April 4, 2026

Musicians and singers who died in April 2023

May 14, 2023
April (57)
  1. [30 Apr 2023] Broderick Smith (English-born Australian musician for Carson), 75
    2. One of Australian’s greatest musicians as well as songwriter and actor Broderick Smith has passed away at age 75.
    … via noise11
  2. [29 Apr 2023] Don Sebesky (American composer, arranger, and conductor), 85, Parkinsonism
    3. According to a Facebook post from his son, composer, arranger, and conductor Don Sebesky has passed away after “a struggle with post-stroke Parkinsonism.”
    … via broadwayworld
  3. [28 Apr 2023] Claude Gray (American country music singer-songwriter), 91
    4. He stood 6’5″ tall, which is why people referred to him as “The Tall Texan.” He wrote, recorded, and performed songs for decades in country music. He was the first performer to record and release the song “Family Bible” written by Willie Nelson, and the success of the song helped put Willie Nelson on the country music map
    … via savingcountrymusic
  4. [28 Apr 2023] Tim Bachman (Canadian guitarist for Bachman-Turner Overdrive), 71, cancer
    5. Guitarist Tim Bachman, who co-founded the Canadian rock band Bachman-Turner Overdrive along with his brothers Randy and Robbie Bachman, and Fred Turner, in 1973, died yesterday (April 28, 2023) after battling cancer.
    … via bestclassicbands
  5. [28 Apr 2023] Helge Engelke (German guitarist for Fair Warning), 61, colon cancer
    6. The Germans FAIR WARNING have given the sad news of the death at the age of 61 of the guitarist and longtime member Helge Engelke:
    “With great sadness we have to inform you that our dear friend and guitarist Helge Engelke passed away unexpectedly yesterday, April 28, 2023. He died in hospital after complications from colon cancer…
    … via metalitalia
  6. [28 Apr 2023] Johnny Fean (Irish guitarist for Horslips), 71
    7. Irish traditional rock band Horslips have announced the death of their guitarist Johnny Fean.
    He died at his home in Shannon in County Clare on Friday morning at the age of 71.
    … via bbc
  7. [27 Apr 2023] Wee Willie Harris (English rock and roll singer), 90
    8. Wee Willie Harris, who was dubbed the “wild man of rock and roll” has died aged 90, the singer’s wife has confirmed.
    … via express
  8. [25 Apr 2023] Manfred Weiss (German composer), 88
    9. The Dresden composer Manfred Weiss is dead. According to his family, he died on Tuesday at the age of 88. Weiss was a professor of composition and music theory at the Carl-Maria von Weber Academy of Music. In the 1990s he was Vice-Rector of the university.
    … via mdr
  9. [25 Apr 2023] MoneySign Suede (American rapper), 22, stabbed
    10. Rapper MoneySign Suede died Tuesday after he was stabbed in a shower at a California prison, authorities and his attorney said. He was 22.
    … via msn
  10. [25 Apr 2023] Ralph Humphrey (American rock drummer for The Mothers of Invention), 79
    11. In Memorian: Ralph Humphrey. I met Ralph Humphrey in 1981 in Santa Barbara at an Al Jarreau concert he was playing. Also on the bill was Pages, an L.A. band I had recorded and performed with.
    … via notsomoderndrummer
  11. [25 Apr 2023] Billy “The Kid” Emerson (American singer-songwriter), 97
    12. Billy “The Kid” Emerson (1925-2023).
    Removed from the music industry since the 1970s, Billy “The Kid” Emerson was, in all likelihood, the only surviving artist who recorded for Sun Records, but his career extends well beyond those early records.
    … via soulbag
  12. [25 Apr 2023] Harry Belafonte (American Hall of Fame musician), 96, heart failure
    13. Harry Belafonte, the dashing singer, actor and activist who became an indispensable supporter of the civil rights movement, has died, his publicist Ken Sunshine told CNN.
    He was 96.
    … via cnn
  13. [24 Apr 2023] Lilian Day Jackson (American singer for Spargo), 63
    14. Spargo singer Lilian Day Jackson has died at the age of 63. The Dutch disco and funk group scored a big hit in 1980 with You And Me.
    … via nu
  14. [23 Apr 2023] Isaac Wiley Jr. (American drummer for Dazz Band), 69
    15. We are sad to report that Isaac “Ike” Wiley, drummer and co-founder of the legendary funk group The Dazz Band, has passed away at the age of 69.
    … via praisebaltimore
  15. [23 Apr 2023] Keith Gattis (American country music singer, songwriter), 52, tractor accident
    16. Texas-native guitarist performer, producer and songwriter Keith Gattis died on Sunday, April 23, 2023, at 52, after a tractor accident at his Nashville home.
    … via tennessean
  16. [22 Apr 2023] Ron Cahute (Canadian singer-songwriter and accordionist), 68
    17. It is with great sadness and heartbreak, that we announce the passing of Ron Cahute, Ukrainian-Canadian musician, singer, composer, and accordionist.
    Ron was the leader and the ideological inspiration for the Burya Band. He released over 30 albums either with Burya or as a solo artist and worked on many other albums with famous artists. Ron’s music was also used by Ukrainian dance groups throughout the world.
    … via necrocanada
  17. [22 Apr 2023] Aleksei Muravlyov (Алексей Муравлев) (Russian composer), 98
    18. Honored Art Worker of the RSFSR, composer Alexei Muravlev passed away at the age of 98. It is reported by TASS with reference to the Union of Composers of Russia.
    … via aif
  18. [21 Apr 2023] Sergio Rendine (Italian composer), 68
    19. Mourning in the world of music: the composer Sergio Rendine died today at the age of 68. Considered among the most important composers of our time, he was a professor at the L’Aquila Conservatory.
    … via chietitoday
  19. [21 Apr 2023] Mark Stewart (English musician for The Pop Group), 62
    20. Bristol musician Mark Stewart has died.
    Numerous sources have confirmed the passing of the musician, who was 62 years old.
    Mark Stewart formed The Pop Group in 1977, taking the energy of punk and blending it with his passion for jazz-funk and dub
    … via clashmusic
  20. [20 Apr 2023] Pamela Chopra (Indian playback singer), 85
    21. Yash Chopra’s wife Pamela Chopra passed away on Thursday morning at a hospital in Mumbai. She was 74 years old and was recuperating at Mumbai’s Lilavati hospital since the past 15 days.
    … via indiatimes
  21. [19 Apr 2023] Yehonatan Geffen (Israeli author, poet and songwriter), 76
    22. The writer and creator Yonatan Gefen passed away at the age of 76
    Jonathan Geffen, considered one of the most important assets of the Iron Sheep in Israel, has passed away. Among his great works are “The Sixteenth Lamb” and songs he wrote for dozens of artists such as “A place for concern” and “The Little Prince”.
    … via ynet
  22. [19 Apr 2023] Shahidul Haque Khan (Bangladeshi film director and lyricist), 74, cancer
    23. National Film Award winner lyricist and director Shahidul Haque Khan died of cancer on Wednesday night.
    … via jagonews24
  23. [19 Apr 2023] Moon Bin (South Korean singer for Astro), 25
    24. On this day, Yonhap News TV borrowed her words from the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul and reported that Moonbin was found dead at around 8:10 pm on the evening of the 19th at her home in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.
    … via imbc
  24. [19 Apr 2023] Martin Petzold (German classical tenor for Thomanerchor), 67
    25. The Leipzig tenor Martin Petzold is dead. As MDR KULTUR learned from his family, he died on Tuesday night at the age of 67. Petzold had been a soloist at the Leipzig Opera since the 1980s
    … via mdr
  25. [19 Apr 2023] Otis Redding III (American singer for The Reddings), 59, cancer
    26. He had a name that made him an instantly recognizable legacy, and the talent that made him a respected artist in his own right. Today, we say a sad goodbye to Otis Redding III, who has died of an undisclosed illness at Macon, Georgia’s Atrium Health Medical Center. He was 59.
    … via soultracks
  26. [19 Apr 2023] Carlo Saba (Indonesian singer for Kahitna), 54, heart disease
    27. Kahitna band vocalist, Carlo Saba, died at Mayapada Hospital on Wednesday (19/4/2023) yesterday.
    Carlo died at the age of 54.
    … via kompas
  27. [19 Apr 2023] Federico Salvatore (Italian singer-songwriter and comedian), 63, cerebal haemorrhage
    28. Federico Salvatore died, the singer-songwriter and cabaret artist was 63 years old
    Federico Salvatore, a popular Neapolitan singer-songwriter and cabaret artist who in 2021 was struck by a severe cerebral hemorrhage has died
    … via fanpage
  28. [17 Apr 2023] Ivan Conti (Brazilian drummer for Azymuth), 76
    29. Ivan “Mamão” Conti, the founding drummer of Brazilian jazz-funk greats Azymuth, has died, his record label said in a press release. No cause of death was given. Ivan Conti was 76 years old.
    … via pitchfork
  29. [17 Apr 2023] April Stevens (American singer), 93
    30. April Stevens (1929–2023)
    April Stevens was a singer who performed with her brother, Nino Tempo, and had a No. 1 hit in 1963 with “Deep Purple.”
    … via legacy
  30. [17 Apr 2023] Morena Marjanović (Croatian pop singer and reality television contestant), 36, leukemia
    31. FOLK singer and former contestant of Couples and I’m Changing My Wife Morena Marjanović passed away at the age of 36. The sad news was confirmed by her ex-husband Manuel Curi.
    … via index
  31. [16 Apr 2023] Ahmad Jamal (American jazz pianist), 92, prostate cancer
    32. For most jazz performers, a song is part of a performance. For Ahmad Jamal, each song was a performance. Over the course of a remarkable eight-decade career, Jamal, who passed away Sunday at the age of 92, created stellar recordings both as an ambitious youth and a sagely veteran.
    … via npr
  32. [15 Apr 2023] Kalina Maloyer (German singer, painter), 76
    33. Very very sad news … (Info: Management Frank Duval)
    … via facebook
  33. [14 Apr 2023] Cliff Fish (British bass guitarist for Paper Lace), 73, cancer
    34. Bassist Cliff Fish with 70s pop band Paper Lace has died aged 73 it was announced today.
    The band had great success in the seventies with a variety of songs including the number-one hit “Billy Don’t Be a Hero.”
    … via euroweeklynews
  34. [14 Apr 2023] Mark Sheehan (Irish guitarist for The Script), 46
    35. Mark Sheehan: The Script guitarist and co-founder dies at the age of 46
    Sheehan co-founded the band in Dublin in 2001 with drummer Glen Power and lead singer Danny O’Donoghue. The band had six number one albums in Ireland, five of which also topped the UK album charts.
    … via sky
  35. [12 Apr 2023] Jah Shaka (Jamaican dub and reggae sound system operator)
    36. Soundsystem legend Jah Shaka has died.
    The system pioneer was born in Jamaica, part of the post-Windrush wave of Caribbean immigration which so enriched this country
    … via clashmusic
  36. [10 Apr 2023] Danny Schur (Canadian composer), 56, brain cancer
    37. An acclaimed Winnipeg composer and producer has died.
    Danny Schur, best known for a stage musical and feature film about the events of the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike, died Monday at the age of 56 after a short battle with brain cancer.
    … via globalnews
  37. [09 Apr 2023] Karl Berger (German jazz pianist, composer, and educator), 88
    38. German-born pianist, composer, vibraphonist, jazz instructor, and improviser Karl Berger died at the Albany Medical Center on April 9. He was 88.
    … via hudsonvalleyone
  38. [09 Apr 2023] Valter Dešpalj (Croatian cellist), 75
    39. Valter Dešpalj, one of the most prominent Croatian musicians of the second half of the 20th century, cellist, music pedagogue and former musical director of the Dubrovnik Summer Festival, has died. They said goodbye to a great man from the Games…
    … via dulist
  39. [09 Apr 2023] Chuck Morris (American percussionist for Lotus), 46
    40. The bodies of a father and son who went missing while on a kayaking trip in Arkansas last month have been recovered, authorities said Sunday.
    The bodies of Chuck Morris, 46, and Charley Morris, 20, were recovered after 24 days of efforts, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office said in an announcement
    … via abcnews
  40. [08 Apr 2023] Rami Meir (Рами Меир) (Azerbaijani-born Israeli artist, poet, and singer), 60
    41. Rami Meir, a well-known artist and songwriter from Baku, has died in Moscow at the age of 60. In his works, he described the culture and life of the Mountain Jews.
    … via vestikavkaza
  41. [08 Apr 2023] Bob Heatlie (Scottish songwriter and record producer), 76
    42. Éva Csepregi and her son, Dávid Heatlie, mourn. The singer lost her former love and her son’s father, Bob Heatlie, recently.
    … via blikk
  42. [07 Apr 2023] Ian Bairnson (Scottish musician for The Alan Parsons Project), 69
    43. Ian Bairnson, guitarist for the Alan Parsons Project and Kate Bush, dies aged 69
    … via guitarworld
  43. [07 Apr 2023] Kidd Jordan (American jazz saxophonist), 87
    44. Edward ‘Kidd’ Jordan, New Orleans avant-jazz saxophonist, music educator, dies at 87
    … via nola
  44. [07 Apr 2023] Guy Bailey (British guitarist and songwriter for The Quireboys)
    45. Original THE QUIREBOYS guitarist Guy Bailey has died.
    The news of Guy’s passing was broken by the band’s singer Spike (a.k.a. Jonathan Gray),who took to his social media earlier today (Friday, April 7) to write: “I’m heartbroken to have to write this.
    … via blabbermouth
  45. [07 Apr 2023] John Regan (American bass guitarist for Frehley’s Comet), 71
    46. Former FREHLEY’S COMET Bassist JOHN REGAN Dies At 71
    … via blabbermouth
  46. [07 Apr 2023] Lasse Wellander (Swedish guitarist for ABBA), 70
    47. ABBA guitarist Lasse Wellander has died at 70 years old, the musician’s family announced. The Sweden native died on Friday, April 7 after a battle with cancer.
    … via etonline
  47. [06 Apr 2023] Nora Forster (German music promoter for The Slits, Sex Pistols), 80, Alzheimer’s disease
    48. John Lydon’s wife Nora Forster dies after heartbreaking Alzheimer’s battle
    John Lydon’s wife Nora Forster has died after living with Alzheimer’s for several years.
    … via mirror
  48. [06 Apr 2023] Paul Cattermole (English singer for S Club 7), 46
    49. S Club 7 star Paul Cattermole has died at the age of 46, weeks after the band announced a comeback tour.
    … via bbc
  49. [05 Apr 2023] Duško Gojković (Serbian jazz trumpeter, composer, and arranger), 91
    50. Prominent world jazz trumpeter, composer and arranger Duško Gojković died last night in Munich at the age of 92, writes RTS.
    … via danas
  50. [04 Apr 2023] Vivian Trimble (American musician for Luscious Jackson), 59, cancer
    51. Vivian Trimble, the keyboardist and co-founder of Luscious Jackson, has died. The band shared the news of Trimble’s death on Facebook, writing in a statement that Trimble had been battling cancer for several years and passed on Tuesday due to a complication she developed on Monday. Trimble was 59.
    … via stereogum
  51. [04 Apr 2023] Rockstar Ramani Ammal (Indian playback singer), 69
    52. Playback singer and Rock star Ramani Ammal, who became famous for his ‘Sari Gama pa’ show, has died due to health problems.
    … via filmibeat
  52. [03 Apr 2023] Rena Koumioti (Greek new wave singer), 81
    53. Greek singer Rena Koumiotis has passed away at the age of 74, according to her official Facebook page.
    … via greekherald
  53. [03 Apr 2023] Jack Vreeswijk (Swedish singer and composer for Cornelis), 59, colon cancer
    54. Jack Vreeswijk died on Monday evening, after a long illness.
    “Jack’s wish was to be at home during his last days with his loved ones, which he was. Around the clock, surrounded by so much love,” the family writes.
    … via expressen
  54. [02 Apr 2023] Pedro Lavirgen (Spanish tenor), 92
    55. This Sunday, April 2, the tenor Pedro Lavirgen died in Madrid at the age of 92. Along with Alfredo Kraus, Jaime Aragall, José Carreras or Plácido Domingo, he was one of the most important Spanish representatives of his string in the second half of the last century, carrying the flag of Hispanic poetry to the most important stages in the world
    … via elperiodico
  55. [02 Apr 2023] Seymour Stein (American Hall of Fame music executive, founder of Sire Records), 80
    56. Seymour Stein, whose Sire Records launched Madonna’s career and signed such early punk rock and new wave icons as the Ramones and Talking Heads, died Sunday morning in Los Angeles after a long battle with cancer, his daughter Mandy confirms to Variety. He was 80.
    … via variety
  56. [01 Apr 2023] Dario Campeotto (Danish-Italian singer for Eurovision), 84, cancer
    57. Singer and entertainer Dario Campeotto has died after a long illness. The family informs Ritzau.
    The popular singer died on April 1 at the age of 84.
    … via politiken
  57. [01 Apr 2023] Red Robinson (Canadian disc jockey), 86
    58. Legendary Vancouver DJ Red Robinson passes away at age 86
    His family said in a post: With deep sadness and broken hearts, we bring the news that our beloved Dad, Red Robinson, passed this morning at 8:15 am after a brief illness.
    … via vancouversun



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