In the spring of 2025, we lost a number of influential artists including Jesse Colin Young, Clem Burke and Jill Sobule.
March 1
Angie Stone | 63
Grammy-nominated R&B singer and rapper, and former member of the all-female hip-hop group The Sequence, best known for their hit “Wish I Didn’t Miss You."
Joey Molland | 77
Guitarist of Badfinger, who played on hits including “Come and Get It," “No Matter What, and “Day After Day," and played on George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass" and "The Concert for Bangladesh," as well as John Lennon’s "Imagine."
March 3
Bob Rupe | 68
Former bassists and vocalist for alternative rock bands the Silos and Cracker.
March 4
Roy Ayers | 84
Musician, vibraphonist, producer, and composer who pioneered the jazz-funk genre and is best known for his 1976 album "Everybody Loves the Sunshine."
Harry Elston | 86
Singer and founding member of the sunshine pop and soul vocal group the Friends of Distinction, best known for the songs "Grazin’ in the Grass" and "Goin' In Circles."
March 6
Brian James | 70
Guitarist and founding member of influential punk band The Damned who wrote many of the songs on their 1977 debut record, including "New Rose."
Troy Seals | 86
Songwriter, singer, guitarist, and member of the Seals family of musicians, who was best known for writing songs recorded by popular rock and country musicians.
March 7
Danny Cox | 81
Folk and soul singer-songwriter who released several albums in the '60s and early '70s, including 1974's Feel So Good.
D'Wayne Wiggins | 64
Singer, guitarist and member of R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné!
March 10
Beau Dozier | 45
Songwriter, producer, son of Motown's Lamont Dozier, and musician, who worked on American Idol and produced the Backstreet Boys and Boyz II Men.
March 11
Colvin "Cocoa Tea" Scott | 65
Reggae artist who rose to popularity in the '80s and '90s and released the single "Barack Obama" in 2008.
March 15
Les Binks* | 73
Former drummer of Judas Priest in the late '70s who played on the albums "Stained Class" and "Killing Machine."
March 16
Jesse Colin Young | 83
Folk singer-songwriter who led '60s band The Youngbloods and sang on their hit "Get Together." He was the first artist to give a live performance on WYEP on May 9, 1974.
March 20
Leanne Cowie
Former drummer of influential post-punk band the Scientists in the 1980s.
March 21
Larry Tamblyn | 82
Founding member and keyboard player of '60s garage rock band the Standells, best known for their 1965 hit "Dirty Water."
March 22
Paul "Wags" Wagstaff | 60
Former guitarist of Happy Mondays and Black Grape who was part of the "Madchester" music scene in Manchester, England during the '80s and '90s.
March 25
Terry Manning | 77
Producer, audio engineer, and songwriter who got his start at Stax and worked with artists including Big Star, ZZ Top, Isaac Hayes, and most famously Led Zeppelin.
Alice Tan Ridley | 72
Gospel and R&B singer who performed in New York City subway stations for decades before competing on America's Got Talent and releasing her debut album "Never Lost My Way" at age 63.
March 29
Tracy Schwarz | 86
Singer who performed traditional folk music with the New Lost City Ramblers in the Greenwich Village folk scene of the 1960s, as well as in the duo Ginny Hawker & Tracy Schwarz.
April 1
George Freeman | 97
Guitarist prominent in the Chicago jazz scene who played with Charlie Parker and became influential for his distinctive style.
Johnny Tillotson| 86
Pop singer best known for his 1960 hit "Poetry In Motion."
April 3
Michael Hurley | 83
Influential folk singer known, called the "Godfather of Freak Folk," known for his unique, eccentric songwriting.
April 4
Amadou Bagayoko | 70
Guitarist and composer who formed the duo Amadou & Mariam with his wife Mariam Doumbia. Their music fused blues, rock, and traditional African rhythms, and their 2008 album "Welcome To Mali" was nominated for a Grammy.
April 5
Dave Allen | 69
Former bassist for Gang of Four who played on the albums "Entertainment!" and "Solid Gold," as well as their 2004 reunion album.
April 7
Clem Burke* | 70
Drummer of Blondie who was one of the longest tenured members of the band, playing on hits including "Call Me," "The Tide Is High," and "Heart Of Glass." He also became an in demand drummer, working with artists including Iggy Pop, Joan Jett, Bob Dylan, The Ramones, and Eurythmics.
April 10
Drew Zingg | 68
Guitarist who worked in multiple genres and styles and was best known for his work with Boz Scaggs and Steely Dan.
April 11
Max Romeo | 80
Reggae singer who recorded the popularly sampled songs “War Ina Babylon" and “Chase the Devil," and later worked with the Rolling Stones in the 1980s.
April 12
Roy Thomas Baker | 78
Prolific producer of the 1970s and '80s, who most famously produced Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," along with their first four albums, as well as the Cars' early records.
Nino Tempo | 90
Saxophone player and member of the "Wrecking Crew" who performed with his sister April Stevens and recorded their 1963 hit "Deep Purple."
April 16
Roger McLachlan | 71
Former bassist of the Little River Band, appearing on their first two albums.
Mac Gayden | 83
Rock and country musician and Nashville session guitarist who played on Bob Dylan's "Blonde On Blonde" and co-wrote "Everlasting Love" which became a hit for several artists.
April 22
David Briggs | 82
Producer, music executive, keyboardist, and Nashville session musician considered one of the "Nashville Cats" who worked with a wide range of artists beginning in the 1960s, including Johnny Cash, Al Green, Waylon Jennings, B.B. King, and Brenda Lee.
April 23
Lulu Roman | 78
Singer and comedian who became a regular on the variety show "Hee Haw."
David Thomas | 71
Singer, frontman, and longest tenured member of the experimental art rock band Pere Ubu, as well as a member of the influential proto-punk group Rocket from the Tombs.
April 24
Peter McIan | 78
Producer who worked on Men At Work's "Cargo" and "Business As Usual," which which featured the hits "Down Under" and "Who Can It Be Now?"
April 27
Wizz Jones | 86
Influential guitarist and singer-songwriter who was a fixture in the British Folk Revival and worked with John Renbourn, Bert Jansch, and Keith Richards.
April 29
Mike Peters | 66
Lead singer of '80s new wave band The Alarm, best known for the songs "Sixty Eight Guns" and "Rain In the Summertime."
April 30
Joe Louis Walker | 75
Modern electric blues guitarist and singer who played with artists including Jimi Hendrix, Thelonious Monk, Muddy Waters, and Mike Bloomfield.
May 1
Jill Sobule | 66
Singer-songwriter best known for her songs "Supermodel"—featured in the film "Clueless" — and “I Kissed a Girl," considered the first openly queer song to chart in the Billboard Top 20.
May 5
James Baker | 71
Drummer and songwriter for multiple rock groups, including the Scientists and Hoodoo Gurus.
May 9
Johnny Rodriguez | 73
Singer who recorded a string of country music hits in the '70s and '80s, including "You Always Come Back To Hurting Me," "Desperado," "Down on the Rio Grande," and "Foolin'."
May 10
Larry Lee | 78
Musician, singer, and founding member of the Ozark Mountain Daredevils who co-wrote their 1975 hit "Jackie Blue."
May 11
John Edwards* | 80
Former lead singer and last surviving original member of '70s Philly soul group the Spinners, who sang on their hit version of “Working My Way Back to You."
May 20
Michael B. Tretow | 80
Record producer and audio engineer best known for his work with ABBA during the '70s and early '80s.
May 22
James Lowe | 82
Lead singer of the '60s garage rock band the Electric Prunes, best known for their 1967 hits "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)" and "Get Me to the World On Time."
May 25
Simon House | 76
Composer, keyboardist, and violinist who was a member of Hawkwind and played with David Bowie's band in the late '70s.
May 26
Rick Derringer | 77
Guitarist and singer best known for his hit 1974 "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo" and the hit 1965 version of "Hang On Sloopy" which he recorded with the McCoys.
*Indicates Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee
