<\/p>\n
One of our saddest jobs at SoulTracks is to inform SoulTrackers about the deaths of soul music artists. And 2025 is a year in which we have lost some great ones.<\/p>\n
We feel it is part of our mission to pay tribute to the legacies of these all time greats. On this page we provide\u00a0a running list of those artists who have died during 2025, and a link to our extensive tributes to them. They are shown in the order of the date we reported on their deaths during the year.<\/p>\n
Rest in peace, friends.<\/p>\n
Sam Moore<\/strong><\/a> of Sam & Dave<\/p>\n Brenton Wood<\/a> <\/strong>(soul singer)<\/p>\n Gary Grier<\/strong><\/a> of The Contours<\/p>\n Bobby Hamilton<\/a><\/strong> of Choice Four<\/p>\n Irv Gotti <\/strong>(hip-hop legend)<\/p>\n Jerry Butler<\/a><\/strong> (singer and politician)<\/p>\n Gwen McCrae <\/a><\/strong>(soul and disco singer)<\/p>\n Tommy Hunt <\/strong>(soul singer)<\/p>\n Roberta Flack<\/strong><\/a> (singer and educator)<\/p>\n Chris Jasper<\/a><\/strong> (Isley Brothers and solo artist)<\/p>\n Angie Stone<\/strong><\/a> (soul singer)<\/p>\n Harry Elston<\/a><\/strong> of The Friends of Distinction<\/p>\n Randy Brown<\/a> <\/strong>(singer)<\/p>\n Roy Ayers<\/strong><\/a> (jazz and R&B legend)<\/p>\n D\u2019Wayne Wiggins<\/a><\/strong> of Tony! Toni! Tone!<\/p>\n Beau Dozier<\/a> <\/strong>(musician and producer)<\/p>\n Stedman Pearson<\/a><\/strong> of Five Star<\/p>\n Sheri Osborne<\/a><\/strong> (wife and manager of Jeffrey Osborne)<\/p>\n Fred Jenkins<\/a> <\/strong>of The Gap Band<\/p>\n Clarence \u201cChet\u201d Willis <\/a><\/strong>of the Ohio Players<\/p>\n Ann Sexton<\/a> <\/strong>(Southern Soul singer)<\/p>\n Lenny Welch<\/a><\/strong> (Pop and Soul singer)<\/p>\n J.T. Carter<\/strong><\/a> of The Crests<\/p>\n Eddie Fluellen <\/a><\/strong>of Switch<\/p>\n Nino Tempo<\/strong> of The Wrecking Crew<\/p>\n John Edwards<\/a> <\/strong>of The Spinners<\/p>\n James Reynolds<\/strong> <\/a>of The Edsels<\/p>\n Mark Greene<\/a><\/strong> of The Moments<\/p>\n Michael Sumler<\/strong><\/a> of Kool & the Gang<\/p>\n Pepe Willie<\/a><\/strong> (songwriter and producer)<\/p>\n Dr. Norman Hutchins<\/a><\/strong> (Gospel great)<\/p>\n Wayne Lewis<\/strong><\/a> of Atlantic Starr<\/p>\n Sly Stone <\/strong><\/a>of Sly & The Family Stone<\/p>\n John Reid<\/strong> <\/a>of The Nightcrawlers<\/p>\n Lou Christie<\/a><\/strong> (singer)<\/p>\n Patti Drew<\/a> <\/strong>(singer)<\/p>\n Cavin Yarbrough<\/a><\/strong> of Yarbrough & Peoples<\/p>\n Walter Scott<\/a><\/strong> of The Whispers<\/p>\n Brenda Wilson<\/a> <\/strong>(singer and daughter of Jackie Wilson)<\/p>\n Billy Freeman<\/a> <\/strong>of Drizabone<\/p>\n Malcolm-Jamal Warner<\/a> <\/strong>(actor and musician)<\/p>\n Chuck Mangione<\/strong><\/a> (jazz and pop musician)<\/p>\n Dana Meyers<\/a><\/strong> (songwriter and producer)<\/p>\n Darryl Johnson<\/a> <\/strong>of The Chairmen of the Board<\/p>\n Darnell Kimbrough<\/strong><\/a> (songwriter and guitarist)<\/p>\n Louis Villery, Jr<\/strong><\/a>. (bassist and songwriter)<\/p>\n Charles \u201cSlick\u201d Still<\/a><\/strong> of Sly, Slick & Wicked<\/p>\n Ike Turner Jr.<\/a> (son of Ike and Tina Turner)<\/p>\n Terry Johnson<\/a><\/strong> of The Flamingos<\/p>\n Michael Beard<\/a><\/strong> of The Bar-Kays<\/p>\n D\u2019Angelo<\/a> <\/strong>(singer)<\/p>\n Erik Rico <\/a><\/strong>(noted singer and songwriter)<\/p>\n Jimmy Sommers<\/a> <\/strong>(saxophonist)<\/p>\n Anthony Jackson<\/strong><\/a> (bassist)<\/p>\n Leslie Wilson<\/a><\/strong> of The New Birth<\/p>\n Jimmy Cliff<\/a> <\/strong>(reggae pioneer)<\/p>\n Reggie Dozier<\/a><\/strong> (noted songwriter, engineer and producer)<\/p>\n Jellybean Johnson<\/strong><\/a> of The Time<\/p>\n Phil Upchurch<\/a><\/strong> (guitarist and composer)<\/p>\n Chubby Tavares<\/strong><\/a> of the group Tavares<\/p>\n Judy Cheeks<\/a> <\/strong>(soul and dance singer)<\/p>\n Billy Nichols<\/a> <\/strong>(singer, songwriter and producer)<\/p>\n Steve Cropper<\/a> <\/strong>(legendary Stax guitarist and songwriter)<\/p>\n Carl Carlton<\/a><\/strong> (singer)<\/p>\n Chris Rea<\/a><\/strong> (singer, songwriter and guitarist)<\/p>\n