List of deaths in rock and roll (1980s)

The following is a list of notable performers of rock and roll music or rock music, and others directly associated with the music as producers, songwriters or in other closely related roles, who have died in the 1980s. The list gives their date, cause and location of death, and their age.

Rock music developed from the rock and roll music that emerged during the 1950s, and includes a diverse range of subgenres. The terms "rock and roll" and "rock" each have a variety of definitions, some narrow and some wider. In determining criteria for inclusion, this list uses as its basis reliable sources listing "rock deaths" or "deaths in rock and roll", as well as such sources as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Name	Age	Date	Location	Cause of death
Georgeanna Tillman The Marvelettes	35	January 6, 1980	Inkster, Michigan, US	Complications from sickle cell anemia and lupus
Larry Williams	44	January 7, 1980	Los Angeles, California, US	Suicide
Professor Longhair	61	January 23, 1980	New Orleans, Louisiana, US	Heart attack
Jimmy Durante	86	January 29, 1980	Santa Monica, California, US	Pneumonia
Edward Lewis Record producer for Decca Records	79	January 29, 1980	Chelsea, London, England	Cancer
Warren Smith	47	January 30, 1980		Heart attack
Bon Scott AC/DC	33	February 19, 1980	Dulwich, London, England	Alcohol poisoning[1]
Jacob Miller Inner Circle	27	March 23, 1980	Kingston, Jamaica	Traffic accident
John Poulos The Buckinghams	32	March 26, 1980	Chicago, Illinois, US	Heart failure
Ricky Lancelotti	35	April 7, 1980	U.S.
Anna Jantar	29	April 14, 1980	Warsaw, Poland	"Mikolaj Kopernik" plane crash[2]
Tommy Caldwell The Marshall Tucker Band	30	April 28, 1980	Spartanburg, South Carolina, U.S.	Traffic collision
Ian Curtis Joy Division	23	May 18, 1980	Macclesfield, England	Suicide by hanging[3]
Carl Radle Derek and the Dominos	37	May 30, 1980	Claremore, Oklahoma	Kidney infection
Malcolm Owen The Ruts	26	July 14, 1980	London, England	Drug overdose
Keith Godchaux The Grateful Dead	32	July 23, 1980	Marin County, California, US	Traffic accident
George Scott III	26	August 5, 1980	New York City, New York, US	Drug overdose
John Bonham Led Zeppelin	32	September 25, 1980	Windsor, England	Asphyxiation on vomit[4]
Pat Hare	49	September 26, 1980	St. Paul Minnesota, US	Lung cancer
Lincoln Chase	54	October 6, 1980	Metro Atlanta, US
Steve Peregrin Took T. Rex, Shagrat, Steve Took's Horns	31	October 27, 1980	Ladbroke Grove, London, England	Asphyxiation after inhaling a cocktail cherry[5]
O. V. Wright	41	November 16, 1980	Mobile, Alabama, US	Heart attack
Darby Crash Germs	22	December 7, 1980	Los Angeles, California, US	Suicide by intentional drug overdose
John Lennon The Beatles, Plastic Ono Band	40	December 8, 1980	New York City, New York, US	Murdered[6]
Tim Hardin	39	December 29, 1980	Los Angeles, California, US	Drug overdose
Robert Pete Williams	66	December 31, 1980	Rosedale, Louisiana, US
Felton Jarvis	46	January 3, 1981	Nashville, Tennessee, US	Stroke
Blind James Campbell	74	January 22, 1981	Nashville, Tennessee, US
Bill Haley Bill Haley & His Comets	55	February 9, 1981	Harlingen, Texas, US	Brain tumor or heart attack
Mike Bloomfield The Paul Butterfield Blues Band	37	February 15, 1981	San Francisco, California, US	Drug overdose
Little Hat Jones	81	March 7, 1981	Naples, Texas, US
Tampa Red	77	March 19, 1981	Chicago, Illinois, US
Bob Hite	38	April 6, 1981	Los Angeles, California, US	Heart attack[7]
Kit Lambert	45	April 7, 1981	Middlesex, England	Cerebral hemorrhage after fall down stairs[8]
Austin Pitre	63	April 8, 1981	Elton, Louisiana, US
Steve Currie T. Rex	33	April 28, 1981	Vale de Parra, Algarve, Portugal	Traffic accident
Bob Marley The Wailers	36	May 11, 1981	Miami, Florida, US	Acral lentiginous melanoma
Ernie Freeman	58	May 16, 1981	Los Angeles, California, US	Heart attack
Roy Brown	55	May 25, 1981	San Fernando, California, US	Heart attack
Mary Lou Williams	71	May 28, 1981	Atlanta, Georgia, US	Bladder cancer
Polka Dot Slim	54	June 22, 1981	Oakland, California, US	[9]
Chuck Wagon The Dickies	24	June 28, 1981	San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, California, US	Suicide
Rushton Moreve Steppenwolf	32	July 1, 1981	Los Angeles, California, US	Traffic accident
Hubert Johnson The Contours	40	July 11, 1981	Detroit, Michigan, US	Suicide
Harry Chapin	38	July 16, 1981	Jericho, New York, US	Traffic accident[10]
Guy Stevens Record producer and band manager from Hapshash and the Coloured Coat, Mott the Hoople, Procol Harum and The Clash	38	August 28, 1981	South London, England	Prescription drug overdose
Sandra Tilley The Velvelettes, Martha and the Vandellas	38	September 9, 1981	Las Vegas, Nevada, US	Complications from brain surgery
Furry Lewis	88	September 14, 1981	Memphis, Tennessee, US	Heart failure
Big Walter Horton	60	December 8, 1981	Chicago, Illinois, US	Heart failure
Pigmeat Markham	77	December 13, 1981	The Bronx, New York, US	Stroke
Tommy Tucker	48	January 22, 1982	Newark, New Jersey, US	Food poisoning[11]
Lightnin' Hopkins	69	January 30, 1982	Houston, Texas, US	Esophageal cancer
Alex Harvey Sensational Alex Harvey Band	46	February 4, 1982	Zeebrugge, Belgium	Heart attack[12]
John Belushi The Blues Brothers	33	March 5, 1982	Los Angeles, California, US	Drug overdose[13]
Randy Rhoads Quiet Riot	25	March 19, 1982	Leesburg, Florida, US	Plane accident
Floyd Smith	65	March 29, 1982	Indianapolis, Indiana, US
Lester Bangs music journalist	33	April 30, 1982	New York City, New York, US	Drug overdose
Neil Bogart Record producer for Kiss and music executive from Casablanca Records	39	May 8, 1982		Cancer
Rusty Day The Amboy Dukes	36	June 3, 1982	Longwood, Florida, US	Murder
Addie Harris The Shirelles	42	June 10, 1982	Atlanta, Georgia, US	Heart attack
Art Pepper	56	June 15, 1982	Los Angeles. California, US	Stroke
James Honeyman-Scott The Pretenders	25	June 16, 1982	London, England	Overdose of cocaine[14]
Jane Vasey Downchild Blues Band	32-33	July 6, 1982	Canada	Leukemia
Bill Justis	55	July 15, 1982	Nashville, Tennessee, US	Cancer
Nick Lucas	84	July 28, 1982	Colorado Springs, Colorado, US	Double pneumonia
Joe Tex	47	August 13, 1982	Navasota, Texas, US	Heart attack
Dave Torbert Kingfish, New Riders of the Purple Sage	34	December 7, 1982		Heart attack
Marty Robbins	57	December 8, 1982	Nashville, Tennessee, US	Heart attack
Lazy Bill Lucas	64	December 11, 1982	Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
Rebop Kwaku Baah Traffic, Can	38	January 12, 1983	Stockholm, Sweden	Cerebral hemorrhage
Lamar Williams The Allman Brothers Band	34	January 21, 1983		Lung cancer
Billy Fury	42	January 28, 1983	London, England	Heart attack[15]
Lorraine Ellison	51	January 31, 1983		Ovarian cancer
Sam Chatmon	86	February 2, 1983	Hollandale, Mississippi, US
Karen Carpenter The Carpenters	32	February 4, 1983	Downey, California, US	Heart attack due to anorexia[16]
Dig Richards	42	February 17, 1983	Sydney, Australia	Pancreatic cancer[17]
Danny Rapp Danny & The Juniors	41	April 5, 1983	Parker, Arizona, US	Suicide
Pete Farndon The Pretenders	30	April 14, 1983	London, England	Drowning after drug overdose
Felix Pappalardi Mountain	43	April 17, 1983	New York City, New York, US	Shot by his wife Gail Collins Pappalardi
Earl Hines	79	April 22, 1983	Oakland, California, US	Heart attack
Muddy Waters	70	April 30, 1983	Westmont, Illinois, US	Heart attack
Stan Rogers	33	June 2, 1983	Hebron, Kentucky, US	Asphyxiation of smoke on airplane
J. B. Hutto	57	June 12, 1983	Harvey, Illinois, US	Cancer
Walter Jackson	45	June 20, 1983	Chicago, Illinois, US	Cerebral hemorrhage
Larry Darnell	54	July 3, 1983	Columbus, Ohio, US	Lung cancer
Chris Wood Traffic	39	July 12, 1983	Birmingham, England	Pneumonia
Frank Fenter Record producer and music industry executive of Atlantic Records and Capricorn Records	47	July 21, 1983	Macon, Georgia, US
Jimmy Liggins	64	July 21, 1983	Durham, North Carolina, US
Wild Bill Moore	65	August 1, 1983	Los Angeles, California, US
James Jamerson The Funk Brothers	47	August 2, 1983	Los Angeles, California, US	Complications of cirrhosis, heart failure and pneumonia
Klaus Nomi	39	August 6, 1983	New York City, New York, US	Complications due to AIDS
Willie Bobo	49	September 15, 1983		Cancer
George "Harmonica" Smith	59	October 2, 1983	Los Angeles, California, US
Hugh Mundell	21	October 14, 1983	Kingston, Jamaica	Murder by gunshot
James Booker	43	November 8, 1983	New Orleans, Louisiana, US
John Grimaldi Argent, Flux, Cheap Flights	28	November 15, 1983	US
Tom Evans Badfinger	36	November 19, 1983	London, England	Suicide by hanging[18]
Jimmy Nolen	49	December 18, 1983	Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Dennis Wilson The Beach Boys	39	December 28, 1983	Marina del Rey, California, US	Accidental drowning
Alexis Korner	55	January 1, 1984	Westminster, London	Cancer
Jackie Wilson Billy Ward and his Dominoes	49	January 21, 1984	Mount Holly, New Jersey, US	Complications of pneumonia
Paul Gardiner Tubeway Army	25	February 4, 1984	Northolt, Middlesex, England	Drug overdose
Ethel Merman	76	February 15, 1984	Manhattan, New York City, New York, US	Natural causes
Tom Jans	36	March 25, 1984	Los Angeles. California, US	Drug overdose
Marvin Gaye	44	April 1, 1984	Los Angeles, California, US	Gunshot
Ral Donner	41	April 6, 1984	Chicago, Illinois, US	Lung cancer
Red Garland	60	April 23, 1984	Dallas, Texas, US	Heart attack
Count Basie	79	April 26, 1984	Hollywood, Florida, US	Pancreatic cancer
Z. Z. Hill	48	April 27, 1984	Dallas, Texas, US	Heart attack
Moses "Whispering" Smith	52	April 28, 1984	Baton Rouge, Louisiana, US
Nate Nelson The Flamingos	52	June 1, 1984	Boston, Massachusetts, US	Heart attack
Meredith Willson	82	June 15, 1984	Santa Monica, California, US	Heart failure
Harmonica Slim	49	June 16, 1984	Texarkana, Texas, US
Guy McDonough	28	June 26, 1984	Melbourne, Australia	Pneumonia
Big Mama Thornton	57	July 25, 1984	Los Angeles, California, US	Heart attack
Esther Phillips	48	August 7, 1984	Carson, California, US	Drug overdose
Percy Mayfield	63	August 11, 1984	Los Angeles, California, US	Heart attack
Lenny Breau	43	August 12, 1984	Los Angeles, California, US	Murder by strangulation
Hammie Nixon	76	August 17, 1984	Jackson, Tennessee, US
Titus Turner	51	September 13, 1984	Atlanta, Georgia, US
Shelly Manne	64	September 26, 1984	Los Angeles, California, US	Heart attack
Geater Davis	42	September 29, 1984	Dallas, Texas, US	Heart attack
Teddy Reig Record producer, record company executive and co-founded of Roost Records	58	September 29, 1984	Teaneck, New Jersey, US
Steve Goodman	36	September 30, 1984	Seattle, Washington, US	Leukemia
Keith Hudson	38	November 14, 1984	New York, US
Razzle Hanoi Rocks	24	December 8, 1984	Redondo Beach, California, US	Traffic accident
Mal Spooner Demon	39	December 10, 1984	Leek, UK	Pneumonia[19]
Eddie "Bongo" Brown The Funk Brothers	52	December 28, 1984	Los Angeles, California, US	Heart ailment
Georgie Stoll Musical director from Metro-Goldwyn Mayer	79	January 18, 1985
Kenny Clarke	71	January 26, 1985	Montreuil, France
David Byron Uriah Heep	38	February 28, 1985	Reading, Berkshire, England	Alcohol-related complications
Robert Blackwell Record producer and arranger	66	March 9, 1985	Hacienda Heights, Whittier, California, US	Pneumonia
Bob Shad Record producer for Big Brother and the Holding Company	65	March 13, 1985	Beverly Hills, California, US
Willie Mabon	59	April 19, 1985	Paris, France
Johnny Fuller	56	May 20, 1985	Oakland, California, US	Lung cancer
Lloyd Green	75	May 23, 1985	Los Angeles, California, U.S.	Myocardial infarction
Pee Wee Crayton	70	June 25, 1985	Los Angeles, California, US	Heart attack
Wynn Stewart	51	July 17, 1985	Hendersonville, Tennessee, US	Heart attack
Kay Kyser	80	July 31, 1985	Chapel Hill, North Carolina, US	Heart attack
Kyu Sakamoto	43	August 12, 1985	Mount Osutaka, Ueno, Gunma Prefecture, Japan	Plane accident
Jimmy Stokely Exile	41	August 13, 1985	US
Philly Joe Jones	62	August 30, 1985	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US	Heart attack
Jo Jones	73	September 3, 1985	New York City, New York, US	Pneumonia
Little Brother Montgomery	79	September 6, 1985	Chicago, Illinois, US
Blind John Davis	71	October 12, 1985	Chicago, Illinois, US
Ricky Wilson The B-52's	32	October 12, 1985	New York City, New York, US	Complications due to AIDS
Big Joe Turner	74	November 24, 1985	Inglewood, California, US	Heart attack
Ian Stewart The Rolling Stones	47	December 12, 1985	London, England	Heart attack
Curley Moore	42	December 14, 1985	Algiers, Louisiana, US
D. Boon The Minutemen	27	December 22, 1985	Tucson, Arizona, US	Traffic accident
Gus Jenkins	54	December 22, 1985	Los Angeles, California, US
Tommy Blake	54	December 24, 1985
Andy Chapin The Association	34	December 31, 1985	De Kalb, Texas, US	Plane accident
Ricky Nelson	45	December 31, 1985	De Kalb, Texas, US	Plane accident
Phil Lynott Thin Lizzy	36	January 4, 1986	Salisbury, Wiltshire, England	Heart failure and pneumonia caused by alcohol and drug use[20]
Joe Farrell Return to Forever	48	January 10, 1986	Los Angeles, California, US	Myelodysplastic syndrome
Albert Grossman	59	January 25, 1986	US	Heart attack
John R. American disc jockey and record producer	75	February 15, 1986	Nashville, Tennessee, US
Robbie Basho	45	February 28, 1986		Stroke
Richard Manuel The Band	42	March 4, 1986	Winter Park, Florida, US	Suicide by hanging
Sonny Terry	74	March 11, 1986	Mineola, New York, US	Natural causes
Mark Dinning	52	March 22, 1986	Jefferson City, Missouri, US	Heart attack
O'Kelly Isley, Jr. The Isley Brothers	48	March 31, 1986	Alpine, New Jersey, US	Heart attack
Dorothy Ashby	53	April 13, 1986	Santa Monica, California, US	Cancer
Hank Mobley	55	May 30, 1986	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US	Pneumonia
Benny Goodman	77	June 13, 1986	New York, New York, US	Leukemia
Clarence Garlow	75	July 24, 1986	Beaumont, Texas, US
William B. Williams American disc jockey	62	August 3, 1986	New York City, New York, US	Acute anemia and respiratory failure
Thad Jones	63	August 20, 1986	Copenhagen, Denmark	Cancer
Cliff Burton Metallica	24	September 27, 1986	Ljungby Municipality, Sweden	Traffic accident
Moses Asch	80	October 19, 1986	New York City, New York, US
Esquerita	50	October 23, 1986	Harlem, New York, US	HIV/AIDS
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis	64	November 3, 1986	Culver City, California, US	Cancer
Bobby Nunn The Coasters	63	November 5, 1986	Los Angeles, California, US	Heart failure
Tracy Pew	28	November 7, 1986	Melbourne, Victoria, Australia	Brain hemorrhage
Bea Booze	74	November 11, 1986	Scottsville, New York, US
Scatman Crothers	76	November 22, 1986	Van Nuys, California, US	Pneumonia and lung cancer
Lee Dorsey	61	December 1, 1986	New Orleans, Louisiana, US	Emphysema
Hollywood Fats Canned Heat, The Blasters	32	December 8, 1986	Los Angeles, California, US	Drug overdose
Kate Wolf	44	December 10, 1986	San Francisco, California, US	Leukemia
Handsome Ned	29	January 10, 1987	Toronto, Ontario, US	Accidentally drug overdose
Rauli Somerjoki	39	January 14, 1987	Helsinki, Finland	Alcohol-related ailments
Alfred Lion Record executive and co-founder of Blue Note Records	78	February 2, 1987	San Diego, California, US
Liberace	67	February 4, 1987	Palm Springs, California, US	HIV/AIDS
Tony Destra Cinderella, Britny Fox	32	February 8, 1987	Pennsylvania, US	Car Accident
Jimmy Holiday	52	February 15, 1987	Iowa City, Iowa, US	Congestive heart failure
Jim Connors Radio personality and disc jockey	46	February 24, 1987	I-95, Virginia, US	Car crash
Norman Harris MFSB	39	March 14, 1987	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US	Cardiovascular disease
Tony Stratton-Smith Record producer and manager from The Nice, Van der Graaf Generator, Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and co-founder of Charisma Records	53	March 19, 1987	London, England	Stomach cancer
Dino Martin Dino, Desi & Billy	35	March 21, 1987	San Gorgonio Mountain, California, US	Military aircraft crash
Buddy Rich	69	April 2, 1987	Los Angeles, California, US	Brain tumor
Maxine Sullivan	75	April 7, 1987	New York City, New York, US
Carlton Barrett The Wailers	36	April 17, 1987	Kingston, Jamaica, US	Murder by gunshot
Irving Ashby	66	April 22, 1987	Perris, California, US
Paul Butterfield The Paul Butterfield Blues Band	44	May 4, 1987	North Hollywood, California, US	Heart attack
Allen Jones Record producer for The Bar-Kays	46	May 5, 1987		Heart attack
Victor Feldman	53	May 12, 1987	Woodland Hills, California, US	Heart attack
Gary Driscoll Rainbow	41	June 8, 1987	Ithaca, New York, US	Murdered
Kid Thomas Valentine	91	June 18, 1987
Fred Astaire	88	June 22, 1987	Los Angeles, California, US	Pneumonia
Elizabeth Cotten	94	June 29, 1987	Syracuse, New York, US
Snakefinger The Residents	38	July 1, 1987	Linz, Austria	Heart attack
John Hammond Record producer for Columbia Records	76	July 10, 1987		Stroke
Pete King After the Fire, BAP, The Flys	28	July 15, 1987	US	Testicular cancer
Howard McGhee	69	July 17, 1987	New York City, US
Alex Sadkin Record producer for Arcadia, Simply Red, Thompson Twins, Boom Crash Opera and Duran Duran	38	July 25, 1987		Traffic accident
Joe Liggins	71	July 31, 1987	Lynwood, California, US	Stroke
David A. Martin Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs	50	August 2, 1987	US	Heart attack
Scott La Rock Boogie Down Productions	25	August 27, 1987	New York City, New York, US	Gunshot
Peter Tosh The Wailers	42	September 11, 1987	Kingston, Jamaica	Murder by gunshot
Jaco Pastorius Weather Report	35	September 21, 1987	Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US	Brain hemorrhage following beating[21]
Ted Taylor The Cadets	53	October 2, 1987	Lake Charles, Louisiana, US	Traffic accident
Woody Herman	74	October 29, 1987	West Hollywood, California, US	Pneumonia
Luke "Long Gone" Miles	62	November 22, 1987	Los Angeles, California, US
Little Willy Foster	65	November 25, 1987		Cancer
Slam Stewart Slim & Slam	73	December 10, 1987	Binghamton, New York, US
Conny Plank Record producer and also known as Moebius & Plank	47	December 18, 1987	Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany	Cancer
John Spence No Doubt	18	December 21, 1987	Anaheim, California, US	Suicide
Gene "Bowlegs" Miller	54	December 25, 1987	Memphis, Tennessee, US
Nat Tarnopol Record producer for Brunswick Records	56	December 25, 1987		Heart failure
John Dopyera	94	January 3, 1988	Grants Pass, Oregon, US
Joe Albany	63	January 12, 1988	New York City, New York, US	Respiratory failure
René Hall	75	February 11, 1988	Los Angeles, California, US	Heart disease
John Curulewski Styx	37	February 13, 1988	Chicago, Illinois, US	Brain aneurysm
Alexander Bashlachev	27	February 17, 1988	Leningrad, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union	Fall from the window (most likely suicide)
Memphis Slim	72	February 24, 1988	Paris, France	Kidney failure
Divine	42	March 7, 1988	Los Angeles, California, US	Heart enlargement after years of obesity
Andy Gibb Younger brother of the Bee Gees	30	March 10, 1988	Oxford, England	Myocarditis worsened by drug addiction
Moody Jones	79	March 23, 1988	Chicago, Illinois, US
Dave Prater Sam & Dave	50	April 9, 1988	Sycamore, Georgia, US	Traffic accident
Brook Benton	56	April 9, 1988	Queens, New York City, US	Meningitis
Pony Poindexter	62	April 14, 1988	Oakland, California, US
Carolyn Franklin	43	April 25, 1988	Bloomfield, Michigan, US	Breast cancer
B. W. Stevenson	38	April 28, 1988	USA	Heart valve surgery complications
Claude Demetrius	71	May 1, 1988	New York City, New York, US
Howie Johnson The Ventures	49-50	Mat 5, 1988		Cancer
Chet Baker	58	May 13, 1988	Amsterdam, Netherlands	Accident
Gil Evans	75	May 20, 1988	Cuernavaca, Mexico	Peritonitis
Ted Dunbar	51	May 29, 1988	New Brunswick, New Jersey, US	Stroke
Dick Jacobs Record producer from Decca Records, Brunswick Records	70	May 30, 1988	New York City, New York, US
Jesse Ed Davis	43	June 22, 1988	Venice, Los Angeles, California, US	Drug overdose
Hillel Slovak Red Hot Chili Peppers	26	June 25, 1988	Los Angeles, California, US	Drug overdose
Jimmy Soul	45	June 25, 1988	Spring Valley, New York, US	Heart attack
Nico	49	July 18, 1988	Ibiza, Spain	Cerebral haemorrhage after fall from bicycle[22]
Priscilla Bowman	60	July 24, 1988	Kansas City, Missouri, US	Lung cancer
Fred Below The Aces	61	August 13, 1988	Chicago, Illinois, US	Cancer
Robert Calvert Hawkwind	43	August 14, 1988	Ramsgate, England	Heart attack
Roy Buchanan	48	August 14, 1988	Fairfax County, Virginia, US	Suicide by hanging
Tim Davis The Steve Miller Band	44	September 20, 1988		Complications related to diabetes
J. C. Heard	71	September 27, 1988	Royal Oak, Michigan, US
Cliff Gallup Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps	58	October 9, 1988	Norfolk, Virginia, US	Heart attack
Son House	86	October 19, 1988	Detroit, Michigan, US	Laryngeal cancer
Johnnie Louise Richardson Johnnie & Joe	53	October 25, 1988	New York City, New Yoprk, US	Stroke
Black Randy Black Randy and the Metrosquad	36	November 11, 1988	Los Angeles, California, US	HIV/AIDS[23]
Roy Orbison Traveling Wilburys	52	December 6, 1988	Hendersonville, Tennessee, US	Heart attack
Sylvester	41	December 16, 1988	San Francisco, California, US	AIDS
Paul Jeffreys Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel	36	December 21, 1988	Lockerbie, Scotland	Pan Am Flight 103 bombing and subsequent crash
Whistlin' Alex Moore	89	January 20, 1989	Dallas, Texas, US	Heart attack
Donnie Elbert	52	January 26, 1989	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US	Stroke
Alvin "Bobby" Baylor The Solitaires, The Mello-Moods	53	January 27, 1989		Pneumonia
Blaze Foley	39	February 1, 1989	Austin, Texas, US	Gunshot
Kenneth C. "Jethro" Burns Homer and Jethro	68	February 4, 1989	Evanston, Illinois, US	Prostate cancer
Joe Raposo Television writer and lyrics from Sesame Street	51	February 5, 1989	Bronxville, New York, US	Lymphoma
King Tubby	48	February 6, 1989	Kingston, Jamaica	Gunshot
Hip Linkchain	52	February 13, 1989	Chicago, Illinois, US	Cancer
Vincent Crane The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Dexys Midnight Runners	45	February 14, 1989	Westminster, London, England	Drug overdose
Odie Payne	62	March 1, 1989	Chicago, Illinois, US
Marek Blizinski	41	March 17, 1989	Warsaw, Poland
Ray Agee	68	April 15, 1989	Los Angeles, California, US
Dmitry Selivanov	25	April 22, 1989	Novosibirsk, Russia	Suicide
Ron Wilson The Surfaris	44	May 7, 1989	Placer County, California, US	Brain aneurysm
Good Rockin' Charles	56	May 17, 1989	Chicago, Illinois, US
John Cipollina Quicksilver Messenger Service	45	May 29, 1989	San Francisco, California, US	Emphysema
Vivian Carter Record producer, company executive and co-founded of Vee Jay Records	68	June 12, 1989		Hypertension, diabetes and stroke
Pete de Freitas Echo & the Bunnymen	27	June 14, 1989	London, England	Traffic accident
Vic Maile	45	July 11, 1989		Cancer
Nesuhi Ertegun Record producer, record executive of Atlantic Records and Warner Music Group	71	July 15, 1989	New York City, US	Complications of cancer surgery
Bull Moose Jackson	70	July 31, 1989	Cleveland, Ohio, US	Lung cancer
Larry Parnes	59	August 4, 1989	London, England	Meningitis
Sonny Thompson	65	August 11, 1989	Chicago, Illinois, US
Mickey Hawks	49	August 31, 1989	North Carolina, US
Tim Hovey New Riders of the Purple Sage	43	September 9, 1989	Watsonville, California, US	Drug overdose
Pérez Prado	72	September 14, 1989	Mexico City, Mexico	Stroke
Gene Nobles American disc jockey	76	September 21, 1989	Nashville, Tennessee, US
Cousin Joe	81	October 2, 1989	New Orleans, Louisiana, US	Natural causes
Alan Murphy Go West, Level 42	35	October 19, 1989		HIV/AIDS
Ewan MacColl	74	October 22, 1989	Brompton, London, England	Complications following heart surgery
Dickie Goodman Record producer	55	November 8, 1989	North Carolina, US	Suicide
Freddie Waits	49	November 18, 1989	New York City, New York, US	Kidney failure
Billy Lyall Bay City Rollers, Pilot	36	December 1, 1989		AIDS
Floyd Jones	72	December 19, 1989	Chicago, Illinois, US	[24]

See also

• List of deaths in rock and roll (1950s)
• List of deaths in rock and roll (1960s)
• List of deaths in rock and roll (1970s)
• List of deaths in rock and roll (1990s)
• List of deaths in rock and roll (2000s)
• List of deaths in rock and roll (2010s)
• List of deaths in rock and roll (2020s)

References

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3. Topping, Alexandra (17 May 2010). "Joy Division walking tour to bring fans closer to unknown pleasures". Theguardian.com. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
4. "The 10 Wildest Led Zeppelin Legends". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
5. "Steve Peregrin Took: Choked on a Cocktail Cherry". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
6. "1980: John Lennon shot dead". News.bbc.co.uk. 8 December 1980. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
7. Kulczyk, David (2009). Death In California – The Bizarre, Freakish, and Just Curious Ways People Die in the Golden State. Craven Street Books. p. 128. ISBN 978-1-884995-57-6.
8. Geoffrey Giuliano (2002). Behind Blue Eyes: The Life of Pete Townshend. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 303–. ISBN 978-0-8154-1070-6.
10. "The Day That Harry Chapin Died". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
11. "Robert Higginbotham, Singer Of Blues and Jazz, Dead at 48". The New York Times. January 25, 1982. Retrieved 2012-08-20.
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