Gone But Not Forgotten: Musicians We Lost in 2023
Music
Billboard remembers the artists who left us this year.
Tina Turner performs onstage at the Poplar Creek Music Theater, Hoffman Estates in Illinois on Sept. 12, 1987.
Paul Natkin/Getty Images
It’s always a big loss when the world loses a talented artist, and unfortunately, 2023 kicked off with several notable deaths in music. It began with Gangsta Boo, the pioneering Southern female rapper formerly of hip-hop group Three 6 Mafia, who was found dead on New Year’s Day at age 43.
The next day, Alan Rankine of post-punk New Wave act The Associates, who also produced the Cocteau Twins and pursued his own solo music, died at age 64. Since then, we’ve also lost rock guitar legend Jeff Beck — who died at age 78 on Jan. 10 — and singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Presley, who suffered cardiac arrest and died on Jan. 12 at age 54.
While their loved ones and fans around the globe mourn the loss of these artists, they will not be forgotten. Here, Billboard remembers the musicians who left us in 2023.
Astrud Gilberto
Image Credit: PoPsie Randolph/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
(March 29, 1940 – June 5, 2023)
Kaija Saariaho
Image Credit: Raphael Gaillarde/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
(Oct. 14, 1952 – June 2, 2023)
Cynthia Weil
Image Credit: Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage
(Oct. 18, 1940 – June 1, 2023)
Pacho El Antifeka
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo
(June 1, 2023)
Joy McKean
Image Credit: Photo credit: David Parker
(Jan. 14, 1940 – May 25, 2023)
Bill Lee (right)
Image Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage
(May 24, 2023)
Ed Ames
Image Credit: Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic
(July 9, 1927 – May 21, 2023)
Tina Turner
Image Credit: Paul Natkin/Getty Images
(Nov. 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023)
Pete Brown
Image Credit: Howard Denner/Avalon/Getty Images
(Dec. 25-1940 – May 20, 2023)
Andy Rourke (right)
Image Credit: Ross Marino/Getty Images
(Jan. 17, 1964 – May 19, 2023)
Rita Lee
Image Credit: Rui M. Leal/Getty Images
(Dec. 31, 1947 – May 8, 2023)
Young Lo
Image Credit: Screenshot
(May 7, 2023)
Grace Bumbry
Image Credit: Jack Mitchell/Getty Images
(Jan. 4, 1937 – May 7, 2023)
Rob Laakso
Image Credit: Scott Legato/Getty Images
(1979 – May 4, 2023)
Linda Lewis
Image Credit: Easy Action Records
(Sept. 27, 1950 – May 3, 2023)
Gordon Lightfoot
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Image
(Nov. 17, 1938 – May 1, 2023)
Tim Bachman
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
(Aug. 1, 1951 – April 28, 2023)
MoneySign Suede
Image Credit: Screenshot
(April 25, 2023)
Harry Belafonte
Image Credit: Pictorial Parade/Archive Photos/GI
(March 1, 1927 – April 25, 2023)
Otis Redding III
Image Credit: Chris McKay/GI
(Dec. 17, 1963 – April 18, 2023)
Moon Bin
Image Credit: FANTAGIO
(April 19, 2023)
Ahmad Jamal
Image Credit: CBS Photo Archive/GI
(July 2, 1930 – April 16, 2023)
Mark Sheehan
Image Credit: Kieran Frost/Redferns via Getty Images
(Oct. 29, 1976 – April 14, 2023)
Lasse Wellander
Image Credit: Gus Stewart/Redferns
(1952 – April 7, 2023)
Ian Bairnson
Image Credit: Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
(April 7, 2023)
Edward “Kidd” Jordan
Image Credit: Erika Goldring/WireImage
(1935 – April 7, 2023)
Paul Cattermole
Image Credit: Dave J. Hogan/GI For XIX Management
(March 7, 1977 – April 6, 2023)
Vivian Trimble (right)
Image Credit: Getty Images
(May 24, 1963 – April 4, 2023)
Brian Gillis
Image Credit: Nuts-Heinacker/ullstein bild via Getty Images
(March 29, 2023)
Ryuichi Sakamoto
Image Credit: Joel Saget/AFP via GI
(1952 – March 28, 2023)
Keith Reid
Image Credit: Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns
(Oct. 19, 1946 – March 23, 2023)
Tom Leadon
Image Credit: Harmony Gerber/WireImage
(Sept. 16, 1952 – March 22, 2023)
Wayne Swinny
Image Credit: Scott Legato/GI
(Oct. 31, 1963 – March 22, 2023)
Clarence “Fuzzy” Haskins (center)
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
(June 8, 1941 – March 17, 2023)
Bobby Caldwell
Image Credit: C Flanigan/WireImage
(April 15, 1951 – March 14, 2023)
Paul Beasley
Image Credit: Michael Weintraub
(Dec. 11, 1944 – March 13, 2023)
Jim Gordon
Image Credit: Jim McCrary/Redferns
(July 14, 1945 – March 13, 2023)
Costa Titch
Image Credit: Oupa Bopape/Gallo Images via Getty Images
(1995 – March 11, 2023)
Chaim Topol
Image Credit: Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/GI
(Sept. 9, 1935 – March 9, 2023)
Gary Rossington (right)
Image Credit: Denise Truscello/Getty Images
(Dec. 4, 1951 – March 5, 2023)
Michael Rhodes
Image Credit: Daniel Knighton/Getty Images
(1953 – March 4, 2023)
David Lindley
Image Credit: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images
(March 21, 1944 – March 3, 2023)
Wayne Shorter
Image Credit: Keith Tsuji/GI for Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz
(August 25, 1933 – March 2, 2023)
Steve Mackey
Image Credit: Shirlaine Forrest/GI
(1966 – March 2, 2023)
Tom Whitlock
Image Credit: Ron Galella Collection via GI
(Feb. 20, 1954 – Feb. 18, 2023)
Kyle Jacobs
Image Credit: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for CMT
(Feb. 17, 2023)
Gerald Fried
Image Credit: Amy Graves/WireImage
(Feb. 13, 1928 – Feb. 17, 2023)
Chuck Jackson
Image Credit: Ray Tamarra/GI
(July 22, 1937 – Feb. 16, 2023)
Huey “Piano” Smith
Image Credit: Jack Vartoogian/Getty Images
(Jan. 26, 1934 – Feb. 13, 2023)
Dave Jolicoeur
Image Credit: Matthew Eisman/Getty Images
(1968 – 2023)
Burt Bacharach
Image Credit: Herb Ball/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via GI
(May 12, 1928 – Feb. 9, 2023)
Barrett Strong
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
(Feb. 5, 1941 – Jan. 29, 2023)
Tom Verlaine
Image Credit: Darren Eagles/Getty Images
(Dec. 13, 1949 – Jan. 28, 2023)
David Crosby
Image Credit: Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns
(Aug. 14, 1941 – Jan. 19, 2023)
Van Conner (right)
Image Credit: Gie Knaeps/GI
(March 17, 1967 – Jan. 17, 2023)
C.J. Harris
Image Credit: FOX via Getty Images
(Jan. 28, 1991 – Jan. 15, 2023)
Lisa Marie Presley
Image Credit: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
(Feb. 1, 1968 – Jan. 12, 2023)
Robbie Bachman
Image Credit: Fin Costello/Redferns
(January 2023)
Jeff Beck
Image Credit: Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/GI
(June 24, 1944 – Jan. 10, 2023)
Gordy Harmon of The Whispers
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
(1943 – Jan. 5, 2023)
Alan Rankine
Image Credit: David Corio/Redferns
(May 17, 1958 – Jan. 2, 2023)
Gangsta Boo
Image Credit: Lee Shaner
(Aug. 7, 1979 – Jan. 1, 2023)
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