Log In

Marianne Faithfull dead: Grammy-nominated singer and actress was 78

Published 1 month ago3 minute read

Marianne Faithfull, the Grammy-nominated singer, actress, and rock 'n' roll muse known for hits like "As Tears Go By" and "Come and Stay With Me," has died. She was 78.

A representative for Faithfull confirmed in a statement to Entertainment Weekly that she died in London on Thursday surrounded by loved ones. A cause of death was not disclosed. 

"It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of the singer, songwriter, and actress Marianne Faithfull," the statement read. "Marianne passed away peacefully in London today in the company of her loving family. She will be dearly missed."

Marianne Faithfull in 2021.

David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty

Born in the Hampstead neighborhood of London, Faithfull rose to prominence as a singer at the height of the Swinging Sixties with the release of her 1964 single "As Tears Go By." The song — written by Rolling Stones members Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, and their manager Andrew Loog Oldham — peaked at No. 9 on the U.K. and Irish singles charts. 

The following year, Faithfull released her eponymous debut album — which featured a bevy of hits, including "This Little Bird" and "Come and Stay With Me" — and tied the knot with gallery owner and artist John Dunbar. The pair welcomed a son, Nicholas, but shortly afterward Faithfull left her husband to move in with Jagger. She and Dunbar would not officially get divorced until 1970.

Together, Faithfull and Jagger became an instantly recognizable couple who frequently appeared on the front covers of the latest British tabloids, especially after she was among those present when the police raided Richards' Redlands home in 1967. Faithfull was not charged in the drug-related incident, but it had a profound effect on both her personal and professional life. "It destroyed me," she said in a 1993 interview with Details magazine. "To be a male drug addict and to act like that is always enhancing and glamorizing. A woman in that situation becomes a slut and a bad mother.”

In addition to her music career, Faithfull was also a star of the silver screen, and made history when she became the first person ever to use the word 'f---' in a major motion picture, in the 1968 comedy I'll Never Forget What's'isname. The following year, she had a notable turn opposite Alain Delon in Jack Cardiff's erotic drama The Girl on a Motorcycle.

Off screen, however, Faithfull's world was marred by tragedy. She suffered a miscarriage in 1968 and, a year later, attempted suicide while on a trip to Australia with Jagger. After the couple went their separate ways in 1970, Faithfull spent two years living on the streets of London, where she developed a heroin addiction and lost custody of her son to Dunbar.

She returned to the world of music with her 1971 album, Rich Kid Blues, although the album would not be officially released until more than a decade later in 1985. Faithfull also found success with her 1975 album, Dreamin' My Dreams, but she would receive both critical and commercial acclaim with the release of her celebrated 1979 album, Broken English. The record, which featured Faithfull crooning tracks like "Witches' Song" and "Why D'Ya Do It" in her new, huskier tone, earned her a nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance at the 1981 Grammy Awards.

Faithfull would release 12 more albums over the course of nearly 40 years, as well as three autobiographies. She also named a Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government in 2011. She is survived by her son and three grandchildren.

Origin:
publisher logo
EW.com
Loading...
Loading...

You may also like...