List of 2015 deaths in popular music

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This is a list of notable performers of rock music and other forms of popular music, and others directly associated with the music as producers, songwriters, or in other closely related roles, who died in 2015.

2015 deaths in popular music[edit]

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Preceded by
2014 		List of deaths in popular music
2015 		Succeeded by
2016
Name Age Date Location Cause of death
Jeff Golub 59 January 1, 2015 New York City, New York, U.S. Progressive supra-nuclear palsy[1]
Little Jimmy Dickens 94 January 2, 2015 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. Heart failure[2]
Pino Daniele 59 January 4, 2015 Rome, Italy Heart attack[3]
Curtis Lee 75 January 8, 2015 Yuma, Arizona, U.S. Cancer[4]
Popsy Dixon
The Holmes Brothers		 72 January 9, 2015 Bladder cancer[5]
Tim Drummond 74 January 11, 2015 Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S. [6]
A. J. Masters 72 January 12, 2015 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. Prostate cancer[7]
Trevor Ward-Davies
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich		 70 January 13, 2015 Cancer[8]
Kim Fowley
Record producer and songwriter; manager of the Runaways		 75 January 15, 2015 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Bladder cancer[9]
Ward Swingle
The Swingle Singers		 87 January 19, 2015 Eastbourne, England [10]
Dallas Taylor
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young		 66 January 18, 2015 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Cancer[11]
Edgar Froese
Tangerine Dream		 70 January 20, 2015 Vienna, Austria Pulmonary embolism[12]
Demis Roussos
Aphrodite's Child		 68 January 25, 2015 Athens, Greece Pancreatic, stomach and liver cancer[13]
Neil LeVang 83 January 26, 2015 Canyon Country, Santa Clarita, California, U.S. Unknown[14]
Don Covay 78 January 31, 2015 Franklin Square, New York, U.S. Stroke[15]
Andriy Kuzmenko
Skryabin		 46 February 2, 2015 Lozuvatka, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine Traffic accident[16]
Eddie "The Kydd" Rendini
Darwin's Waiting Room, Cold		 ? February 5, 2015 ?, U.S. Unknown
Joe B. Mauldin
The Crickets		 74 February 7, 2015 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. Cancer[17]
Calvin Jackson 54 February 10. 2015 Senatobia, Mississippi, U.S.
Steve Strange
Strange Cruise, The Moors Murderers, The Photons, Visage		 55 February 12, 2015 Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt Heart attack[18]
Sam Andrew
Big Brother and the Holding Company		 73 February 12, 2015 San Francisco, California, U.S. Complication after open heart surgery[19]
David Maxwell 71 February 13, 2015 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. Prostate cancer[20]
Lesley Gore 68 February 16, 2015 Manhattan, New York, U.S. Lung cancer[21]
Mats Olausson
Talisman, Kamelot		 54 February 18, 2015 Rayong, Thailand Suicide[22]
Clark Terry 94 February 21, 2015 Pine Bluff, Arkansas, U.S. Diabetes
Orrin Keepnews 91 March 1, 2015 El Cerrito, California, U.S. [23]
Lew Soloff
Blood, Sweat & Tears		 71 March 8, 2015 New York City, New York, U.S. Heart attack
Jimmy Greenspoon
Three Dog Night		 67 March 11, 2015 North Potomac, Maryland, U.S. Melanoma
Daevid Allen
Gong, Soft Machine		 77 March 13, 2015 Australia Cancer[24]
Mike Porcaro
Toto		 59 March 15, 2015 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis[25]
Bruce Crump
Molly Hatchet		 57 March 16, 2015 Throat cancer[26]
Andy Fraser
Free		 62 March 16, 2015 Temecula, California, U.S. Heart attack[27]
Paul Jeffrey 81 March 20, 2015 North Carolina, U.S.
A. J. Pero
Twisted Sister, Adrenaline Mob		 55 March 20, 2015 Poughkeepsie, New York, U.S. Heart attack[28]
John Renbourn
Pentangle		 70 March 26, 2015 Hawick, Scotland Heart attack[29]
Billy Butler 69 March 31, 2015 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Bob Burns
Lynyrd Skynyrd		 64 April 3, 2015 Bartow County, Georgia, U.S. Traffic accident[30]
Percy Sledge 74 April 14, 2015 Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S. Liver cancer[31]
Billy Ray Hearn
Record producer and co-founder of Myrrh Records and Sparrow Records		 85 April 15, 2015 Heart disease
Johnny Kemp 55 April 16, 2015 Montego Bay, Jamaica Hit and fall from ship[32]
Wally Lester
The Skyliners		 73 April 21, 2015 Southport, North Carolina, U.S. Pancreatic cancer[33]
Jack Ely
The Kingsmen		 71 April 27, 2015 Terrebonne, Oregon, U.S. [34]
Guy LeBlanc
Camel		 54 April 27, 2015 Kidney cancer[35]
Ben E. King
The Drifters		 76 April 30, 2015 Hackensack University Medical Center, New Jersey, U.S. Natural causes[36]
Craig Gruber
Rainbow, Elf		 63 May 5, 2015 Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. Prostate cancer[37]
Errol Brown
Hot Chocolate		 71 May 6, 2015 Bahamas Liver cancer[38]
B.B. King 89 May 14, 2015 Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. Vascular dementia[39]
Louis Johnson
The Brothers Johnson		 60 May 21, 2015 Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. Gastrointestinal bleeding [40]
Dennis Sheehan
Tour manager for U2		 68 May 26, 2015 West Hollywood, California, U.S. Heart attack[41]
Ornette Coleman 85 June 11, 2015 New York City, New York, U.S. Cardiac arrest
Big Time Sarah 62 June 13, 2015 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Heart complications
Chris Squire
Yes		 67 June 27, 2015 Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. Acute erythroid leukemia[42]
Ernie Maresca
The Regents		 76 July 8, 2015 Florida, U.S. [43]
Michael Masser 74 July 9, 2015 Rancho Mirage, California, U.S.
Eric Wrixon
Them, Thin Lizzy		 68 July 13, 2015 Italy [44]
Joan Sebastian 64 July 13, 2015 Teacalco, Morelos, Mexico Bone cancer
Dave Somerville
The Diamonds 		81 July 14, 2015 Santa Barbara, California, U.S. Cancer[45]
Buddy Buie 74 July 18, 2015 Dothan, Alabama, U.S. Heart attack[46]
Dieter Moebius
Moebius & Plank		 71 July 20, 2015 Cancer
Mitch Aliotta
Rotary Connection		 71 July 22, 2015 U.S. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Eddie Hardin
The Spencer Davis Group, Axis Point		 66 July 22, 2015 Heart attack[47]
Lynn Anderson 67 July 31, 2015 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. Heart attack
Cilla Black 72 August 1, 2015 Estepona, Costa del Sol, Spain Stroke after a fall[48]
Sean Price
Boot Camp Clik, Heltah Skeltah		 43 August 8, 2015 New York City, New York, U.S.
Bob Johnston 83 August 14, 2015 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Danny Sembello 52 August 15, 2015 Schuylkill River, Philadelphia, U.S. Drowning[49]
Smokey Wilson 79 September 8, 2015 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Bryn Merrick
The Damned		 56 September 12, 2015 Cardiff, Wales Cancer[50]
Gary Richrath
REO Speedwagon		 65 September 13, 2015 [51]
Johnny "Yard Dog" Jones 74 September 15, 2015 Decatur, Illinois, U.S.
Ben Cauley
The Bar-Kays 		67 September 21, 2015 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. [52]
Wilton Felder
The Crusaders 		75 September 27, 2015 Whittier, California, U.S. Multiple myeloma[53]
Frankie Ford 76 September 28, 2015 Gretna, Louisiana, U.S. Natural causes[54]
Phil Woods 83 September 29, 2015 East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. Emphysema
Stasys Povilaitis
Nemuno Žiburiai, Nerija		 68 October 6, 2015 Palanga, Lithuania Lung cancer
Billy Joe Royal 73 October 6, 2015 Morehead City, North Carolina, U.S. Natural causes[55]
Jim Diamond
Ph.D.		 64 October 8, 2015 London, England Pulmonary edema[56]
Bruce Nazarian
Brownsville Station		 66 October 9, 2015 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. Heart attack[57]
Steve Mackay
The Stooges		 66 October 10, 2015 Daly City, California, U.S. Sepsis
Robbin Thompson
Steel Mill		 66 October 10, 2015 Richmond, Virginia, U.S. Cancer[58]
Smokin' Joe Kubek 58 October 11, 2015 Heart attack
Frank Watkins
Obituary, Gorgoroth		 47 October 18, 2015 Cancer[59]
Cory Wells
Cory Wells & The Enemys, Three Dog Night		 74 October 20, 2015 Dunkirk, New York, U.S. Complications from multiple myeloma[60]
Eddie Hoh
The Mamas & the Papas, The Monkees		 71 November 7, 2015 Westmont, Illinois, U.S. [61]
Andy White
The Beatles		 85 November 9, 2015 Caldwell, New Jersey, U.S. Stroke[62]
Allen Toussaint 77 November 10, 2015 Madrid, Spain Heart attack[63]
Phil Taylor
Motörhead		 61 November 11, 2015 Hasland, England Liver disease[64]
P.F. Sloan 70 November 15, 2015 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Pancreatic cancer[65]
David Van Landing
Michael Schenker Group, Crimson Glory		 51 November 17, 2015 Clearwater, Florida, U.S. Car accident, collision[66]
Cynthia Robinson
Sly and the Family Stone		 69 November 23, 2015 Carmichael, California, U.S. Cancer[67]
Ronnie Bright
The Cadillacs, The Coasters, The Deep River Boys, The Valentines		 77 November 26, 2015 Unknown causes
Wayne Bickerton 74 November 29, 2015 Hertfordshire, England [68]
Kelvin Knight
Drummer for Delta 5		 56 December 2, 2015 Liver & kidney failure
Scott Weiland
Stone Temple Pilots, Velvet Revolver		 48 December 3, 2015 Bloomington, Minnesota, U.S. Drug overdose[69]
Bonnie Lou 91 December 8, 2015 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. Dementia[70]
Rainer Bloss 69 December 10, 2015 U.S.
Stevie Wright
The Easybeats		 68 December 27, 2015 South Coast, New South Wales, Australia Pneumonia[71]
Zemya Hamilton
Clubland		 50 December 23, 2015 Sigtuna, Sweden Multiple sclerosis[72]
Lemmy
Motörhead, Hawkwind		 70 December 28, 2015 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Prostate cancer, cardiac arrhythmia, and congestive heart failure[73]
John Bradbury
The Specials		 62 December 28, 2015 England [74]
Natalie Cole 65 December 31, 2015 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Congestive heart failure[75]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

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  2. ^ "Country star Little Jimmy Dickens dies aged 94". BBC News. 3 January 2015. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
  3. ^ "Annuncio di eros ramazzotti – E' morto Pino Daniele". Il Secolo XIX. 2 August 2012. Archived from the original on 9 January 2015. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  4. ^ "Homebuilder, singer Curtis Lee dies at 75". Yuma Sun. 9 January 2015. Retrieved 2015-01-10.
  5. ^ "'Popsy' Dixon, drummer and vocalist for The Holmes Brothers, dies at age 72". Brandonsun.com. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
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  54. ^ Spera, Keith (29 September 2015). "Frankie Ford, New Orleans singer of 'Sea Cruise' fame, has died". The Times-Picayune.
  55. ^ Thanki, Juli (October 6, 2015). "Singer Billy Joe Royal dies at 73". The Tennessean. Retrieved October 7, 2015.
  56. ^ "Singer-songwriter Jim Diamond dies". BBC News. 10 October 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
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  58. ^ Napoliello, Alex (October 11, 2015). "Former Springsteen bandmate, Robbin Thompson, dies". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved January 10, 2016.
  59. ^ "Former Obituary Bassist Frank Watkins Dies At 47". Blabbermouth.net. October 18, 2015. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
  60. ^ "Cory Wells, vocalist with Three Dog Night, dies at 74". The Washington Post. Associated Press. October 22, 2015. p. B6.
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  62. ^ "Andy White, a Beatle for less than 5 minutes, dies at 85". Los Angeles Times. 2015-11-12. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
  63. ^ Sisario, Ben (November 10, 2015). "Allen Toussaint, New Orleans R&B Mainstay, Dies at 77". The New York Times. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  64. ^ "Ex-Motorhead Drummer Phil Taylor Dead at 61". Rolling Stone. 12 November 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  65. ^ Weber, Bruce (17 November 2015). "P. F. Sloan, Enigmatic Writer of '60s Hit 'Eve of Destruction,' Dies at 70". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  66. ^ Giles, Jeff (17 November 2015). "David VanLanding Dies". Blabbermouth. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  67. ^ Grimes, William (26 November 2015). "Cynthia Robinson, Sly and the Family Stone Trumpet Player, Dies at 71". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  68. ^ "SESAC International Chairman Dr. Wayne Bickerton Dies". Sesac.com. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
  69. ^ Messer, Lesley (December 4, 2015). "Rock Star Scott Weiland Is Dead at 48". ABC News. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
  70. ^ "Bonnie Lou, Pioneering Country and Rock Singer, Dies at 91". Billboard. Retrieved 2015-12-09.
  71. ^ "Stevie Wright: The Easybeats frontman dies aged 68". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 28 December 2015. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  72. ^ "Artist Zemya Hamilton dies - 50 years old". Aftonbladet. 24 December 2015.
  73. ^ "Motorhead frontman Lemmy dies aged 70". BBC News. 29 December 2015.
  74. ^ "Specials drummer John Bradbury dies". BBC News. 29 December 2015. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
  75. ^ "Natalie Cole, R&B and jazz singer, dies aged 65". BBC News. BBC. January 1, 2016. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
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