An alphabetical list of musicians and music industry figures who died in 2019.

• Ed Ackerson (Minneapolis indie-rocker, producer and studio owner)
• Theo Adam (German opera singer)
• Billy Adams (rockabilly singer)
• Pekka Airaksinen (Finnish electronic composer)
• Chris Albertson (Bessie Smith biographer)
• Mary Alexander (jazz preservationist)
• Andy Anderson (drummer, the Cure)
• John Anderson (British record dealer)
• Ruth Anderson (electronic composer)
• Jo-An Anderson Fox (Nashville manager and marketing executive)
• Stan Applebaum (composer/arranger)
• Dominick Argento (Pulitzer-winning opera composer)
• Bad Azz (Dogg Pound rapper)
• Paul Badura-Skoda (Austrian classical pianist)
• Ginger Baker (rock and jazz drummer extraordinaire)
• Dalton Baldwin (classical pianist)
• Scott Ballew (drummer, the Shazam)
• Bankroll Gambino (Philadelphia rapper; murdered)
• Hassan Bargathi (superfan who ran @OnlyHipHopFacts)
• Chuck Barksdale (soul singer, the Dells)
• Katreese Barnes (multi-instrumentalist, singer, composer, producer)
• Paul Barrere (Little Feat guitarist)
• Dave Bartholomew (New Orleans R&B producer/songwriter)
• Howard Begle (lawyer and royalty reform advocate)
• Mike Belkin Sr. (Cleveland concert promoter)
• Pedro Bell (Funkadelic album cover artist)
• Henri Belolo (producer & co-founder of the Village People)
• Alex Berdoff (music marketing executive)
• David Berman (singer/songwriter, Silver Jews, Purple Mountains)
• Martin Bernheimer (Pulitzer Prize-winning classical music critic, LA Times)
• Susan Beschta (Erasers singer/guitarist turned immigration judge)
• Ed Bickert (Canadian jazz guitarist)
• Vera Bila (Gypsy singer)
• Edwin Birdsong (funk/jazz keyboardist)
• Shane Bisnett (Ice Nine Kills bassist)
• Jake Black (Alabama 3 singer)
• Hal Blaine (legendary LA session drummer, the Wrecking Crew)
• Myron Bloom (French horn player, Cleveland Orchestra and Orchestre de Paris)
• Spencer Bohren (blues & folk guitarist)
• Dave Bookman (Canadian radio DJ)
• Murray Bowles (Bay Area punk-rock photographer)
• Jon Box (Canadian music business veteran)
• Tim Boyle (recording engineer and film scoring mixer)
• Harold Bradley (Nashville session guitarist)
• Carol Brightman (Grateful Dead biographer)
• Al Broomfield (R&B singer)
• Alex Brown (Gorilla Biscuits guitarist)
• Glen Brown (reggae singer & producer)
• Jobina Brown (Tee Grizzley’s manager; murdered)
• Glenn Bruden (New Jersey punk-rocker, Destroy All Bands)
• Richard Brunelle (metal guitarist, Morbid Angel)
• Clora Bryant (jazz trumpeter)
• Irving “Lord Burgess” Burgie (calypso singer/songwriter)
• X. Ray Burns (WFMU radio DJ)
• Busbee (country and pop producer/songwriter)
• Bushwick Bill (Geto Boys rapper)
• Bvlly (Toronto rapper; murdered)
• Anner Bylsma (Dutch cellist)
• Cadet (British rapper)
• David Cain (composer, BBC Radiophonic Workshop)
• Tony Calhoun (Texas blues singer and bassist)
• Deane Cameron (EMI Music Canada president)
• Jerry Carrigan (Nashville session drummer)
• David Carroll (Philadelphia club owner)
• Diahann Carroll (singer & actress)
• Larry Carroll (Slayer album cover designer)
• Cutty Cartel (Atlanta rapper, member of Jim Crow)
• Justin Carter (country singer)
• Frank Caruso (jazz pianist)
• Beth Carvalho (Brazilian singer-songwriter; “godmother of samba”)
• Neal Casal (rock and folk singer/songwriter and guitarist, Ryan Adams & the Cardinals, Circles Around the Sun, Chris Robinson Brotherhood)
• Jorge Casas (Gloria Estefan/Miami Sound Machine bassist and musical director)
• Steve Cash (Ozark Mountain Daredevils songwriter and harmonica player)
• Mary Ellen Cataneo (publicist, Columbia and Sony Music)
• Juliano Cezar (Brazilian singer/songwriter)
• George Chambers (Chambers Brothers singer/bassist)
• Carol Channing (Broadway musical icon)
• Martin Charnin (Broadway lyricist, “Annie”)
• Ed Cherney (Grammy winning engineer, Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton)
• Brian Chilala (Zambian bandleader)
• Chou Wen-Chung (Chinese composer and teacher)
• Johnny Clegg (South African singer and anti-apartheid activist)
• Stephen Cleobury (English choirmaster, King’s College)
• John Cohen (musicologist and founding member of the New Lost City Ramblers)
• Michael Colgrass (Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and percussionist)
• Marya Columbia (violinist who spent nine months performing for 9/11 responders)
• Earl Thomas Conley (country singer)
• Richard Conrad (opera singer)
• Bruce Corbitt (metal singer, Warbeast, Rigor Mortis)
• Ed Cray (Woody Guthrie biographer)
• Ann Crumb (singer and musical actress)
• Chauncey “Chick” Crumpacker (A&R exec/producer who brought Elvis Presley to RCA)
• Jim Cullum Jr. (jazz cornetist)
• Larry Cunningham (R&B singer, the Floaters)
• Sonny Curtis (pedal steel player, George Jones, Tammy Wynette)
• Steve Dalachinsky (poet and frequent collaborator with jazz musicians)
• Dick Dale (surf guitar master)
• LaShawn Daniels (pop songwriter)
• James Dapogny (jazz pianist & musicologist)
• Chuck Dauphin (country music journalist)
• Mario Davidovsky (electronic composer)
• Gideon Dawson (British rave promoter)
• Doris Day (singer and actor)
• Eva de la O (lyric soprano and champion of Hispanic composers)
• Jörg Demus (classical pianist)
• Bill Dern (manager & producer)
• Magenta Devine (British TV presenter and music publicist)
• Baby Jane Dexter (cabaret singer)
• Stephen Diener (president of ABC Records)
• Gabriel Diniz (Brazilian pop singer)
• Kenny Dixon (drummer in Kane Brown’s band)
• DJ Amar (Chicago house producer)
• DJ Arafat (Ivory Coast dance musician)
• DJ Kaos (hip-hop turntablist, the Artifacts)
• DJ Perplex (Israeli EDM DJ; murdered)
• Dr. John (the Night Tripper)
• Brian Doherty (Big Wreck guitarist)
• Stanley Donen (director of classic film musicals)
• Lorna Doom (Germs bassist)
• Daryl Dragon (the Captain and Tenille’s Captain)
• Tom Draper (label executive, RCA, Warner Bros.)
• Norman Druce (studio gear innovator)
• Gary Duncan (Quicksilver Messenger Service guitarist)
• Molly Duncan (Average White Band tenor saxophonist and founding member)
• Jim Dunlop Sr. (guitar effects pioneer)
• Phil Dürr (Detroit rock guitarist)
• Chartwell Dutiro (Zimbabwean mbira player, Thomas Mapfumo & the Blacks Unlimited)
• Melvin Edmonds (After 7 singer)
• Michiel Eikenaarn (black metal singer, Nihill, Dodecahedron)
• Stephan Ellis (Survivor bassist)
• Al Embry (Nashville manager and agent)
• Trevor Engelbrektson (Her’s tour manager; killed in van accident)
• Kim English (house vocalist)
• Ethel Ennis (Baltimore’s “First Lady of Jazz”)
• Preston Epps (percussionist, “Bongo Rock”)
• Roky Erickson (psych rock pioneer and zombie walker, the 13th Floor Elevators)
• Bob Esty (songwriter/producer/arranger, Donna Summer, Cher, Barbra Streisand)
• Clay Evans (gospel singer and Baptist minister)
• Dennis Farnon (record executive and co-founder of Recording Academy)
• Bibi Ferreira (Brazilian musical actor)
• Alvin Fielder (jazz drummer and founding member, Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians)
• Stephen Fitzpatrick (Her’s singer/guitarist; killed in van accident)
• Joe Flannery (Beatles booking manager)
• Keith Flint (Prodigy singer)
• Joseph Flummerfelt (choral conductor)
• Eric Fly (Texas punk mainstay)
• Dean Ford (Marmalade singer)
• Willie Ford (bass singer, the Dramatics)
• Hugh Fordin (producer of Broadway cast and vocal albums)
• Fred Foster (producer, Dolly Parton, Roy Orbison)
• Bob Frank (Memphis singer/songwriter)
• Jay Frank (music executive, author, digital visionary)
• Robert Frank (photographer and documentary filmmaker, “C***sucker Blues”)
• Kelly Fraser (Inuit singer/songwriter)
• Marie Fredriksson (Roxette singer)
• Janice Freeman (“The Voice” singer)
• Robert Freeman (Beatles photographer)
• Kevin Fret (Latin trap artist, murdered)
• Donnie Fritts (country and soul songwriter, longtime Kris Kristofferson keyboardist)
• Leyna Gabriele (soprano)
• Nature Ganganbaigal (founder and frontman of Mongolian metal band Tengger Cavalry)
• Joana Sainz Garcia (Spanish singer, dancer, choreographer)
• Russ Gibb (Detroit promoter and radio DJ)
• Ian Gibbons (Kinks keyboardist)
• Julie Gibson (singer and actor)
• Michael Gielen (German conductor)
• João Gilberto (bossa nova pioneer)
• Andy Gill (British rock critic)
• Richard Gillis (film singer/songwriter)
• Marcello Giordani (tenor)
• Henry “Gip” Gipson (blues singer and owner of Alabama juke joint Gip’s Place)
• Chris Girard (Detroit rock guitarist)
• Ira Gitler (jazz writer)
• Tony Glover (blues harmonica player, Koerner, Ray & Glover)
• Goo Hara (K-pop singer)
• Tom Goodkind (co-founder, the Washington Squares)
• Kadri Gopalnath (Indian saxophonist)
• Arnold Gosewich (Canadian label executive)
• Karel Gott (Czech singer, the “Sinatra of the East”)
• Rowland “Boon” Gould (Level 42 guitarist)
• Paul Grace (dance DJ, the Boomtang Boys)
• Lizzie Grey (metal guitarist, London)
• Don Grierson (A&R exec, signed Celine Dion)
• Skip Groff (punk producer & record-store owner)
• George “G.G.” Guidotti (metal bassist, Heaven’s Edge)
• Bonnie Guitar (country singer and label owner)
• Timi Hansen (Mercyful Fate bassist)
• Joe Hardy (rock producer/engineer)
• Heather Harper (soprano)
• Kent “Boogaloo” Harris (early rock and roll and R&B songwriter)
• Kylie Rae Harris (country singer)
• Greg Haymes (Blotto singer turned music journalist)
• Hella Sketchy (SoundCloud rapper)
• Hellabandz (Chicago rapper, murdered)
• James Henke (Rock Hall of Fame chief curator and Rolling Stone writer)
• Jerry Herman (Broadway composer/lyricist, “Hello, Dolly!,” “La Cage Aux Folles,” “Mame”)
• Omar Higgins (Memphis punk and reggae bassist and bandleader)
• Harry Hirsch (studio owner/engineer)
• Peter Hobbs (Australian metal pioneer, Hobbs Angel of Death)
• George Hocutt (distribution exec)
• Mark Hollis (Talk Talk frontman)
• Walter Homburger (managing director, Toronto Symphony)
• Robert Hunter (Grateful Dead lyricist)
• Peter Hurford (classical organist and composer)
• Nipsey Hussle (rapper; murdered)
• Roy Imber (Record World owner)
• Don Imus (infamous radio shock-jock and early VH1 VJ)
• James Ingram (R&B singer)
• Neil Innes (songwriter & comedian, the Rutles, Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, Monty Python)
• Bill Isles (founding member of the O’Jays)
• Michael Jaffee (co-founder, early-music group the Waverly Consort)
• Alan James (British concert promoter)
• Steve Jameson (World Domination Enterprises bassist)
• Mariss Jansons (conductor, Concertgebouw and Bavarian Radio Symphony)
• Joseph Jarman (avant-garde jazz saxophonist, Art Ensemble of Chicago)
• Kelly Jay (Crowbar singer/songwriter/keyboardist)
• Jason Jinx (New York DJ/producer)
• Jimmy Johnson (Muscle Shoals guitarist)
• Ben Johnston (microtonal composer)
• Daniel Johnston (singer-songwriter, outsider artist, genius)
• Connie Jones (New Orleans trumpeter/cornetist)
• José José (Mexican “Prince of Song”)
• Juice WRLD (emo rapper)
• Larry Junstrom (.38 Special and Lynyrd Skynyrd bassist)
• Vic Juris (jazz guitarist)
• Lewis Kahn (salsa trombonist/violinist)
• Giya Kancheli (contemporary classical composer)
• Mickey Kapp (producer noted for making mixtapes for Apollo astronauts)
• Anna Karina (actress, director, singer)
• Khaed (hip-hop producer, Members Only)
• Judson Kilpatrick (music critic)
• John Kilzer (Memphis singer/songwriter)
• Clydie King (legendary background singer)
• Bob Kingsley (country radio DJ)
• Gershon Kingsley (electronic music pioneer)
• Johnny Kitagawa (Japanese pop manager/producer)
• Jan Erik Kongshaug (recording engineer, ECM Records)
• Phillip Kovac (concert promoter and artist manager)
• Marta Kurtag (pianist, teacher and long-unacknowledged collaborator with her composer husband Gyorgy Kurtag)
• Audun Laading (Her’s bassist; killed in van accident)
• Sleepy LaBeef (rockabilly singer)
• Dave Laing (British music journalist)
• Eddie Lambert (record executive)
• Tim Landers (Cold Collective guitarist)
• Dominique Lawalrée (Belgian ambient composer)
• Jerry Lawson (Persuasions lead singer)
• Shelley Lazar (ticketing executive)
• Lawrence Leathers (jazz drummer; murdered)
• M. Owen Lee (Metropolitan Opera radio presenter)
• Michel Legrand (pianist and film composer)
• Gary LeMel (film music executive)
• Raymond Leppard (conductor)
• Yao Li (one of the “seven great singing stars of Shanghai” in the 1930s and ’40s)
• Kehinde Lijadu (Afrobeat singer, the Lijadu Sisters)
• Lil Mister (Chicago rapper; murdered)
• Roberto Livi (Argentine songwriter/producer)
• Paten Locke (hip-hop MC and DJ)
• Jo Sullivan Loesser (Broadway and cabaret singer)
• Roy Loney (Flamin’ Groovies singer)
• Damas “Fanfan” Louis (Haitian master drummer)
• Jacques Loussier (French pianist)
• Doug Lubahn (studio bassist for the Doors)
• Simaro Lutumba (Congolese guitarist, T.P.O.K. Jazz)
• Kenny Lynch (British singer/songwriter & actor)
• Harold Mabern (jazz pianist)
• Spiro Malas (opera singer, “The Most Happy Fella”)
• Ivo Malec (French composer/conductor)
• Kendra Malia (White Ring singer)
• John Mann (Spirit of the West frontman)
• Debi Martini (Red Aunts bassist/singer)
• Marilyn Mason (classical organist)
• Barrie Masters (lead singer, Eddie and the Hot Rods)
• Dorothy Masuka (South African singer/songwriter/activist)
• André Matos (Brazilian metal singer, Angra, Viper, Shaman)
• Peter Maturi (metal guitarist, Swarm of the Lotus, Graven)
• Phil McCormack (Molly Hatchet singer)
• Mike McGrath (founder of music tech forum Muff Wiggler)
• Christine McGuire (singer, the McGuire sisters)
• Truett Foster McKeehan (rapper and son of Christian music singer TobyMac)
• Clay McMurray (Motown songwriter/producer/engineer)
• Lee Mendelson (“Peanuts” TV producer and “Christmas Time Is Here” lyricist)
• Tiger Merritt (Morning Teleportation singer/guitarist)
• “Humble Harve” Miller (LA pop radio DJ who murdered his wife)
• Tony Mills (hard-rock/metal singer, TNT, Shy)
• Eddie Money (classic rock singer)
• Jackie Moore (R&B singer)
• Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi (Zimbabwean singer/guitarist)
• Todd “Todd-1” Muhammad (MTV and BET hip-hop presenter/producer)
• Ralph Murphy (country songwriter/producer)
• Nacho Nava (LA club promoter)
• Paco Navarro (NY radio DJ)
• Elijah Nelson (metal bassist, Black Breath)
• Art Neville (New Orleans institution; co-founder, the Meters and the Neville Brothers)
• J.H. Kwabena Nketia (African music scholar)
• Ken Nordine (“word jazz” artist)
• Jessye Norman (opera singer)
• Ron Oberman (A&R executive and publicist)
• Ric Ocasek (The Cars singer-songwriter and well-traveled rock producer)
• Ayub Ogada (Kenyan roots musician)
• Vaughan Oliver (4AD graphic designer)
• Terry O’Neill (British photographer)
• Jenny Pagliaro (Americana singer, Roses & Cigarettes)
• Rolando Panerai (Italian baritone)
• Velvel Pasternak (Hasidic music publisher and preserver)
• Jeanie Patterson (founder, the Sweetwater club in Mill Valley, Calif.)
• Alan R. Pearlman (founder, ARP Instruments)
• Olanrewaju Pelepele (Nigerian rapper)
• Paul J. Pelkonen (classical music critic/blogger)
• D.A. Pennebaker (documentary filmmaker)
• Vivian Perlis (musicologist, oral historian)
• Phase 2 (graffiti artist)
• Jake Phelps (Thrasher magazine editor)
• Jud Phillips (Memphis record executive and engineer)
• Jim Pike (lead singer, the Lettermen)
• Tony Pike (Ibiza hotelier)
• Sam Pilafian (tuba virtuoso)
• Celso Piña (Mexican cumbia artist, “rebel of the accordion”)
• Popa Wu (Wu-Tang Clan affiliate and mentor)
• André Previn (composer/conductor/pianist)
• Hal Prince (Broadway musical director/producer)
• Joe Quijano (salsa pioneer)
• Sid Ramin (film, TV and theater composer/arranger)
• Louie Rankin (dancehall artist and actor)
• Ranking Roger (English Beat singer/toaster)
• Ras G (LA hip-hop producer)
• Leon Rausch (country singer, Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys)
• Paul Raymond (UFO keyboardist/guitarist)
• Leon Redbone (ageless Vaudeville/Tin Pan Alley revivalist)
• Nancy B. Reich (Clara Schumann biographer)
• Jack Renner (audiophile recording pioneer, Telarc)
• Emil Richards (LA session percussionist)
• Joe Rigby (jazz saxophonist)
• Dave Riley (Big Black bassist)
• Steve Ripley (Tractors guitarist, guitar innovator)
• Jim Rissmiller (Southern California concert promoter)
• Fred Rister (EDM producer/DJ/songwriter)
• Elliot Roberts (rock manager, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell)
• Alan Rogan (guitar tech to the classic-rock stars)
• Sara Romweber (Let’s Active drummer)
• Aaron Rosand (classical violinist)
• Jay Rosenthal (entertainment lawyer)
• Christopher Rouse (Pulitzer Prize-winning composer)
• Judy Russell (dance music executive)
• Maxine Brown Russell (country singer, the Browns; member of Country Music Hall of Fame)
• Dave Samuels (jazz percussionist)
• Doug Sandom (drummer for the Who before Keith Moon)
• Ray Santos (Latin jazz and salsa saxophonist, composer, arranger)
• Peter Schreier (German tenor)
• Camilo Sesto (Spanish pop singer)
• Whitey Shafer (country songwriter)
• Jackie Shane (soul singer & transgender pioneer)
• Kim Shattuck (pop-punk singer/songwriter/guitarist, the Muffs)
• Jack Sheldon (jazz trumpeter and “Schoolhouse Rock!” singer)
• Earl Shuman (lyricist)
• Sali Sidibe (Malian singer)
• Jeff Silberman (music journalist)
• Robert Sillerman (founder, SFX Entertainment)
• Abbey Simon (classical pianist)
• Paul “Lil’ Buck” Sinegal (blues guitarist)
• John Singleton (film director)
• Andy Skopes (drum and bass producer)
• Adam Sky (Australian DJ)
• Bernard Slade (“Partridge Family” creator)
• Sleezy D (Chicago house vocalist)
• Andrew “Greedy” Smith (Mental as Anything frontman)
• Haley Smith (“American Idol” contestant)
• Joe Smith (longtime music exec who ran three labels: Warner Bros., Elektra and Capitol)
• Russell Smith (Amazing Rhythm Aces frontman)
• Shawn Smith (Seattle singer/songwriter for Brad and other bands)
• Jimmy Spicer (pioneering rapper)
• Jacqueline Steiner (folk singer, “Charlie on the MTA” lyricist)
• Gary Stewart (Rhino Records and Apple Music exec)
• John Starling (Seldom Scene guitarist)
• Gerry Stickells (classic-rock tour manager)
• Jah Stitch (reggae singer)
• Sulli (K-pop singer and actress)
• Stephen Swid (music publishing executive, SESAC, SBK)
• Jim Swindel (sales & marketing exec, Arista Records, Qwest Records)
• Sanford Sylvan (American baritone)
• Rosław Szaybo (Judas Priest logo & album cover designer)
• Norma Tanega (folk-rock singer/songwriter)
• Toko Tasi (reggae/hip-hop singer/songwriter; murdered)
• Larry Taylor (Canned Heat bassist)
• Tech 9 (Philadelphia battle rapper)
• Gerry Teekens (founder of Dutch jazz label Criss Cross Jazz)
• Phil Thomas (country songwriter)
• Adam Thorpe (Minneapolis DJ and promoter)
• Gerald “Buddie” Tiller (Dem Franchize Boyz rapper)
• Scott Timberg (music and arts journalist)
• Peter Tork (Monkees keyboardist/bassist)
• Bernie Tormé (Ozzy Osbourne guitarist)
• Nick Tosches (music journalist, biographer, novelist)
• Tre Da Kid (Maryland rapper; murdered)
• U Tin (Burmese slide guitarist)
• Tommy Udo (music journalist)
• Lauren Valencia (manager, Grimes, My Chemical Romance)
• Armando Vega-Gil (bassist for Mexican rock band Botellita de Jerez)
• Rita Vidaurri (ranchera singer)
• Rafael Viera (salsa promoter & owner of San Juan’s Viera Discos, “The Cathedral of Latin Music”)
• Vic Vogel (Canadian jazz pianist)
• Roland Von Kurnatowski (longtime owner of legendary New Orleans club Tipitina’s)
• Wake Self (New Mexico rapper)
• Mike Walker (Aranda drummer)
• Scott Walker (blue-eyed soul singer turned experimental composer)
• Larry Wallis (Motörhead and Pink Fairies guitarist)
• Rob Warmowski (Chicago rock musician and audio engineer)
• Dan Warner (Miami session guitarist and a staple in Latin music)
• Joshua Warren (Seattle rock bassist, Satisfact, FCS North)
• Maggie Lewis Warwick (country and rock singer/songwriter)
• Beverly Watkins (blues guitarist)
• Guy Webster (album cover photographer)
• Phil Western (Canadian electronic/industrial artist)
• Jaime Wexler (streaming mixtape pioneer)
• Paul Whaley (Blue Cheer drummer)
• David White (songwriter and founding member, Danny and the Juniors)
• Bob Wilber (jazz clarinetist/saxophonist)
• Andre Williams (Detroit R&B singer)
• John Gary Williams (R&B singer, the Mad Lads)
• Allee Willis (songwriter, Earth, Wind & Fire, “The Color Purple,” “Friends” theme)
• Larry Willis (jazz/funk/Latin/rock—and more—session pianist and bandleader)
• James Winn (classical flutist and biographer)
• Mac Wiseman (bluegrass great)
• Nicky Wonder (Wondermints and Brian Wilson guitarist)
• Darrell Woodson (Chicago house DJ)
• Wowaka (Japanese Vocaloid composer)
• Michael Wycoff (R&B singer)
• Sol Yaged (jazz clarinetist)
• Pegi Young (singer-songwriter, Bridge School co-founder)
• Izzy Young (godfather to New York’s ’50s and ’60s folk scene)
• Reggie Young (Memphis session guitarist for Elvis Presley, Dusty Springfield, a million others)
• Hilde Zadek (opera singer)
• Philippe Zdar (French house producer, Cassius)
• Ziggy (Nigerian rapper)