Remembering the Rockers We Lost in 2024

1. Phil Lesh

Former bassist and founding member of the Grateful Dead, Phil Lesh, has died at the age of 84, according to a post on his Instagram page. He reportedly passed away peacefully on Friday, Oct. 25, with his family surrounding him.

Lesh was a member of the Grateful Dead from its founding in 1965 until their split in 1995 after the death of Jerry Garcia. He would go on to perform with his solo project, Phil Lesh and Friends, and several Grateful Dead spinoffs.

2. Paul Di’Anno

Former Iron Maiden frontman Paul Di’Anno died on Tuesday, Oct. 21, according to a statement released by his record label; Conquest Music. No cause of death was given for Di’Anno, but it was noted that he’d been suffering with an illness for the last few years. He was 66.

Di’Anno sang lead vocals on the English metal band’s first two albums, Iron Maiden and Killers, fronting the band from 1978 to 1981.

3. Johnny Neel

Johnny Neel, a singer-songwriter who spent many years as a session musician, died on Oct. 6 at the age of 70 due to heart failure. He most-notably spent time with The Allman Brothers band, providing his talents on the keyboard, harmonica and provided vocals from 1989 to 1990.

4. Kris Kristofferson

Better known for his contributions to country music and acting, Kris Kristofferson was also responsible for the legendary Me and Bobby McGee,  a major posthumously-released hit for Janis Joplin. Kristofferson died on Sept. 28, at his home in Maui at the age of 88.

5. Nick Gravenites

Nick Gravenites was a singer-songwriter and musician from Chicago, who fronted Big Brother and the Holding Company from 1969 to 1972 in the wake of Janis Joplin’s departure. He also wrote songs for Joplin, including Work Me, Lord. Gravenites died on Sept. 18 at the age of 85, after battling diabetes and dementia.

6. JD Souther

A singer-songwriter from Detroit, JD Souther wrote songs for Linda Ronstadt and the Eagles. Some of the Eagles’ major hits he had a hand in include Best of My Love, Victim of Love, Heartache Tonight, New Kid in Town and How Long. Souther died at his home in New Mexico on Sept. 17, at the age of 78.

7. Kenny Hyslop

Scottish pop group Slik in their trademark baseball shirts, circa 1975. Guitarist Midge Ure, future singer with Ultravox and Live-Aid organiser, is at centre, back. (Photo by Anwar Hussein/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) indoors,color image,celebrities,arts culture and entertainment,looking at camera,waist up,portrait,music,singer,baseball – sport,males,four people,1970-1979,archival,shirt,songwriter,british culture,pop music,intellectual property,photographic print,midge ure

8. Will Jennings

Hailing from Kilgore, Texas, Will Jennings was an accomplished lyricist, contributing to some of the most famous songs across several genres. Jennings helped write songs like Tears in Heaven for Eric Clapton and Higher Love for Steve Winwood. He passed away on Sept. 6 in Tyler, Texas, at the age of 80.

9. Herbie Flowers

Herbie Flowers was an English bass guitarist, best known for being part of the last T. Rex lineup in 1977. He died on Sept. 5 at the age of 86.

10. Screamin’ Scott Simon

Screamin’ Scott Simon, of Kansas City, Missouri, spent around 52 years as the pianist for Sha Na Na. With Sha Na Na, he appeared in the film version of  Grease in 1978. He played with the band until its dissolution in December of 2022. He died of cancer on Sept. 5 at the age of 75.

11. Greg Kihn

Greg Kihn, hailing from Baltimore, was the founder of the Greg Kihn Band, which was best known for their hit singles The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ‘Em) and Jeapordy. He’d later transition to a career as a disc jockey in 1996, spending the next 16 with the Bay Area’s KUFX, a classic rock radio station. He also wrote a series of horror fiction book and stories in the late 1990s. Kihn died on Aug. 13 due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 75.

12. Jack Russell

From Montebello, California, Jack Russell was a founding member and lead vocalist of Great White. He spent most of 1981 through 2001 with the band, which broke up during the latter year. He would begin touring as “Jack Russell’s Great White,” before reforming with the original lineup in 2006. He’d leave Great White in 2009, touring once again as “Jack Russell’s Great White” to avoid confusion with Great White, which had continued on without him.

On July 17, 2024, Russell announced that he was retiring from touring and disclosed that he had Lewy body dementia.  Russell died  on Aug. 7 at the age of 63 from complications of LBD and muscular system atrophy.

13. Joe Egan

Joe Egan was a Scottish singer-songwriter best known for being one of the main members of Stealers Wheel, along with Gerry Rafferty. Along with Rafferty, he co-wrote the band’s biggest hit; Stuck in the Middle with You, a major hit in 1973. Egan died of a heart attack in Melbourne on July 6 at the age of 77.

14. Doug Ingle

Doug Ingle of Omaha, Nebraska, was the founder, primary composer, lead vocalist and organ player for the revolutionary band Iron Butterfly. He wrote the band’s biggest hit; In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. After Iron Butterfly broke up in 1971, he did not rejoin the band upon their 1974 reunion. He’d rejoin the band for the first time in 1978, touring on and off with the band until 1999. He was the last surviving member of the “classic era” lineup, dying on May 24 at the age of 78.

15. Jon Wysocki

Born in Northampton, Massachusetts, Jon Wysocki was the original drummer of the post-grunge rock band Staind. He spent 1995 to 2011 with the band, before leaving due to frustrations with the production of the band’s self-titled album, Staind. Wysocki died on May 18 at the age of 53.

16. Charlie Colin

Charlie Colin, the former bassist and founding member of Train, was a part of the band’s mainstream album breakthrough, Drops of Jupiter. He was forced out of the band in 2003 due to substance abuse issues. After Train, Colin Colin became an art curator and collector, a homeless-artist activist and philanthropist. He had moved to Brussels and was teaching a music master class. He died on May 17, while he was house sitting for a friend when he tragically slipped and fell in the shower. He was 58.

17. Randy Fuller

Growing up in El Paso Texas, Randy Fuller became a part of his older brother Bobby’s band, the Bobby Fuller Four, which was best known for I Fought the Law. The band dissolved in 1966 upon the sudden passing of Bobby. Randy would retool the group into the “Bobby Fuller Four,” which found some success with Let Her Dance. Randy died on May 16 at the age of 80.

18. John Barbata

John Barbata was from Passaic, New Jersey, and became known as the drummer for Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, the last lineup of Jefferson Airplane and the then its successor, Jefferson Starship, from 1974 to 1978. He’d retire from the mainstream music industry at 33. Barbata was an accomplished succession musician, at one time claiming to have played on 60 albums at an uncredited capacity. He died on May 8 at the age of 79 due to heart problems.

19. Richard Tandy

Richard Tandy was an English musician, best known as the keyboardist for Electric Light Orchestra and right-hand man to Jeff Lynne. Tandy initially joined ELO in 1971 as a bassist, before becoming the band’s keyboardist full-time. After the band dissolved in 2001, he’d join Lynne again as ELO reformed as “Jeff Lynne’s ELO” in 2014. Tandy retired from touring with the band in 2017, remaining with the group until his passing on May 1 at the age of 76.

20. Duane Eddy

Guitarist Duane Eddy poses for a portrait at the NAMM show in Anaheim, California on January 20, 2012. (Photo by Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) color image,photography,people,one person,arts culture and entertainment,horizontal,usa,looking at camera,waist up,portrait,music,california,anaheim – california,namm show,guitarist,formal portrait,duane eddy

21. Dickey Betts

OAKLAND – MAY 17: Dickey Betts performs with the Allman Brothers Band at the Oakland Coliseum on May 17, 1979 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ed Perlstein/Redferns/Getty Images) color image,photography,people,one person,arts culture and entertainment,horizontal,usa,waist up,music,performance,california,1970-1979,archival,stadium,oakland – california,ringcentral coliseum,dickey betts,allman brothers

22. Jack Green

Scottish musician and songwriter Jack Green performs live on stage with British rock band T-Rex during the ‘Truck Off Tour’ at the Odeon in Birmingham, UK, 28th January 1974. (Photo by David Warner Ellis/Redferns/Getty Images) photography,people,one person,arts culture and entertainment,horizontal,musician,waist up,music,uk,performance,1970-1979,black and white,archival,songwriter,birmingham – england,stage – performance space

23. C.J. Snare

SURABAYA, INDONESIA – OCTOBER 17: C.J. Snare of American heavy metal band FireHouse performs on October 17, 2013 in Surabaya, Indonesia. (Photo by Robertus Pudyanto/Getty Images) arts culture and entertainment,horizontal,music,performance,metal,performance group,fire station,indonesia,surabaya

24. Gerry Conway

LONDON – MARCH 25: Drummer Gerry Conway of English folk band Fairport Convention performs live on stage during the second night of a series of concerts and events in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust organised by charity Patron Roger Daltrey at The Royal Albert Hall on March 25, 2009 in London, England. (Photo by Jo Hale/Getty Images) celebrities,arts culture and entertainment,horizontal,music,uk,england,performance,night,event,cultures,popular music concert,performance group,charity and relief work,organization,royal albert hall,kensington and chelsea,stage – performance space,roger daltrey,teenage cancer trust,fairport convention

25. Steve Harley

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – MARCH 05: Steve Harley performs on stage at SEC Armadillo on March 05, 2022 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Roberto Ricciuti/Redferns) color image,photography,arts culture and entertainment,horizontal,waist up,music,uk,performance,live event,scotland,stage – performance space,glasgow – scotland,2022,sec armadillo,steve harley

26. Eric Carmen

( MANDATORY CREDIT Bill Tompkins/Getty Images ) Eric Carmen, lead singer of rock band The Raspberries photographed Friday, July 22, 2005 in New York City. (Photo by Bill Tompkins/Getty Images) color image,photography,celebrities,arts culture and entertainment,horizontal,usa,new york city,music,rock music,raspberry,2005,july,friday,rock group,lead singer,eric carmen

27. Karl Wallinger

World Party, Karl Wallinger, Futurama Festival, Brielpoort, Deinze, Belgium, 4th November 1990. (Photo by Gie Knaeps/Getty Images) color image,photography,arts culture and entertainment,horizontal,party – social event,music,1990-1999,belgium,futurama

28. James Kottak

INCHEON, SOUTH KOREA – AUGUST 06: James Kottak of Scorpions attends the press conference to celebrate 50th anniversary of Scorpions on August 6, 2015 in Incheon, South Korea. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images) arts culture and entertainment,attending,horizontal,celebration,music,press conference,south korea,incheon,50th anniversary,2015,the scorpions – band

29. Tony Clarkin

BERLIN, GERMANY – MAY 06: Tony Clarkin of Magnum performs at Columbia Theater on May 6, 2016 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Sebastian Reuter/Redferns) photography,arts culture and entertainment,horizontal,music,concert,performance,germany,berlin