Musician deaths in 2023: These legends made history

Musician deaths 2023
These legends made history

In 2023 the music world has lost real superstars. In addition to jazz legend Tony Bennett (1926-2023), fans also had to say goodbye to the “Queen of Rock’n’Roll” Take Tina Turner (1939-2023). The following artists were among the most influential in their industry.

Tina Turner (November 26, 1939-May 24, 2023)

She was called the “Queen of Rock’n’Roll” – Tina Turner touched generations with her music. The distinctive raspberry voice, wild tousled mane and skin-tight leather minis were her trademarks. The rock and soul singer began her career in the late 1950s in the band of her future husband Ike Turner (1931-2007). The duo became known worldwide with hits such as “River Deep – Mountain High” (1966) and as the opening act for the Rolling Stones. After filing for divorce due to domestic violence, Tina Turner launched a solo career in 1978.

Her 1984 album “Private Dancer” contained the mega hit “What’s Love Got to Do With It” – her final breakthrough. She wrote music and film history with the title songs “We Don’t Need Another Hero” (1985) and “Goldeneye” (1995) for the films “Mad Max – Beyond the Thunderdome” and “James Bond 007: Goldeneye”. The style icon became one of the biggest female rock stars and sold around 200 million albums. In 2009, at the age of 69, Turner ended her stage career and emigrated to Switzerland in 2013 with her husband, the music manager Erwin Bach (67). After a long history of illness, she died of natural causes at the age of 83.

Tony Bennett (August 3, 1926-July 21, 2023)

Frank Sinatra (1915-1998) admired him: Tony Bennett was one of the most popular singers and entertainers of the 20th century in the USA. He was discovered by the comedian Bob Hope (1903-2003) during a performance by the singer Pearl Bailey (1918-1990), for whom he was the opening act. For the first time, the jazz singer landed in the top five of the Billboard 200 – the US charts – with the record “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” (1962), which also contains the hit of the same name. The song is one of the official anthems of the city of San Francisco. The musician with Italian roots has over 70 albums, several number one hits such as “Because of You” (1951) and “Rags to Riches” (1953), 19 Grammys and a star on the Walk of Fame.

In the meantime, Bennett struggled with drugs and alcohol, but managed to rebuild a scandal-free image. Through his collaboration with contemporary artists such as Amy Winehouse (1983-2011), Christina Aguilera (42) and Lady Gaga (37), he gained a broader and younger audience over time – with the latter he released two albums and maintained a close friendship. At the beginning of 2021, Bennett’s family made public that the singer had Alzheimer’s disease in 2016. In the years that followed, his illness continued to progress. The jazz legend died at the age of 96 in his hometown of New York.

Sinéad O’Connor (December 8, 1966-July 26, 2023)

Sinéad O’Connor became world famous in 1990 with her number one hit “Nothing Compares 2 U”, a cover version of a song by singer Prince (1958-2016). The Irishwoman made her first musical steps with street music in Dublin; Finally, a teacher helped her record her first demo. But it wasn’t until her second studio album “I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got” (1990) that the singer achieved her international breakthrough. With her music and especially as a private person, Sinéad O’Connor polarized throughout her career by taking a stand on political and social issues and publicly criticizing grievances.

The fight against abuse and oppression by the church was one of O’Connor’s life themes. She processed her own experiences, among other things, in the song “The Magdalene Song”, written shortly before her death. In 1992, she tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II on TV in front of the cameras, causing a scandal. Sinéad O’Connor advocated for LGBTQ+ rights and spoke openly about mental health issues. At the 1989 Grammy Awards, she made a statement with her “Mandinka” performance for the many rap artists who had long been ignored in the white Grammy world. The music icon died at the age of 56 for unknown reasons.

Sixto Rodríguez (July 10, 1942-August 8, 2023)

Sixto Díaz Rodríguez was famous, but didn’t know it for a long time. The singer-songwriter from Detroit earned his living after high school by performing in bars, where a record company noticed him. After his albums “Cold Fact” (1970) and “Coming from Reality” (1971) were not particularly successful in the USA, the company terminated his contract. He toured Australia for the first time in 1979, but then retired from the music world. The 2012 Oscar-winning documentary “Searching for Sugar Man” shows the search for the American-Mexican musician. In it he learns for the first time from two South Africans that he is better known in their country than Elvis Presley (1935-1977).

In the late 1970s, copies of Rodriguez’s albums became popular in apartheid-affected South Africa. Young people used the songs there as a protest, but thought the musician was dead. For them, Rodriguez was a star like Bob Dylan (82) or Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970). The “Sugar Man” singer’s record company at the time kept secret about his success. In 1997, Rodriguez traveled to South Africa for the first time and thanked the people there for “keeping him alive.” The singer died on August 8th for unknown reasons at the age of 81. At the beginning of the year, his website stated that he had suffered a stroke and needed surgery.

Jane Birkin (December 14, 1946-July 16, 2023)

The British-French singer and actress Jane Birkin became famous worldwide after a scandal hit. In 1976 she published the song “Je t’aime … moi non plus” with her then partner, the actor and composer Serge Gainsbourg (1928-1991). The duet was heavily criticized in conservative circles and was considered inappropriately erotic. Various radio stations boycotted the song, and the discussion even reached the Vatican. The criticism made the cult song even more popular, especially among the younger generation, so that it sold millions of copies across the globe.

Jane Birkin is not only known for her musical and acting career, but was also the muse and namesake for the world-famous Birkin bag from Hermès. The luxury fashion brand’s handbag, designed for her in 1984, is still an absolute status symbol among handbag lovers today. According to his own statements, the then Hermès boss Jean-Louis Dumas (1938-2010) spoke to Birkin in 1981 about her handbag, from which her things fell to the floor. He said: “You need one with an inside pocket.” The “Ballade de Melody Nelson” singer replied: “The day Hermès makes one, I’ll get it.” Jane Birkin died at her home in Paris on July 16 at the age of 76. In March, health problems became known after Birkin had to cancel some concerts. She announced in 2018 that she had leukemia. In 2021 she suffered a stroke and has been in need of care ever since.

Roger Whittaker (03/22/1936-09/13/2023)

He sang at the golden wedding anniversary of then US President George HW Bush (1924-2018): Roger Whittaker is one of the greatest pop legends in the world. The Brit, who was born in Kenya, initially worked as an amateur musician in Nairobi during his studies. He celebrated his first international success in 1969 with the song “Durham Town”. This was followed by hits such as “The Last Farewell” (1971), which was covered by Elvis Presley (1935-1977), and “Albany” (1981). Roger Whittaker published the latter song in English and German, as the pop star was particularly popular in Germany. From the late 1970s to the early 1990s he sang several songs in German, such as “Farewell is a sharp sword” (1984) or “Joana” (1991), and appeared in numerous music programs, including the ZDF Hit parade. Since the Brit initially didn’t speak German well, he recorded his songs using phonetic transcription.

The singer was known for his gentle baritone voice, but Whittaker also attracted attention as a piper. He also made a name for himself in the music world as one of the most talented whistlers with his whistled instrumental song “Mexican Whistler” (1967). According to media reports, the musician sold over 50 million records worldwide during his career and received over 250 recording awards. Whittaker made his last appearance in 2012, after which he withdrew from the public. The British pop star died on September 13th at the age of 87 in his adopted home of France. He previously had to be hospitalized due to a stroke.

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