List of 2012 deaths in popular music

This is a list of notable performers of rock music and other forms of popular music, and others directly associated with the music as producers, songwriters, or in other closely related roles, who died in 2012.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Preceded by
2011 		List of deaths in popular music
2012 		Succeeded by
2013
Name Age Date Location Cause of death
Larry Reinhardt
Iron Butterfly, Captain Beyond		 63 January 2, 2012 Bradenton, Florida, U.S. Complications from cirrhosis[1]
Bob Weston
Fleetwood Mac		 64 January 3, 2012 Brent Cross, London, England Gastrointestinal hemorrhage[2]
Dave Alexander 73 January 8, 2012 Marshall, Texas, U.S. Suicide by gunshot[3]
Robbie France
Alphaville, Skunk Anansie		 52 January 14, 2012 Mazarrón, Spain Ruptured aorta
Jimmy Castor
The Jimmy Castor Bunch, The Teenagers		 71 January 16, 2012 Henderson, Nevada, U.S. Heart failure[4]
Johnny Otis 90 January 17, 2012 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Natural causes[5]
Etta James 73 January 20, 2012 Riverside, California, U.S. Leukemia[6]
Mark Reale
Riot		 56 January 25, 2012 San Antonio, Texas, U.S. Subarachnoid hemorrhage related to Crohn's disease[7]
King Stitt 71 January 31, 2012 Kingston, Jamaica, U.S. Prostate cancer[8]
Don Cornelius
Host of Soul Train		 75 February 1, 2012 Sherman Oaks, California, U.S. Suicide by gunshot[9]
David Peaston 54 February 1, 2012 St. Louis Missouri, U.S. Diabetes[10]
Luis Alberto Spinetta
Almendra, Pescado Rabioso, Invisible, Spinetta Jade		 62 February 8, 2012 Buenos Aires, Argentina Lung cancer[11]
Whitney Houston 48 February 11, 2012 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Drowning due to cocaine intoxication[12]
Tonmi Lillman
Sinergy, To/Die/For, Lordi, Kylähullut		 38 February 13, 2012 [13]
Dory Previn 86 February 14, 2012 Southfield, Massachusetts, U.S. Natural causes[14]
Michael Davis
MC5, Destroy All Monsters		 68 February 17, 2012 Chico, California, U.S. Liver failure[15]
Billy Strange 81 February 22, 2012 Franklin, Tennessee, U.S. [16]
Red Holloway 84 February 25, 2012 Morro Bay, California, U.S. Stroke and kidney failure
Louisiana Red 79 February 25, 2012 Hanover, Germany Stroke[17]
Roland Bautista
Earth, Wind & Fire		 60 February 29, 2012 U.S. Natural causes
Davy Jones
The Monkees		 66 February 29, 2012 Indiantown, Florida, U.S. Heart attack[18]
Lucio Dalla 68 March 1, 2012 Montreux, Switzerland Heart attack[19]
Ronnie Montrose
Edgar Winter Group, Montrose, Gamma		 64 March 3, 2012 San Francisco Bay Area, U.S. Suicide by gunshot[20]
Robert B. Sherman
The Sherman Brothers		 86 March 6, 2012 London, England Undisclosed causes[21]
Jimmy Ellis
The Trammps		 74 March 8, 2012 Rock Hill, South Carolina, U.S. Alzheimer's disease[22]
Hans G. Helms 79 March 11, 2012 Friedrichshain, Berlin, Germany Natural causes
Michael Hossack
The Doobie Brothers		 65 March 12, 2012 Dubois, Wyoming, U.S. Cancer[23]
Ken Lyons
38 Special		 59 March 20, 2012 Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S. [24]
Vince Lovegrove
The Valentines		 65 March 24, 2012 Bangalow, New South Wales, Australia Traffic accident[25]
Jerry McCain 81 March 28, 2012 Gadsden, Alabama, U.S. Natural causes[26]
Jim Marshall
Founder and owner of Marshall Amplification		 88 April 5, 2012 Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England Natural causes
Andrew Love 70 April 12, 2012 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. Alzheimer's disease
Krzysztof Puszyński
Golec uOrkiestra		 54 April 14/15, 2012 ?, Poland Heart attack[27]
Graham Simpson
Roxy Music		 68 April 16, 2012 Ladbroke Grove, London, England Cancer[28][29]
Dick Clark
Host of American Bandstand		 82 April 18, 2012 Santa Monica, California, U.S. Heart attack[30]
Levon Helm
The Band		 71 April 19, 2012 New York City, New York, U.S. Cancer[31]
Greg Ham
Men At Work		 58 April 19, 2012 Carlton North, Victoria, Australia Heart attack[32]
Chris Ethridge
International Submarine Band, The Flying Burrito Brothers		 65 April 23, 2012 Meridian, Mississippi, U.S.
Tommy Marth
The Killers		 33 April 23, 2012 Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. Suicide[33]
Jimmy Bond
The Routers		 79 April 26, 2012 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Cardiopulmonary disease
Charles Pitts 65 May 1, 2012 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. Cancer[34]
Adam Yauch
Beastie Boys		 47 May 4, 2012 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. Parotid gland cancer[35]
Michael Burks 54 May 6, 2012 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Heart attack[36]
Donald "Duck" Dunn
Booker T. & the M.G.'s		 70 May 13, 2012 Tokyo, Japan Natural causes[37]
Chuck Brown 75 May 16, 2012 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. Multiple organ failure[38]
Doug Dillard
The Dillards, Dillard & Clark		 75 May 16, 2012 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. Lung infection[39]
Donna Summer 63 May 17, 2012 Englewood, Florida, U.S. Lung cancer[40]
Robin Gibb
Bee Gees		 62 May 20, 2012 Chelsea, London, England Liver and kidney failure from colorectal cancer[41]
Doc Watson 89 May 29, 2012 Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S. Complications following colon surgery[42]
Pete Cosey 68 May 30, 2012 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Complications following surgery[43]
Eduard Khil 77 June 4, 2012 Saint Petersburg, Russia. Stroke
Herb Reed
The Platters		 83 June 4, 2012 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. Heart disease[44]
Bob Welch
Fleetwood Mac		 66 June 7, 2012 Antioch, Tennessee, U.S. Suicide by gunshot[45]
Gerry Bron
Record producer and band manager from Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band		 79 June 18, 2012 Hendon, Middlesex, England
Brian Hibbard
The Flying Pickets		 65 June 18, 2012 Cardiff, Wales Prostate cancer[46]
Dennis Flemion
The Frogs		 57 July 7, 2012 Racine County, Wisconsin, U.S. Drowning[47]
Bob Babbitt
MFSB		 74 July 16, 2012 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. Brain cancer[48]
Jon Lord
Deep Purple, Whitesnake, Paice Ashton Lord, The Artwoods, The Flower Pot Men		 71 July 16, 2012 London, England Pulmonary embolism[49]
Larry Hoppen
Orleans		 61 July 24, 2012 Suicide[50][non-primary source needed]
Tony Martin 98 July 27, 2012 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Natural causes[51]
Bill Doss
The Olivia Tremor Control, The Sunshine Fix, The Apples in Stereo		 43 July 30, 2012 Aneurysm
Tony Sly
No Use for a Name		 41 July 31, 2012 San Jose, California, U.S. Drug overdose[52]
Jimmy Jones 75 August 2, 2012 Aberdeen, North Carolina, U.S. [53]
Carl Davis
Record producer		 77 August 9, 2012 Summerville, South Carolina, U.S. Pulmonary fibrosis[54]
Von Freeman 88 August 11, 2012 Chicago Illinois, U.S. Heart failure[55]
Bob Birch
The Elton John Band		 56 August 15, 2012 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Suicide by gunshot[56]
Scott McKenzie 73 August 18, 2012 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Guillain–Barré syndrome[57]
Joe South 72 September 5, 2012 Buford, Georgia, U.S. Heart failure[58]
James "Sugar Boy" Crawford 77 September 15, 2012 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. [59]
Andy Williams
The Williams Brothers		 84 September 25, 2012 Branson, Missouri, U.S. Bladder cancer[60]
R. B. Greaves 68 September 27, 2012 Granada Hills, California, U.S. Prostate cancer[61]
Frank Wilson
Record producer for Motown Records		 71 September 27, 2012 Duarte, California, U.S. Prostate cancer[62]
Berkant 73 October 1, 2012 Istanbul, Turkey Lung cancer[63]
Big Jim Sullivan 71 October 2, 2012 Billingshurst, West Sussex, England Heart disease and diabetes[64]
Kathi McDonald 64 October 3, 2012 Seattle, Washington, U.S. [65]
Nick Curran
The Fabulous Thunderbirds		 35 October 6, 2012 Oral cancer
Bill Dees 73 October 24, 2012 Mountain Home, Arkansas, U.S. [66]
Natina Reed
Blaque		 31 October 26, 2012 Duluth, Georgia, U.S. Traffic accident[67]
Terry Callier 67 October 27, 2012 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Cancer[68]
Mitch Lucker
Suicide Silence		 28 November 1, 2012 Huntington Beach, California, U.S. Traffic accident[69]
Leonardo Favio 74 November 5, 2012 Buenos Aires, Argentina Pneumonia
Major Harris 65 November 9, 2012 Richmond, Virginia, U.S. Congestive heart and lung failure[70]
Earl Carroll
The Cadillacs, The Coasters		 75 November 25, 2012 New York City, New York, U.S. Compilations from a stroke and diabetes
Chris Stamp
Record producer for The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Who, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Golden Earring and co-founder of Track Records		 70 November 24, 2012 New York City, New York, U.S. Cancer
Mickey Baker 87 November 27, 2012 Toulouse, France Heart and kidney failure[71]
Dave Brubeck 91 December 5, 2012 Norwalk, Connecticut, U.S. Congestive heart failure[72]
Ed Cassidy
Spirit		 89 December 6, 2012 San Jose, California, U.S. Cancer[73]
Huw Lloyd-Langton
Hawkwind, Widowmaker		 61 December 6, 2012 Dorset, England Cancer[74]
Jenni Rivera 43 December 9, 2012 Iturbide, Nuevo León, Mexico Plane crash[75]
Ravi Shankar 92 December 11, 2012 San Diego, California, U.S. Complications from surgery.[76]
Eddie "Guitar" Burns 84 December 12, 2012 U.S. Heart failure[77]
Jimmy McCracklin 91 December 20, 2012 San Pablo, California, U.S. [78]
Lee Dorman
Iron Butterfly, Captain Beyond		 70 December 21, 2012 Laguna Niguel, California, U.S. Natural causes[79]
Marva Whitney 68 December 22, 2012 Kansas City, Kansas, U.S. Pneumonia[80]
Mike Scaccia
Ministry, Rigor Mortis, Revolting Cocks		 47 December 22, 2012 Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. Heart attack[81]
Capital Steez
Pro Era		 19 December 23, 2012 Manhattan, New York City, U.S. Suicide[82]
Fontella Bass 72 December 26, 2012 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. Heart attack[83]

See also

References

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