, on Facebook … via bestclassicbands

[07 Aug 2023] Toussaint McCall (American R&B singer), 89 Monroe area R&B singer Toussaint McCall has died at 89. His biggest hit was Nothing Takes the Place of You which reached #5 in the US R&B chart in 1967. Although he continued to perform and record, he did not repeat this success. Asleep at the Wheel covered his hit in 1976 and Robert Plant covered it in 2020. … via kedm

[05 Aug 2023] Tristan Honsinger (American cellist), 73 Tristan Honsinger (October 23, 1949 – August 5, 2023) was a cellist and improvisational musician who, with his unconventional and experimental style, became a formative musician on the free improvisation scene. Honsinger was born in the USA and originally studied classical cello at the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore … via jazzpages

[04 Aug 2023] John Gosling (English keyboardist for The Kinks), 75 John Gosling, who played keyboards in the Kinks from 1970-78, has died at the age of 75. "Condolences to his wife Theresa and family. Rest in Peace dearest John," former bandmate Ray Davies wrote as part of a band statement on X, formerly known as Twitter. … via ultimateclassicrock

[03 Aug 2023] Carl Davis (American-British composer and conductor), 86, brain hemorrhage Faber Music is deeply saddened to announce the death of Carl Davis CBE. Carl Davis was a true musical polymath. Across a long life in music Davis created soundtracks for some of Britain's best-loved screen dramas. … via fabermusic

[03 Aug 2023] Wendell B (American R&B singer),65, cancer Over the years, SoulTracks has tended to skew our coverage more toward urban adult contemporary and classic soul artists than blues or southern soul, but there was no way we could ignore the releases of talented singer and songwriter Wendell B, a 6’ 5’ giant of a man who has graced our pages several times … via soultracks

[01 Aug 2023] Alexander Kolker (Russian film composer), 90 Leonid Petrovich was born on July 13, 1948 in the city of Borisov, Minsk region. In 1966-1976 he worked as a turner, driver, process engineer at the Borisov plant of automotive and tractor electrical equipment. … via 1prof

[01 Aug 2023] Dom Minasi (American jazz guitarist, composer and music producer), 80 Sad to say that I just found out that the wonderful NYC Jazz Guitarist Dom Minasi passed away. I knew he was in the hospital recently but had no clue how bad it was. My heart goes out to his family, friends and the JG Community. If you don’t know who Dom Minasi was, please consider checking out his interview with Jazz Guitar Life. … via thejazzguitarlife

[01 Aug 2023] Mariana Sîrbu (Romanian violinist for I Musici) Romanian violinist Mariana Sîrbu died on 1 August 2023. The prolific soloist, chamber musician and teacher was remembered as ‘a generous, sensitive artist’ by colleagues. … via thestrad

[01 Aug 2023] Theo van Tol Dutch accordionist for Amsterdam Klezmer Band), 66 With deep sadness we have to share the news that our beloved accordion player Theo has passed away. We will dearly miss his incredible contributions to our music, and his warm and friendly personality. Theo, you have given us so much. … via amsterdamklezmerband