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.
We feel it is part of our mission to pay tribute to the legacies of these all time greats. On this page we provide a 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.
Rest in peace, friends.
Sam Moore of Sam & Dave
Brenton Wood (soul singer)
Gary Grier of The Contours
Bobby Hamilton of Choice Four
Irv Gotti (hip-hop legend)
Jerry Butler (singer and politician)
Gwen McCrae (soul and disco singer)
Roberta Flack (singer and educator)
Chris Jasper (Isley Brothers and solo artist)
Angie Stone (soul singer)
Harry Elston of The Friends of Distinction
Randy Brown (singer)
Roy Ayers (jazz and R&B legend)
D’Wayne Wiggins of Tony! Toni! Tone!
Beau Dozier (musician and producer)
Stedman Pearson of Five Star
Sheri Osborne (wife and manager of Jeffrey Osborne)
Fred Jenkins of The Gap Band
Clarence “Chet” Willis of the Ohio Players
Ann Sexton (Southern Soul singer)
Lenny Welch (Pop and Soul singer)
J.T. Carter of The Crests
Eddie Fluellen of Switch
Nino Tempo of The Wrecking Crew
John Edwards of The Spinners
James Reynolds of The Edsels
Mark Greene of The Moments
Michael Sumler of Kool & the Gang
Pepe Willie (songwriter and producer)
Dr. Norman Hutchins (Gospel great)
Wayne Lewis of Atlantic Starr
Sly Stone of Sly & The Family Stone
Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys
John Reid of The Nightcrawlers
Lou Christie (singer)
Cavin Yarbrough of Yarbrough & Peoples
