Here’s to the rock’n’rollers, among them musicians, songwriters, producers, movers, shakers and others in the music industry who sadly left us in 2025.
Thank you.
January
Wayne Osmond: August 28, 1951 – January 1, 2025
Second-oldest brother with 70s pop sensations the Osmonds
Russ North: July 22, 1965 – January 2, 2025
Former singer with Cloven Hoof and Tredegar
Ragne Wahlquist: January 23, 1955 – January 2, 2025
Frontman and guitarist with Swedish metalheads Heavy Load
Manfred Schütz: July 5, 1950 – January 3, 2025
Founder of SPV Records
Peter ‘P Fluid’ Forrest: Died January 13, 2025
Former singer with US group 24-7 Spyz
Teddy Osei: December 1, 1937 – January 14, 2025
Singer and saxophonist with Afrorock band Osibisa
David Lynch: January 20, 1946 – January 15, 2025
American filmmaker, musician and acclaimed cinematic visionary
Toby Myers: September 26, 1949 – January 16, 2025
Bassist with US pomp rockers Roadmaster, also John Mellencamp
Mike Miller: May 8, 1953 – January 18, 2025
Guitarist with Brand X, Boz Scaggs and others
Dave Bargeron: September 6, 1942 – January 18, 2025
Former trombonist with US group Blood Sweat & Tears
Garth Hudson: August 2, 1937 – January 21, 2025
The last surviving member of The Band
Keith Satchfield: Died January 21, 2025
Guitarist with NWOBHM band Fist
Barry Goldberg: December 25, 1941 – January 22, 2025
Played with Bob Dylan at Newport in 1965
Johan Slager: June 8, 1946 – January 22, 2025
Guitarist with Dutch prog-rockers Kayak
Aaron Rossi: December 6, 1980 – January 27, 2025
Former drummer with Ministry and Prong
Bruce Howe: March 17, 1947 – January 29, 2025
Bassist with Bon Scott’s pre-AC/DC band Fraternity
Marianne Faithfull: December 29, 1946 – January 30, 2025
Singer, actress, model and face of a generation
February
Sal Maida: July 29, 1948 – February 1, 2025
Bassist with Roxy Music, Sparks and others
Mike Ratledge: May 6, 1943 – February 5, 2025
Co-founder and keyboard player with Soft Machine
Dave Jerden: July 25, 1949 – February 5, 2025
Producer for Red Hot Chili Peppers, Alice In Chains and many more
Jamie Muir: July 4, 1945 – February 17, 2025
Former percussionist with King Crimson
Rick Buckler: December 6, 1955 – 17 February 2025
Drummer with The Jam
Chris Jasper: December 30, 1951 – February 23, 2025
Former member of the Isley Brothers
Roberta Flack: February 10, 1937 – February 24, 2025
Multiple Grammy-winning American chanteuse and pianist
Coburn Pharr: Died February 25, 2025
Former singer with Canadian heavies Annihilator
Gra Scoresby: March 22, 1956 – February 26, 2025
Former drummer with NWOBHM band Witchfynde
March
Joey Molland: June 21, 1947 – March 1, 2025
Last original member of Badfinger
Bob Rupe: Died March 3, 2025
Former bassist with American rock band Cracker
Roy Ayers: September 10, 1940 – March 4, 2025
Influential soul and jazz producer and composer
Brian James: February 18, 1955 – March 6, 2025
Co-founding guitarist of The Damned
Les Binks: August 8, 1951 – March 15, 2025
Drummer with Judas Priest in their halcyon years
Jesse Colin Young: November 22, 1941 – March 16, 2025
Frontman with The Youngbloods, and singer-songwriter solo artist
Marty Callner: August 25, 1946 – March 17, 2025
Director of some of rock’s most famous music videos
Bob Harvey: November 17, 1934 – March 18, 2025
Original bassist with legendary 60s band Jefferson Airplane.
Larry Tamblyn: Died March 21, 2025
Guitarist with pre-punk garage crew The Strandells
Andy Peebles: December 13, 1948 – March 22, 2025
DJ and broadcaster
Paul ‘Wags’ Wagstaff: Death announced on March 22, 2025
Former guitarist with Black Grape and Happy Mondays.
April
Kimble Rendall: Died April 2025
Founding member of quirky Australian band the Hoodoo Gurus
Chris Youlden: January 1, 1943 – April 4, 2025
Former singer with Savoy Brown
Sandy Robertson: Died April 4, 2025
Writer for the UK weekly music paper Sounds
Dave Allen: December 23, 1955 – April 5, 2025
Former bassist with the Gang Of Four
Clem Burke: November 24, 1954 – April 6, 2025
Drummer with Blondie
Ioannis Vasilopoulos: Died April 8, 2025
Record sleeve artist
Roy Thomas Baker: November 10, 1946 – April 12, 2025
Producer for Queen, Ozzy and more
Roger McLachlan: January 15, 1954 – April 16, 2025
Former bass player with Australia’s Little River Band
David Briggs: March 16, 1943 – April 22, 2025
Part of the celebrated session players Nashville Cats, and played with many music greats
David Thomas: June 14, 1953 – April 23, 2025
Frontman with America’s experimental rock band Pere Ubu
Mike Peters: February 25, 1959 – April 29, 2025
Frontman with The Alarm, and Welsh folk hero
Joe Louis Walker: December 25, 1949 – April 30, 2025
American blues guitarist, singer and songwriter
May
Tony J Liddle: June 15, 1985 – May 6, 2025
Former guitarist with NWOBHM band Blitzkrieg
James Baker: March 7, 1954 – May 6, 2025
Drummer with Aussie rock-meets-new wave band the Hoodoo Gurus
Terry Draper: September 22, 1951 – May 15, 2025
Founding member of Canadian proggers Klaatu
Mark St John: Died May 17, 2025
Ever-tenacious manager of the Pretty Things
Chris Hager: Died May 19, 2025
Former guitarist with Rough Cutt and Ratt
James Lowe: March 5, 1943 – May 22, 2025
Guitarist and vocalist with the Electric Prunes
Daniel Williams: December 12, 1985 – May 22, 2025
Ex-drummer with US metalcore band the Devil Wears Prada
Simon House: August 29, 1948 – May 25, 2025
Keyboard player and violinist for Hawkwind and Bowie
Rick Derringer: August 5, 1947 – May 26, 2025
Musician, producer and songwriter
Andrew Matheson: Died May 31, 2025
Frontman with proto-punks the Hollywood Brats
June
Colin Jerwood: Died June 2, 2025
Frontman with anarcho-punk band Conflict
Chuck Prwithus: November 2, 1963 – June 4, 2025
Drummer with US thrashers Agent Steel
Bob Andrews: June 20, 1949 – June 5, 2025
Keyboard player with pub rockers Brinsley Schwarz
Peter Jones: Died June 6, 2025
Keyboard player with the Little River Band
Sly Stone: March 15, 1943 – June 9, 2025
Band leader, early pioneer of funk, rock and psychedelic soul
Brian Wilson: June 20, 1942 – June 11, 2025
Visionary leader of the Beach Boys
Douglas McCarthy: Died June 11, 2025
Frontman with Nitzer Ebb
Honest John Plain: April 12, 1952 – June 13, 2005
Guitarist with UK punks The Boys
James Prime: November 3, 1960 – June 19, 2025
Keyboard player with Deacon Blue
David L Hamilton: Died June 20, 2025
Original pianist with Pavlov’s Dog
Patrick Walden: October 5, 1978 – June 20, 2025
Former guitarist with Babyshambles
Mick Ralphs: March 31, 1944 – June 23, 2025
Guitarist with Mott The Hoople and Bad Company
Serge Fiori: March 4, 1952 – June 24, 2025
Vocalist/guitarist with Harmonium
July
Kevin Riddles: December 26, 1956 – July 4, 2025
Bassist with Angel Witch and Tytan
Luis Jardim: July 4, 1950 – July 4, 2025
Percussionist extraordinaire
Pete Brabbs: February 7, 1957 – July 5, 2025
Former guitarist with Tank
Antti Tammilehto: November 15, 1954 – July 6, 2025
Bassist with Finnish rock’n’rollers The Boys
Tim Cronin: Died July 8, 2025
Early member of Monster Magnet
Tom Deluca: October 26, 1954 – July 10, 2025
Much-loved US melodic rock artist
David Kaff: April 17, 1946 – July 11, 2025
A.k.a. keyboard player Viv Savage with Spinal Tap
Matt Keil: July 24, 1985 – July 12, 2025
Ex-member of Canadian melodic hardcore band Comeback Kid
Dave Cousins: January 7, 1940 – July 13, 2025
Frontman with veteran folk-meets-prog band Strawbs
Alan Bergman: September 11, 1925 – July 17, 2025
Noted American songwriter
John ‘Poli’ Palmer: May 26, 1943 – July 21, 2025 Multi-instrumentalist with Family
George Kooymans: March 11, 1948 – July 22, 2025
Co-founding guitarist with Golden Earring
Ozzy Osbourne: December 3, 1948 – July 22, 2025
The Prince Of Darkness
Barbara Pendleton: Died July 27, 2025
Co-founder of London’s legendary Marquee club
Paul Mario Day: April 19, 1956 – July 29, 2025
Singer with Iron Maiden, More and Sweet
August
Michael Fisher: Died August 2025
The ‘Magic Man’ and early manager of Heart
David Roach: Died August 1, 2025
Frontman with Californian hard rockers Junkyard
Terry Reid: November 13, 1949 – August 4, 2025
Singer and guitarist, aka Superlungs
Ian Ellis: October 7, 1944 – August 4, 2025
Bass player with Savoy Brown
Larry Gillstrom: Died August 4, 2025
Guitarist with Canadian hard rockers Kick Axe
Harry Hill: Died August 6, 2025
Drummer with NWOBHM band Fist
Bobby Whitlock: March 18, 1948 – August 10, 2025
Keyboard player and guitarist with Derek And The Dominos
Ronnie Rendell Jr: February 10, 1937 – August 12, 2025
The man aflame on the cover of Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here
Brent Hinds: January 16, 1974 – August 20, 2025
Former guitarist with Mastodon
Jim Kimball: Died August 27, 2025
Ex-drummer with The Jesus Lizard
September
Viv Prince: August 9, 1941 – September 2025
Former drummer with The Pretty Things
Tony Beard: Died September 2025
Popular session drummer
Steve Whalley: Died September 2025
Former member of Slade II and Sad Café
Mark Volman: April 19, 1947 – September 5, 2025
Member of The Turtles and vocal duo Flo & Eddie
Bruce Loose: Died September 5, 2025
Co-lead singer and bassist with Amrican punk band Flipper
Rick Davies: July 22, 1944 – September 6, 2025
Co-founder, keyboard player and vocalist with Supertramp
Allen Blickle: Death reported September 7, 2025
Former drummer with Baroness
Tomas Lindberg: October 16, 1972 – September 16, 2025
Frontman with death-metal veterans At The Gates
Sonny Curtis: May 9, 1937 – September 19, 2025
Member of Buddy Holly’s Crickets
Danny Thompson: April 4, 1939 – September 23, 2025
Co-founding bass player with Pentangle
Chris Dreja: November 11, 1946 – September 25, 2025
Founding guitarist and sometime bassist with The Yardbirds
October
Ace Finchum: January 19, 1963 – October 2025
Former drummer with Tigertailz
Edward Reekers: May 24, 1957 – October 7, 2025
Frontman with Dutch prog rockers Kayak
John Lodge: July 20, 1943 – October 10, 2025
Bass player and vocalist with The Moody Blues
Thommy Price: December 9, 1956 – October 10, 2025
Vastly experienced drummer who played with Joan Jett and Billy Idol
John Waterhouse: October 6, 1950 – October 12, 2025
Former guitarist with UK hard rockers Demon
Ace Frehley: April 27, 1951 – October 16, 2025
Founder member and guitarist with Kiss
Sam Rivers: September 2, 1977 – October 18, 2025
Founding bassis and backing vocalist with Limp Bizkit
Chris Turner: Died October 23, 2025
Guitarist with pioneering Aussie rockers Buffalo and Rose Tattoo
Marcie Free: April 12, 1954 – October 24, 2025
American singer with King Kobra, Signal and Unruly Child
Scott Sorry: October 30, 1978 – October 30, 2025
Bassist with The Wildhearts, Amen, Brides Of Destruction and Sorry and the Sinatras.
November
Joseph Byrd: December 19, 1937 – November 2, 2025
Multi-instrumentalist with psychedelic rockers The United States Of America
Donna Jean Godchaux: August 22, 1947 – November 2, 2025
Singer with the Grateful Dead and the Jerry Garcia Band
Robert Taylor: April 16, 1951 – November 4, 2025
Guitarist with New Zealand proggers-turned-pop-rockers Dragon
Gilson Lavis: June 27, 1951 – November 5, 2025
Drummer with Squeeze
Chris Bradley: Died November 6, 2025
Vocalist and bass player with NWOBHM stalwarts Savage
Hilly Michaels: July 3, 1948 – November 15, 2025
Drummer with seventies-era Sparks
Mani: November 16, 1962 – November 20, 2025
Bassist with the Stone Roses and Primal Scream
Bob “Bongo” Starkie: July 16, 1952 – November 28, 2025
Guitarist for the Australian rock band Skyhooks
December
Steve Cropper: October 21, 1941 – December 3, 2025
Guitarist, producer, songwriter, leader of Booker T. & the M.G.'s
Tetsu Yamauchi: October 21, 1946 – December 4, 2025
Bassist with Free and the Faces
Joe Ely: February 9, 1947 – December 15, 2025
Pioneering progressive country singer, songwriter and guitarist
Mick Abrahams: April 7, 1943 – December 19, 2025
English guitarist with Jethro Tull and Blodwyn Pig
Chris Rea: March 4, 1951 – December 22, 2025
English singer-songwriter, forever driving home for Christmas
Perry Bamonte: September 3, 1960 – December 24, 2025
Two-time guitarist and keyboardist with The Cure
Howie Klein: February 20, 1948 – December 24, 2025
A&R giant and longtime head of Reprise Records
