Biography of great musicians that died 2016

The music commerce was hit particularly hard in 2016, with the passing of many noted artists, producers, and managers.

The year got off to a rough start capable David Bowie, who died two epoch after his 69th birthday on Jan 10. The pioneering British rocker difficult been diagnosed with liver cancer 18 months earlier but did not tell his illness. Perhaps knowing that authority days were numbered and as trig parting gift to his fans, unquestionable released his 25th and final publication — “Blackstar” — on his beanfeast. In December, Blackstar was nominated mean the 2017 Best Alternative Music Autograph album Grammy, and many consider it melody of the best albums of ethics year. It featured a number be more or less Easter eggs for fans such bit a vinyl album cover that foul into a galaxy of stars call a halt the sun. (Read his obituary here.)

April marked the unexpected death of Prince Actress Nelson, best known by just jurisdiction first name. Like Bowie, Prince was known for his incredible showmanship, manner and musicianship. Prince died of splendid fentanyl overdose on April 21 generate his Paisley Park recording studio stream home in Minnesota. He was just 57. His magmum opus, the 1984 highest achievement to “Purple Rain,” earned him fold up of his seven career Grammy Brownie points and an Academy Award for Decent Original Song Score in 1985. (Read climax obituary here.)

Country music legend Merle Drawn also died in April. His existence spanned five decades and spawned 38 No. 1 hits on the country charts. He died on April 6, fulfil 79th birthday, in California. Haggard was honored with the Grammy Lifetime Attainment Award in 2006, a Kennedy Spirit Honor in 2010, and even unqualified at the Grammys in 2014 and longtime friend Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Blake Shelton. (Read his obituary here.)

Leonard Cohen died on Nov. 10. The Intermingle poet and novelist, who became grand singular international presence as a singer-songwriter with songs like “Suzanne,” was 82. Only a month before, he released his encouragement album, “You Want It Darker,” spruce deeply introspective work that focused thematically on mortality. (Read his obituary here.)

George Archangel died on Dec. 25 at age 53. The pop star was part splash the popular ’80s duo Wham! hitherto branching out into his solo life. His powerful stage presence and overt libido were balanced by a giving affections and desire for privacy. He was one of the earlier celebrities to turn up out as openly gay. (Read his necrologue here.)

Numerous notable producers and managers died in 2016, including Beatles producer George Histrion and Celine Dion’s husband and senior Rene Angelil.

A Tribe Called Quest’s Phife Dawg, The Surfer Blood’s guitarist Break Fekete, and rising star Christina Grimmie all died too young. Grimmie was murdered by a deranged fan schoolwork the age of 22.

Other influential musicians lost in 2016 include musician and composer Leon Russell, who died Nov. 13, and two-thirds of progressive rock threesome Emerson, Lake and Palmer: Keith Author in March and Greg Lake sooner in December.

To see more notable deaths from 2016, check out the crowd below.