Fading Echoes: Classic Rock Legends We Lost in 2025
I have mixed feelings about writing articles like this one because it feels like the central theme is death. At the same time, it feels like it is important to honor those we have lost that were such iconic figures in the world of classic rock. Since I have been familiar with so many of these artists for as long as five decades or even longer, it seems to hit particularly hard when I hear that another one has passed.
As we approach the end of 2025, it seems appropriate and customary to look back upon the lives and the amazing contributions of the following artists. Naturally, I have my favorites among them but I hesitate to “rank” them and will instead list them according to the date of their passing.
It seems like articles such as this, that show up faithfully at the end of the year, will often focus primarily on facts and figures, so I thought I would move away from that format and focus instead on what I remember about each of them. Facts and figures are in abundance at places like Wikipedia for those who wish to seek them out.
I’m also not going to pretend that I have been a big fan of all the artists listed here. I may not be terribly familiar with the work each of them are known for but I also recognize that each of them are important to millions of fans around the world who greatly appreciate them and their memory.
Garth Hudson, January 21, age 87 – Hudson was a multi-instrumentalist and the last surviving member of The Band — a group I was familiar with only from what I heard on the radio. For me their most recognizable song was “The Weight,” which I had probably not heard for decades but came back to me instantly when I located it on Youtube. “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” was also familiar to me from that era.
Joey Molland, March 1, age 77 – Although Badfinger was another group I pretty much knew of from what I heard on the radio, I really have a soft spot for some of their most recognizable songs. Molland sang and played guitar in the group that were at the peak of their fame in the early 1970s. “Day by Day,” “No Matter What” and “Baby Blue” feel like part of the soundtrack of my life and although it did not resonate with me as much, there’s no question about the success and popularity of “Come And Get It.”
Rick Derringer, May 26, age 55 – When I hear the name Rick Derringer one song comes instantly to mind and that, of course, is “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo.” Without a doubt that was his trademark hit song and for me at least, a real ear worm. It’s one of those iconic hits that is identifiable about a half a second after it begins. It’s still being played on classic rock radio today and likely will continue to be for years to come.
Mick Ralphs, June 23, age 81 – A childhood friend was a pretty major fan of Mott The Hoople but I never took to them the way he did. Still, the group — which Ralphs co-founded — enjoyed their share of hits including “All The Way From Memphis,” “Roll Away The Stone,” “The Golden Age of Rock ‘n’ Roll” and “Honaloochie Boogie.” Perhaps my memory is fading a bit in my old age but I only recall the first two from that list. After he left Mott The Hoople he brought his guitar skills to Bad Company, which he co-founded with Paul Rodgers and went on to enjoy commercial success that easily eclipsed that of Mott The Hoople. As for me, a number of Bad Company songs are still on my playlist and I will always consider Ralphs a member of that group before I think of him with Mott The Hoople.
Brian Wilson, June 11, age 82 – What can I say? Does anyone not know who the Beach Boys were? I’m not going to lie and say I ever listened to them much but that does not mean I do not have massive respect for their accomplishments. Having sold over 100 million records, they go down in history as one of the most successful groups of all time and Brian Wilson was their primary songwriter. Amazing.
Ozzy Osbourne, July 22, age 76 – Ozzy’s passing hit the rock world and it hit hard. Although it was known that he was suffering with some pretty serious medical problems, the world seemed genuinely shocked when he passed a mere two weeks after his final “Back to the Beginning” performance. Perhaps it was because he had been seen performing so recently or maybe people thought of him as the enduring “Prince of Darkness” who would always be with us. My first memory of Ozzy was when my friend purchased a cassette tape featuring a group that was new to us at the time and was called Black Sabbath. What really stands out for me was hearing the track titled “Sweet Leaf” that started with the sound of someone coughing. I had never heard anything like that before and I suppose that was my introduction to heavy metal music. I still see headlines in my news feed every day that mention Ozzy and there is no doubt he will be remembered for a very long time.
Rick Davies, September 6, age 81 – This one hit home particularly hard for me because I have been a pretty major Supertramp fan since the 70s. I consider them to be one of the greatest groups of all time and Davies was a key contributor as a co-founder, vocalist and keyboardist. This is another case where I feel like mentioning their notable hits is a bit pointless since practically everyone has heard at least one of them somewhere. Supertramp occupies quite a few spots on my playlist and I suspect that will be the case as long as I am around to listen.
Ace Frehley, October 16, age 74 – I think this one was almost as shocking as Ozzy’s passing because it was so unexpected. Obviously, he was not a young man but I think fans expected him to be around for a good while until a tragic accident took his life. As a founding member of KISS and talented guitarist, Frehley’s reputation is rock-solid and served as an inspiration to musicians such as Slash and John 5. I never enlisted in the KISS Army but I know that millions of others did and that the group’s contribution and legacy is not something that can be dismissed.
I know this cannot be considered an exhaustive list and I have probably left out a few people that are important to their fans but these are the figures that really struck me as the most important and influential figures in classic rock that we lost this year. May they all rest in peace and may their music continue to enchant and delight fans for many years to come. I truly believe that is what each of them would have wanted.
