31 Musicians That Died In 2023

Wayne Swinny

1963 – 2023

Wayne Swinny was one of the founders and guitarists of the Memphis rock band Saliva (with heavy nu-metal influences and shades of Korn), and the last of the original members to pass on.

Swinny died of a brain hemorrhage on March 22, 2023, at the age of 59.

Bobby Caldwell

1951 – 2023

American singer, songwriter, and musician Bobby Caldwell had a prolific career as a solo artist and became well-known for his versatile, soulful vocal style. Over the course of his career, he would sing everything from R&B and smooth jazz to standards and much more.

As a songwriter, Caldwell ended up writing hits for the likes of Peter Cetera and Amy Grant.

Caldwell’s tracks have been sampled by countless R&B and hip-hop artists, which will likely continue to keep him in mainstream consciousness posthumously.

Caldwell died on March 14, 2023.

Jim Gordon

1945 – 2023

American musician and songwriter Jim Gordon kept busy as a session drummer during the 60s and 70s and will be remembered best as the drummer for the supergroup Derek and the Dominos.

Gordon’s life wasn’t exactly trouble-free. Due to an episode related to undiagnosed schizophrenia, Gordon ended up murdering his mother, becoming a convicted murderer. Gordon’s life would end in prison on March 13, 2023.

Jim Durkin

1965 – 2023

Jim Durkin was the guitarist and founder of the progressive thrash metal band Dark Angel. The band was a proponent of California thrash metal through the 80s and 90s, alongside Metallica, Slayer, and the like.

Dark Angel originally broke up in 1992, reuniting between 2002 and 2005, and again in 2013 until the present day. Durkin would stay with the band until his death.

One of Dark Angel’s shining moments is 1986’s Darkness Descends.

Wayne Shorter

1933 – 2023

American jazz saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter initially found success with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. He would then go on to join Miles Davis’ Second Great Quintet and co-found Weather Report.

Numerous Shorter compositions have become jazz standards, and Shorter earned 12 Grammy Awards during his lifetime.

Have a listen to “Infant Eyes,” “Witch Hunt,” and “Virgo.”

Steve Mackey

1966 – 2023

English musician and record producer Steve Mackey was the bassist of Pulp, and over the course of his career, he would produce the likes of The Long Blondes, Arcade Fire, and M.I.A. too.

Mackey died of an undisclosed illness on March 2, 2023, at 56 years old. He had been in the hospital for three months leading up to his death.

See “Underwear,” “Razzmatazz,” “Mis-Shapes,” “Babies,” and “The Fear.”

Gerald Fried

1928 – 2023

American composer, conductor, and oboist Gerald Fried is best known for the scores he contributed to TV and films. Fried composed music for various popular 60s and 70s TV series including Star Trek, Mission: Impossible, and Gilligan’s Island, among many others.

Fried also got to collaborate with the immortal Quincy Jones. He died on February 17, 2023, of pneumonia shortly after his 95th birthday.

Brian Gillis

1975 – 2023

Brian “Brizz” Gillis was the co-founder of the 90s pop and hip-hop boy band LFO.

LFO found modest success with their cover of Yvonne Elliman’s “If I Can’t Have You” in 1995. The band would also go on to cover New Kids on the Block’s “Step by Step” and release it in 1999.

That was around the time Gillis called it quits, however, as he was frustrated with the progress the group had been making. After leaving LFO, Gillis would go on multiple college tours and would eventually land a job in radio promotion.

Van Conner

1967 – 2023

American rock musician Van Conner will be best remembered as the bassist of Screaming Trees.

Conner formed Explosive Generation in high school, the band that would eventually become Screaming Trees after singer Mark Lanegan was added to the lineup in 1985.

Screaming Trees would record and release seven albums between 1986 and 1996. Conner would play on all.

Check out “Nearly Lost You,” “Dollar Bill,” “Butterfly,” “Shadow of the Season,” “Dying Days,” “All I Know,” “Sweet Oblivion,” and “Bed of Roses.”

Tom Leadon

1952 – 2023

American musician Tom Leadon was one of the founding members of Mudcrutch, Tom Petty’s original band, which was active from 1970 to 1975. The band would go through a revival in 2007, and Leadon would remain active with Mudcrutch until Petty died in 2017.

Leadon passed on March 22, 2023, of natural causes.

Check out “Lover of the Bayou,” “The Wrong Thing to Do,” “Shady Grove,” “Hungry No More,” and “Hope.”

Musicians That Died In 2023, Final Thoughts

2023 saw the passing of many musicians, young and old, some famous and legendary like Tina Turner, some remembered for their 15 minutes of fame.

Regardless, our condolences go out to their families, and we want them to know that the contribution of their dearly departed is greatly appreciated and will be remembered.