In Memoriam: a tribute to the musicians who left us in 2022

In 2022, we said goodbye to life-changing artists who broke through barriers and binaries, redefining music and the music industry for everyone who followed them. The multiplicity of global pandemics and emergencies — COVID-19, the overdose epidemic, anti-Black, anti-Indigenous and anti-Asian violence, antisemitism, femicide, homophobic and transphobic violence, food and housing insecurity, and the climate disaster, to name a few — are devastating, and most of us have never been lonelier. 

As music fans, we're mostly mourning people we don't know personally, but that doesn't lessen the very real grief that goes along with losing an artist who means something to you. Maybe they represented a vital perspective missing in your life, another point of view that opened up your own heart or mind to another way of moving through the world. Maybe their songs moved you to march for justice, or helped you feel seen, or gave you a place to cultivate whatever you needed — solitude, rage, joy, sorrow, empowerment, purpose — to grow into the next iteration of yourself. Maybe their music was just all-caps FUN, a dance party frolic 'n' frenzy that turned every room into a night out at the club. 

Some incredible musicians, composers, artists and industry people left us this year. Let's stand still together for a little bit and be grateful for them. Let's pay tribute not just to what they gave us while they were here, but what they leave us to discover over and over and over again.

Koady Chaisson

Dec. 4, 1984 to Jan. 6, 2022
Folk musician, banjoist (East Pointers)

R. Dean Taylor

May. 11, 1939, to Jan. 7, 2022
Singer, songwriter, producer

"Music was in Dean's bones. He never stopped writing, singing and playing guitar and was always authentic in his music. Dean's songs are like screenplays — you can really see the people and places he's singing about…. Those classic songs are now embedded in our psyches."

— Darrell Diaz, keyboardist (via the Globe and Mail)

Marilyn Bergman

Nov. 10, 1928, to Jan. 8, 2022
Songwriter

"Things are not written, I believe, they are re-written," Maryiln points out. "That is the difference between an amateur and professional songwriter — the ability to rewrite. Not to have fallen so in love with what you have written that you can't find a better way. I'm always weary of someone who says this is the only way, the way it has to be."

— Marilyn Bergman (via American Songwriter)

James Mtume

Jan. 3, 1946, to Jan. 9, 2022
Singer, songwriter, percussionist, producer, activist

"Music is a unique art form. I mean all art is special. But music is unique. It's the only art form I know that can touch you, but you can't touch it. What do I mean by that? I can touch a sculpture, I can touch a painting, I can touch a book of poetry. How do you touch a note? How do you touch sound? It runs through your body."

— James Mtume (via BET)

Maria Ewing

March 27, 1950, to Jan. 9, 2022
Opera singer

Khan Jamal

July 23, 1946, to Jan. 10, 2022
Vibraphonist, musician (Sounds of Liberation collective)

"Khan was an innovative musician, and he liked to keep it moving. He'd stay in a groove for a while, and if he found that he wanted to change his musical perspective, he would do that. He encouraged me to do the same thing."

— Monnette Sudler, guitarist from Sounds of Liberation (WBGO)

Vince Fontaine

Aug. 2, 1959, to Jan. 11, 2022
Singer, songwriter, guitarist (Indian City; Eagle & Hawk)

Don Harley Fils-Aimé

1978 to Jan. 11, 2022
Rapper, community leader (Don Karnage)

Ronnie Spector

Aug. 10, 1943, to Jan. 12, 2022
Singer, the Ronettes

Rachel Nagy

Dec. 15, 1973, to Jan. 15, 2022
Musician, Detroit Cobras

"Nagy's voice was ours — by ours I mean the rabid community of lifer fans of under-the-radar bands, musicians who write, or in the case of the Cobras, bring to life, the songs that star our interior Top 40, the alternate reality we fans live in where rock and roll has vital currency. Longtime Cobras friend, songwriter, musician, and producer Greg Cartwright — a pillar of that aforementioned community who wrote the touching tribute on Instagram confirming Nagy's death — said this in 2007: 'The thing is Rachel's voice. When they asked me to help them, that's the reason I'm doing it. She's definitely blessed. Someone with those kinds of natural chops is refreshing, especially when you can look at people on television shows like American Idol and see all these kids. They've studied and they've mimicked every vocal trick in the book, but they don't have any natural ability to convey feeling.'"

— Joe Bonomo

Karim Ouellet

Dec. 8, 1984, to Nov. 15, 2021 (found Jan. 17, 2022)
Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist

"Karim left his mark on our hearts forever, and we will continue to celebrate his life, his talent and his heritage…. Thank you for this torrent of love for Karim, to those who have been touched by his words and his melodies, keep playing his music."

— Sarahmée, sister and rapper (via Montreal Gazette)

Meat Loaf

Sept. 19, 1947, to Jan. 20, 2022
Singer, songwriter, actor

Betty Davis

July 26, 1944, to Feb. 9, 2022
Funk singer, songwriter

"I never considered myself a great singer. I think Chaka and Aretha are great singers. But I could connect with the ambience of a song. I could project my feelings and my words to the music."

— Betty Davis (via the New York Times)

Dallas Good

1973 to Feb. 17, 2022
Singer, songwriter, guitarist (the Sadies)

"I believe Dallas Good was the centre of the Canadian music universe in ways that most people might not even realize. If I think about the links between most of the music and musicians I hold dearest, not just in Canada but also around the world — they are all connected to Dallas. This suggests we had similar aesthetic values, I guess, but I think I just respected his opinion so much that if he vouched for something, I'd give it a chance and more often than not, discover he was right."

— Vish Khanna (via Exclaim) 

Mark Lanegan

Nov. 25, 1964, to Feb. 22, 2022
Rock musician, songwriter, poet (Screaming Trees, Queens of the Stone Age)

"There's a guy called Mark Lanegan. You know, there are a lot of really great musicians, some people know Seattle because of the musicians that have come out of the great Northwest. Some of those guys were one -of-a-kind singers. Mark was certainly that and with such a strong voice. It's hard to come to terms, at least at this point. He's gonna be deeply missed, and at least we will always have his voice to listen to and his words and his books to read, he wrote two incredible books in the last few years. Just wanted to process it and put it out there, let his wife and loved ones know that people in his old stomping grounds have been thinking about him and we love him."

— Eddie Vedder, Pearl Jam (via NME)

Iwan Edwards

Oct. 5, 1937, to March 4, 2022
Chorus master, conductor, teacher

"Of all people on this planet, you are one who will live on forever in the lives of the people who knew and loved you, and the people they will in turn love and teach."

— Charlotte Corwin, soprano (via CBC Music)

Bobbie Nelson

Jan. 1, 1931, to March 10, 2022
Pianist, singer

Taylor Hawkins

Feb. 17, 1972, to March 25, 2022
Rock drummer, musician (Foo Fighters)

"Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we've gathered here to celebrate the life, the music, and the love of our dear friend, our bandmate, our brother Taylor Hawkins. For those of you who knew him personally, you know that no one else could make you smile or laugh or dance or sing like he could. And for those of you that admired him from afar, I'm sure you've all felt the same thing. So tonight, we've gathered with family and his closest friends, his musical heroes and greatest inspirations, to bring you a gigantic f--king night for a gigantic f--king person. So, sing. And dance. And laugh. And cry and f--king scream and make some f--king noise, so he can hear us right now. 'Cause you know what? It's going to be a long f--king night, right? Are you ready?"

— Dave Grohl (via People)

Tom Parker

Aug. 14, 1988, to March 30, 2022
Pop singer

Pastelle LeBlanc

Feb. 1, 1980, to April 8, 2022
Folk singer, multi-instrumentalist (Vishtèn)

"We will miss her so much, our beautiful Pastelle. Our soulmate. A woman with an abundance of love, creativity and wisdom. Every person who had the honour of meeting and knowing her knows how bright, sweet, generous and profound she was. Despite the great challenges she experienced in the past two years, she still found a way to continue to inspire and heal the people around her. She continued to blossom and grow through her tribulations."

— Emanuelle LeBlanc (via CBC)

Jerry Doucette

Sept. 9, 1951, to April 18, 2022 

Guitarist and singer

"When Jerry put the guitar on, it was just magical — he took it to another level…. He knew how to work a crowd. With 'Mama Let Him Play,' he went national. It changed his life and his relationship with music."

— Dalannah Gail Bowen (via CBC)

Susan Jacks

Aug. 19, 1948, to April 25, 2022
Singer, songwriter, producer

"I appreciate that this industry has changed with all the social networking developments but I don't feel like a new artist coming into the business. I am biting at the bit to record just a few songs to see what happens with them on iTunes. It would be great to attract a new audience but I know, I have a lot of people who have stayed loyal to me over the years. These are the people who continue to support me."

— Susan Jacks (via the Music Express)

Shane Yellowbird

July 7, 1979, to April 25, 2022
Country singer, songwriter

"I've been in shock since I heard the heartbreaking news of the passing of country music artist Shane Yellowbird. He called me Lil Sis and I called him Bro, we were just 2 Rez kids that decided to go for it.… We were lucky to be there and we knew it."

— Crystal Shawanda (via ICT)

Naomi Judd

Jan. 11, 1946, to April 30, 2022
Singer, songwriter, actor

Vangelis

March 29, 1943, to May 17, 2022
Electronic composer and producer

"It's very difficult not to make music. It's as natural as I eat, as I make love. Music is the same."

— Vangelis (via NPR)

Ronnie Hawkins

Jan. 10, 1935, to May 29, 2022
Rockabilly singer, songwriter (the Hawks)

"You know, I don't know anything about Canadian politics, the price of wheat or Niagara Falls. But I sure do know one thing: I sure dig it up here."

— Ronnie Hawkins (via CBC)

Olivia Quan

Dec. 22, 1996, to July 1, 2022
Recording engineer

Bramwell Tovey

July 11, 1953, to July 12, 2022
Conductor, composer 

"The loss of Bramwell Tovey is devastating and heartbreaking. He was one of the most inspirational people I have ever known, and has left us with an incredible legacy not just as a great musician, but also as a great man. I will always be grateful to have had him in my life as a mentor, a colleague and a friend."

— James Ehnes (via CBC Music)

Archie Roach

Jan. 8, 1956, to July 30, 2022
Singer, songwriter, activist 

"My recent bouts of illness, I'm sure, are a result of the Pain of being removed from my family at a young age and more recently the loss of someone I loved so dearly. But Pain can also bring about change in one's life for the better, we can choose to ignore the Pain until it becomes unbearable or we can do something."

— Archie Roach (via the Guardian)

Olivia Newton-John

Sept. 26, 1948, to Aug. 8, 2022
Singer, actor, activist

Pat Stay

Feb. 18, 1986, to Sept. 4, 2022
Rapper

Pharoah Sanders

Oct. 13, 1940, to Sept. 24, 2022
Jazz saxophonist, composer, bandleader

"I'm not so much of a technical player myself. I'm probably not that much of an intellectual player, as some other musicians. What I do is ... express. That's what I do."

— Pharoah Sanders (via NPR)

Coolio

Aug. 1, 1963, to Sept. 28, 2022
Rapper, producer, actor

"His rise to worldwide fame left behind a notable body of work, representing a moment in rap history the likes of which will never appear again: the ascendance of a powerful California scene to challenge New York, a combination of militant social awareness and repetitive small-vocab choruses, a pop sensibility that could take a tale of existential struggle to global ubiquity. Whether or not it was a fantastic voyage, it was quite a journey."

— Nitish Pahwa (via Slate)

Loretta Lynn

April 14, 1932, to October 4, 2022
Country singer, songwriter

"When I was recording, I recorded for us girls. I didn't record for men. I fought for the women and I recorded for the women. You know what? At that time, it was the women who were buying records, too."

— Loretta Lynn (via CBC Music)

Angela Lansbury

Oct. 16, 1925, to Oct. 11, 2022
Singer, actor

"I want women my age to be represented the way they are, which is vital, productive members of society. I'm astonished at the amount of stuff I managed to pack into the years that I have been in the business. And I'm still here!"

— Angela Lansbury (via CBC)

Geoff Nuttall

Nov. 22, 1965, to Oct. 19, 2022
Violinist, co-founder of the St. Lawrence String Quartet

"Geoff had an ability that is so rare, the ability to make the listener feel what he is feeling. It sounds so simple, yet it is everything. There's no security blanket, just a brilliant, electric personality that transmits the feelings directly. I remember hearing him when we were both teenagers, and he had that gift then. It was a way of making music I had never known and it changed me. Sitting beside him for thousands of concerts and countless hours of rehearsals has been one of the great gifts of my life."

— Barry Shiffman (via CBC Music)

Rodney Graham 

Jan. 16, 1949, to Oct. 22, 2022
Visual artist, musician (U-J3RK5)

"I've known Rodney Graham for 50 years and cannot believe we've lost him. He was a phenomenon — so handsome and elegant with an irresistible, self-deprecating sense of humour and a sparkling mind who spread a personal glitter over almost all art forms — from film, the novel and photography to sculpture and music.'

— Jeff Wall (Frieze)

Leslie Jordan 

April 29, 1955, to Oct. 24, 2022
Actor, comedian, writer, singer

Jerry Lee Lewis

Sept. 29, 1935, to Oct. 28, 2022
Rock singer, songwriter, pianist

John McGale 

Oct. 30, 1956, to Oct. 30, 2022
Singer, songwriter, guitarist (Offenbach)

"We were supposed to have dinner this summer and listen to his new songs. He had many new projects coming. I was in a state of shock when I heard. I'm devastated. My heart is broken. I still can't get it into my head that he's no longer with us — that he won't drop by the office or call me between two shows. My heart is just so heavy."

— Diane Pinet (via the Montreal Gazette)

Patrick Haggerty 

Sept. 27, 1944, to Oct. 31, 2022
Country singer, songwriter, activist

"Was I going to be openly gay and advocate for gay rights, or was I going to slither off to Nashville and stay in the closet and try to make it in country music? The choice was stark, but it was completely, incomprehensibly impossible to do both in 1973."

— Patrick Haggerty (via CBC)

Takeoff 

June 18, 1994, to Nov. 1, 2022
Rapper, songwriter (Migos)

Aaron Carter 

Dec. 7, 1987, to Nov. 5, 2022
Pop singer, songwriter

Mimi Parker 

Sept. 15, 1967, to Nov. 5, 2022
Indie rock singer, songwriter, percussionist (Low)

Wayne Riddell

Sept. 10, 1936, to Nov. 6, 2022
Choral conductor, organist 

"In the Christmas Carol Puer Nobis there is a line – 'Let the organ thunder' – and Wayne always thought we should pull out all the 32 foot stops for that. And the next line is – 'While the choir with peals of glee' – which I am sure is the case with Wayne conducting the choirs where he is now!"

— John Grew

Jeff Cook

Aug. 27, 1949, to Nov. 7, 2022
Country musician, singer, songwriter (Alabama)

Dan McCafferty

Oct. 14, 1946, to Nov. 8, 2022
Hard rock singer, songwriter (Nazareth)

"Haven't addressed this ... been a tough pill to swallow. Very, very sad to learn of the passing of Dan McCafferty of Nazareth. I learned a day or so after, [right before the show]. Was in a bit of a surreal headspace on stage for several songs. Went on a Nazareth binge for a few days. Thanks Dan 'n' all of Nazareth for all the music over the years. Their music 'n' Dan's voice will always have a special place in my heart. Rest in peace Dan."

— Axl Rose (via Loudwire)

Gal Costa 

Sept, 26, 1945, to Nov. 9, 2022
Tropicalia singer

''I didn't study music, and I don't read music; I sing by feeling.''

— Gal Costa (via the New York Times)

Jean Lapointe 

Dec. 6, 1935, to Nov. 18, 2022
Singer, actor, comedian, senator 

"A natural showman, Mr. Lapointe started his career performing as a cabaret singer and chansonnier. With Jérôme Lemay, he formed Les Jérolas and together they performed all over Quebec and in Europe, also appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show. They recorded music together for almost 20 years. His performances were ahead of their time, filled with his signature wit and good-natured humour. He later took his talent to the big screen, where he played a number of acclaimed roles. He was awarded the Jutra Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011 for his onscreen performances."

— Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 

Joyce Bryant

Oct. 14, 1927, to Nov. 20, 2022
Singer, dancer, teacher, activist

"In an era before onstage pyrotechnics and 'auto-tune,' female vocalists had two weapons to hold audience attention:  talent and glamour. Joyce Bryant delivered both in abundance. Her silver-tinted hair startled audiences almost as much as her low-cut, skin-tight gowns by pioneering African American designer Zelda Wynn, who would later create the prototype Playboy 'Bunny' costume (Wynn would ultimately serve as the founding designer for the Dance Theater of Harlem for nearly three decades). At once carnal and classic, Zelda's creations at once reflected and fueled the duality of Bryant's elegantly torrid stage persona. So tightly gowned that she had to be carried onstage, Joyce would violently slash and punch at the air with her arms — hence the nickname: 'Belter Bryant!' It was as if she was fighting something ... and indeed, she was."

— via JoyceBryant.net

Irene Cara

March 18, 1959, to Nov. 25, 2022
Singer, songwriter, actor

"Thank you brilliant Irene for your open heart and your fearless triple-threat talent. It took a beautiful dreamer to write and perform the soundtracks for those who dare to dream,"

— Jennifer Beals (via People)

Christine McVie 

July 12, 1943, to Nov. 30, 2022
Rock and pop singer, songwriter (Fleetwood Mac)

Bob McGrath 

June 13, 1932, to Dec. 4, 2022
Musician, actor, author (Sesame Street)

Hamish Kilgour

March 17, 1957, to 2022 (found Dec. 6)
Indie rock musician, songwriter (the Clean)

"Music is a living thing, it really is. You can twist and turn the structure of it while you're making it and, when you're with a group of people experiencing that together, there's a special magic in that. You reach down deep into yourself and pull something up. It's like nothing else in the world."

— Hamish Kilgour (via Stuff)

John Beckwith 

March 9, 1927, to Dec. 5, 2022
Composer, writer, pianist, teacher

Angelo Badalamenti

March 22, 1937, to Dec. 11, 2022 

Composer and musician

Stephen 'tWitch' Boss

Sept. 29, 1982, to Dec. 13, 2022 

DJ, dancer

"Rest in Melody Twitch."

— Questlove (via CBC)

Shirley Eikhard

Nov. 7, 1955, to Dec. 15, 2022 

Singer, songwriter

Terry Hall

March 19, 1959, to Dec. 18, 2022 

Singer, songwriter (the Specials)

Ian Tyson

Sept. 25, 1933, to Dec. 29, 2022

Folk singer, songwriter

Jeremiah Green

March 4, 1977, to Dec. 31, 2022

Drummer, co-founder of Modest Mouse

Anita Pointer

Jan. 23, 1948, to Dec. 31, 2022

Singer, songwriter (the Pointer Sisters)