Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, a former vocalist for the iconic band Grateful Dead, has passed away at the age of 78. The news of her death was confirmed by multiple sources.
According to a statement from her family, Godchaux died on Sunday at a hospice facility in Nashville. Rolling Stone reported that she had been enduring a prolonged battle with cancer, although further specifics about her condition were not disclosed.
Before joining the Grateful Dead, Godchaux made significant contributions as a backup singer on several classic tracks, including Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman” and Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds.” Her vocal talents also graced recordings by artists such as Cher and Neil Diamond, as noted by the San Francisco Chronicle.
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Donna Jean Godchaux performs with Dead & Company at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival on Sunday, June 12, 2016, in Manchester, Tenn. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
Born Donna Jean Thatcher in Florence, Alabama, she became a member of the Grateful Dead in the 1970s, touring with the band alongside her husband, pianist Keith Godchaux, who was also part of the group during her tenure.
Reflecting on her experiences with the Grateful Dead, Godchaux once told Rolling Stone, “Everything was so loud on stage. And not to mention being inebriated. I can’t defend myself very much, but I can’t blame it all on that.”
“Everything was so loud onstage. And not to mention being inebriated. I can’t defend myself very much, but I can’t blame it all on that,” she told the Rolling Stones went recounting her time with the Dead.
In the 1980s, Donna married David MacKay after Keith died in a car accident.
She also sang with the Muscle Shoals in Alabama and the Donna Jean Godchaux Band alongside MacKay. Her final studio recording was released 11 years ago.
Godchaux is survived by MacKay, her sons, two siblings, and a grandson.
