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 2020.
2020 deaths in popular music
Name Age Date Location of death Cause of death Lexii Alijai 21 January 1, 2020 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. Fentanyl and ethanol overdose Marty Grebb The Buckinghams74 January 1, 2020 Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S. Unknown"Marty Grebb, ex-Buckinghams member and journeyman session musician, dead at 73" , Wabx.net, January 3, 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2020 Tommy Hancock 90 January 1, 2020 Austin, Texas, U.S. Unknown Lorraine Chandler 73 January 2, 2020 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. Undisclosed causes"Lorraine Chandler Dies" , Soulandjazzandfunk.com, January 3, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2020 Bo Winberg The Spotnicks80 January 3, 2020 Gothenburg, Sweden Unknown"Guitar legend Bo Winberg died", Sverigesradio.se, January 3, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2020Franco Ciani Italian lyricist, record producer and singer-songwriter62January 3, 2020Fidenza, Italy Martin Griffin Ark, Sonic Assassins, Hawklords, Hawkwind69 January 6, 2020 West Devon, England Unknown"Former Hawkwind Drummer Martin Griffin Has Died", Ultimateclassicrock.com, January 8, 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2020 Neil PeartRush 67January 7, 2020Santa Monica, California, U.S.Glioblastoma Edd Byrnes 87 January 8, 2020 Santa Monica, California, U.S. Natural causes Bobby Comstock 78 January 9, 2020 California, U.S. Unknown"Online concert will remember Bobby Comstock, who died this morning", 14850.com, January 9, 2020. Retrieved January 10, 2020 Tom AlexanderThe Alexander Brothers 85 January 9, 2020 Glasgow, Scotland Unknown Marc Morgan 57 January 10, 2020 Huy, Belgium Unknown Alana Filippi 59 January 11, 2020 Le Coudray, Chartes, France Unknown Steve Martin CaroThe Left Banke 71 January 14, 2020 Dayton, Ohio, U.S. Heart disease "The Left Banke's Steve Martin Caro Dies", Bestclassicbands.com. Retrieved January 15, 2020 Chris DarrowKaleidoscope, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band 75 January 15, 2020 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Complications from a stroke "Noted Claremont artist Chris Darrow dies at 75" , Claremont-courier.com, January 16, 2020. Retrieved January 17, 2020 David Olney71 January 18, 2020 Fort Walton Beach, Florida, U.S. Heart attack "David Olney Dies: Prolific Musician, Composer, Cinematographer Was 71, Passed On Stage", January 19, 2020. Deadline.com, Retrieved January 20, 2020 Robert Parker89 January 19, 2020 Roseland, Louisiana, U.S. Natural causes Barefootin' singer Robert Parker passes away. Fox8live.com, Retrieved January 20, 2020 Meritxell Negre Peaches & Herb 48 January 21, 2020 Barcelona, Spain Cancer Joe PayneDivine Heresy, Nile 35 January 24, 2020 Tampa, Florida, U.S. Undisclosed cause Sean Reinert Cynic, Death, Æon Spoke 48 January 24, 2020 San Bernardino, California, U.S. Aortic ruptureNarciso Parigi Italian singer and actor92January 25, 2020Florence, Italy Reed MullinCorrosion Of ConformityTeenage Time Killers53 January 27, 2020 Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S. Unknown Corrosion Of Conformity drummer Reed Mullin dead at 53. Loudwire.com, Retrieved January 27, 2020 Bob NaveThe Lemon Pipers 75 January 28, 2020 Dayton, Ohio, U.S. UnknownCincinnati Musicians Remember Bob Nave, Veteran Rock/Blues Organist and Local DJ. Citybeat.com, Retrieved January 30, 2020 Andy GillGang of Four 64 February 1, 2020 London, England Pneumonia and multiple organ failure"Andy Gill – the NME obituary, 1956-2020: The guitar hero who made radical politics danceable", Nme.com, February 2, 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2020 Josh PappéDirty Rotten ImbecilesGang Green 53 February 1, 2020 Texas, U.S. Unknown"Former D.R.I. Bassist JOSH PAPPE Dies At 53", MetalAddicts.com, February 1, 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2020 Ivan Král Patti Smith Group 71 February 2, 2020 Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S. Cancer"Ivan Kral, author of 'Dancing Barefoot' song, dies, aged 71", National Post, February 2, 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2020 Buddy Cage New Riders of the Purple Sage 73 February 5, 2020 Connecticut, U.S. Multiple myeloma Lynn Evans Mand The Chordettes 95 February 6, 2020 Youngstown, Ohio, U.S. Possible natural causes Steve WeberThe Holy Modal Rounders 76 February 7, 2020 Mount Clare, West Virginia, U.S. Cause not disclosed"Steve Weber, Guitarist in Oddball Folk Band, Dies at 76", The New York Times, March 6, 2020. Retrieved March 7, 2020 Lyle MaysPat Metheny Group 66 February 10, 2020 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Died after battling an undisclosed illness Joseph ShabalalaLadysmith Black Mambazo 79 February 11, 2020 Pretoria, South Africa Natural causes Paul English 87 February 12, 2020 Dallas, Texas, U.S. Pneumonia Jacob ThieleThe Faint 40 February 13, 2020 Omaha, Nebraska, United States Cause not revealed Henry Gray 95 February 17, 2020 Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S. Unknown Andrew Weatherall 56 February 17, 2020 London, England Pulmonary embolism Pop Smoke 20 February 19, 2020 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Shot Elyse Weinberg 74 February 20, 2020 Ashland, Oregon, U.S. Lung cancer Nicholas Jennings, "Forgotten folk singer Elyse Weinberg had a surprising late-in-life comeback" The Globe and Mail, May 14, 2020. Retrieved June 23, 2020 David RobackMazzy Star 61 February 25, 2020 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Metastatic cancer Mike SomervilleHead East 67 February 28, 2020 Wausau, Wisconsin, United States Undisclosed illness Simon PosthumaThe Fool 81 February 28, 2020 Amsterdam, Netherlands Korsakoff syndrome Nelė PaltinienėLithuanian Pop singer and member of Kopų Balsai 91 February 29, 2020 Mannheim, Germany PneumoniaElisabetta Imelio Italian musician, singer and member of Prozac+44February 29, 2020Aviano, Pordenone, ItalyCancer (liver cancer, metastatic after a long battle with breast cancer) Barbara MartinThe Supremes 76 March 4, 2020 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. Unknown McCoy Tyner John Coltrane Quartet 81 March 6, 2020 Bergenfield, New Jersey, U.S. Undisclosed causes Charlie BatyLittle Charlie & the Nightcats 66 March 6, 2020 Vacaville, California, U.S. Heart attack Eric Taylor 70 March 9, 2020 Austin, Texas, U.S. Liver disease Keith OlsenRecord producer and sound engineer from The Music Machine 74 March 9, 2020 Geona, Nevada, U.S. Cardiac arrest Genesis P-OrridgeThrobbing Gristle, Psychic TV 70 March 14, 2020 New York City, New York, U.S. Leukaemia Phil Phillips94 March 14, 2020 Lake Charles, Louisiana, U.S. Unknown/Died on his 94th birthday Jason RaineySacred Reich 53 March 16, 2020 Phoenix, Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S. Heart attack Kenny RogersKenny Rogers and The First Edition 81 March 20, 2020 Sandy Springs, Georgia, U.S. Natural causes Jerry SlickThe Great Society 80 March 20, 2020 Mill Valley, California, U.S. Unknown Julie Felix 81 March 22, 2020 Chorleywood, UKUndisclosed illness Gabi DelgadoDeutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft 61 March 22, 2020 Either in Portugal or in SpainHeart attack Manu Dibango 86 March 24, 2020 Melun, France COVID-19 Bill RieflinKing Crimson, R.E.M. 59 March 24, 2020 Seattle, Washington, United States CancerDetto Mariano Italian composer, arranger, lyricist, pianist, record producer, and music publisher82March 25, 2020Milan, Italy Neil LandonThe Ivy League, Fat Mattress 78 March 26, 2020 Hamburg, Germany Cancer "Neil Landon passed away", 4 April 2020. Rocknroll-schallplatten-forum.de Retrieved 18 April 2020 Bob Andy 75 March 27, 2020 Kingston, Jamaica Cancer Joe Diffie 61 March 27, 2020 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. COVID-19Mirna Doris Italian singer79March 27, 2020Naples, Italy Lou "L.A." KouvarisRiot 66 March 28, 2020 Bethpage, New York, U.S. COVID-19 Alan MerrillArrows 69 March 29, 2020 Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S. COVID-19 Bill Withers81 March 30, 2020 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Heart complications CristinaSinger with ZE Records 64 March 31, 2020 New York City, New York, U.S. COVID-19 Wallace RoneyJazz trumpeter 59 March 31, 2020 Paterson, New Jersey, U.S. COVID-19 Adam Schlesinger Fountains of Wayne, Ivy 52 April 1, 2020 Poughkeepsie, New York, U.S. COVID-19 Vaughan MasonVaughan Mason & Crew 69 April 3, 2020 New York City, New York, U.S. Unknown Patrick GibsonThe Gibson Brothers 64 April 4, 2020 Paris, France COVID-19 Luis Eduardo Aute 76 April 4, 2020 Madrid, Spain John Prine73 April 7, 2020 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. COVID-19 Hutch DavieSongwriter and arranger 89 April 7, 2020 West Orange, New Jersey, U.S. Unknown Steve FarmerThe Amboy Dukes 71 April 7, 2020 Redford, Michigan, U.S. Died at his home, unspecified cause Glenn Fredly 44 April 8, 2020 Jakarta, Indonesia Meningitis Carl Dobkins Jr.79 April 8, 2020 Mason, Ohio, United States Unknown Moraes MoreiraNovos Baianos 72 April 13, 2020 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Ryo Kawasaki 73 April 13, 2020 Tallinn, Estonia Kenny YoungSongwriter and member of Fox79 April 14, 2020 Banbury, Oxfordshire, England Cancer/Died on his 79th birthday Lee Konitz 92 April 15, 2020 New York City, U.S. Christophe74 April 16, 2020 Brest, Brittany, France COVID-19 Barney AlesMusic industry executive from Motown Records 85 April 17, 2020 Malibu, California, United States Unknown Matthew SeligmanThe Soft Boys, Thompson Twins 64 April 17, 2020 London, England Stroke following COVID-19 infection Terry DoranBeatles associate, manager of Grapefruit 80 April 19, 2020 London, England Parkinson's disease or COVID-19 Ian Whitcomb 78 April 19, 2020 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Stroke Ronan O'RahillyFounder of Radio Caroline 79 April 20, 2020 Carlingford, County Louth, Ireland Vascular dementia Derek JonesFalling in Reverse 35 April 21, 2020 Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. Subdural hematoma Florian SchneiderKraftwerk 73 April 21, 2020 Düsseldorf, Germany Cancer Hamilton Bohannon 78 April 24, 2020 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Young Jessie 83 April 27, 2020 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Unknown Scott TaylorThen Jerico 58 April 27, 2020 England Brain tumor Bobby Lewis 95 April 28, 2020 Newark, New Jersey, U.S. Pneumonia Tavo LimongiResorte 52 May 1, 2020 Naucalpan, State of Mexico Heart attack due to COVID-19 complications Erwin PrasetyaDewa 1948 May 2, 2020 Indonesia Gastrointestinal bleeding Dave GreenfieldThe Stranglers 71 May 3, 2020 England, UK COVID-19 induced heart failure Bob LanderThe Spotnicks 78 May 3, 2020 Sweden Millie Small72 May 5, 2020 London, England Stroke Sweet Pea AtkinsonWas (Not Was) 74 May 5, 2020 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Heart attackBrian HoweTed Nugent, Bad Company 66 May 6, 2020 Lake Placid, Florida, U.S. Heart attack Agustín Villegas Los Solitarios79 May 6, 2020 Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico Cardiorespiratory arrest Little Richard87 May 9, 2020 Tullahoma, Tennessee, U.S. Bone cancer Betty Wright 66 May 10, 2020 Miami, Florida, U.S. CancerAlbert One Italian singer64May 10, 2020Pavia, ItalyLung infection and pneumonia Moon Martin 69 May 11, 2020 Encino, Los Angeles, California, U.S.Natural causes Alberto Carpani 64 May 11, 2020 Portofino, ItalyPneumonia Derek LawrenceProducer of Deep Purple and Wishbone Ash 78 May 13, 2020 Peterborough, EnglandCancer Yoshio 70 May 13, 2020 Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico COVID-19 Jorge SantanaMalo 68 May 14, 2020 San Rafael, California, U.S.Natural causesEzio Bosso