Music Obituaries: May 2026

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Every month I look back to the previous month to say farewell to the musicians who passed away. Most of these people never got the coverage of a Michael Jackson or Prince, but that doesn't mean their music was inconsequential. They all deserve a final round of applause for the joy they brought to people with their music. Here are the music people who sang their final song in May 2026: Danny Mixon (May 1, prostate cancer, age 76): pianist who worked with Joe Williams and Charlie Mingus, and had his own influential career in jazz. Michael Sollis (May 1, bowel cancer, age 40): Australian musical innovator who founded the Griffyn Ensemble, a group that crossed boundaries, genres, and styles. He was also the first director of Australia’s national chamber music education organization, Musica Viva Australia. Lee Allen Zeno (May 3, leukemia, age 71): longtime bassist for the zydeco great Buckwheat Zydeco. Evelyn Cox (May 5, illness, age 66): a founding member of bluegrass music’s Cox Family, who performed in O Brother, Where Art Thou and did numerous recordings as a band and a collaboration with Alison Krauss. Earl-Jean McCrea (May 7, natural causes, age 83): member of the early R&B girl group the Cookies, and a solo performer who did the first recording of “I’m Into Something Good,” later a hit for Herman’s Hermits. Jo Ann Castle (May 8, natural causes, age 86): one of the musicians on The Lawrence Welk Show who performed primarily in a “honky tonk” style on the piano. Warren Tipton (May 9, unknown cause, age 67): a “replacement” singer for the Chi-Lites. J.J. Barrie (né Barry Authors) (May 10, natural causes, age 92): Canadian entertainer who wrote songs and had a Canadian #1 hit with his version of the song “No Charge.” Jack Douglas (May 11, lymphoma, age 80): rock and roll record producer who worked with the likes of Aerosmith and Cheap Trick. He also was with John Lennon in the studio shortly before Lennon’s murder in 1980. Buddy Flett (May 11, unknown cause, age 73): Louisiana-based blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. His biggest national claim to fame was co-writing Percy Sledge’s song “Now You Cry.” Clarence Carter (May 12, prostate cancer/pneumonia, age 90): legendary R&B and blues singer/songwriter best remembered for his 1970 hit “Patches.” Cris Derksen (May 15, car wreck, age 45): Canadian indigenous cellist and composer who combined classical music and her native heritage music. Dennis Locorriere (May 17, kidney disease, age 76): singer and guitarist in Dr. Hook. Ryan Porter (May 17, injuries in an April car wreck, age 46): trombonist in the jazz ensemble West Coast Get Down. Ike Willis (May 17, prostate cancer, age 71): longtime guitarist and vocalist for Frank Zappa’s band. Jimmy Hughes (May 20, natural causes, age 88): R&B singer and songwriter who wrote and did the first recorded version of the oft-covered R&B song “Steal Away” (a different song than the 1980 Robbie Dupree hit). Dick Parry (May 22, unknown cause, age 83): British saxophonist best known for his work on several Pink Floyd songs, including the iconic hit “Money.” James Anthony Carmichael (May 23, natural causes, age 84): Grammy-winning record producer who worked with a slew of Motown acts including the Jackson Five and later worked with the likes of the Commodores, Diana Ross, and Atlantic Starr. *Dame Jools Topp (May 23, breast cancer, age 68): NEW ZEALAND MUSIC HALL OF FAMER. One of the identical Topp Twins, who performed folk and country music in Australia beginning in the 1970s. John Eaton (May 24, natural causes, age 91): respected jazz pianist and musicologist whose work introduced many to the Great American Songbook as well as countless jazz standards. *Walter “Sonny” Rollins (May 25, pulmonary fibrosis, age 95): DOWNBEAT JAZZ and ALABAMA JAZZ HALL OF FAMER. One of the best-known and most influential jazz sax players in the past half a century, he was a multiple Grammy winner and honored with a Lifetime Grammy, the National Medal of Arts, and a Kennedy Center Honor. Geoff Keating (May 29, natural causes, age 88): a member of the Master Singers, a British group with an absolutely brilliant concept. They provided marvelous harmonies in singing the most ridiculous things, such as “The Highway Code” or the weather forecast. *Ronald LaPread (May 30, “sudden medical event,” age 76): VOCAL GROUP and ALABAMA MUSIC HALL OF FAMER. Co-founder, singer, songwriter, and bass player for the Commodores. Joe Negri (May 30, natural causes, age 99): a jazz guitarist and educator, most people know him better as “Handyman Negri” on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Foster Sylvers (May 30, prostate cancer, age 64): member of the 70s R&B group the Sylvers. Dexter Wansel (May 31, long illness, age 75): a member of the band MFSB (Mothers, Fathers, Sisters, Brothers), who had the hit with “TSOP” (The Sound of Philadelphia), best known as the theme to Soul Train. He also played keyboards with and wrote songs for the likes of Patti LaBelle and Teddy Pendergrass. Farewell, and thank you for the music. The late, great Sonny Rollins and his song "Weaver of Dreams."