The deaths of fashion designer Bob Mackie, feminist campaigner Gloria Steinem and country music legend Dolly Parton are among the losses that have marked 2026, as the entertainment and cultural worlds mourn a succession of influential figures.
The latest death recorded in the year was that of Mackie, who died in Palm Springs, California, on Monday, September 14, aged 87. His publicist said he had died from pneumonia.
Known as the “designer to the stars”, Mackie created lavish costumes and gowns for Cher, Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, Madonna, Sharon Stone and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. His work earned him nine Emmy Awards and a Tony Award, while he received three Oscar nominations.
His death came shortly after that of Steinem, the writer and activist who became one of the most recognisable figures in the women’s rights movement in the United States. She died on September 2, aged 92.
Jazz singer Cassandra Wilson, who won two Grammy Awards and was praised for extending the boundaries of blues-based jazz, also died on September 1, aged 70. Actor Samuel Monroe Jr, known for Menace II Society, died on August 27 at 52 after a battle with meningitis.
Musicians and performers who died in 2026
Parton, one of the most celebrated figures in country music, died in Nashville on August 25 at the age of 80. Her family said she had died peacefully after a career spanning seven decades.
The singer and songwriter was known worldwide for songs including Jolene and 9 to 5. She sold more than 100 million records and built a second legacy through her work as an actress, author and philanthropist.
Bonnie Tyler, the Welsh singer behind Total Eclipse of the Heart and Holding Out for a Hero, died in hospital in Portugal on July 8, aged 75. Her family said she had died unexpectedly as a result of the illness for which she was receiving treatment.
Other prominent music figures to die during the year included Village People singer Victor Willis, Grammy-winning producer and executive Clive Davis, Blood, Sweat & Tears vocalist David Clayton-Thomas and saxophonist Sonny Rollins.
Willis, who co-wrote the disco anthems YMCA and Macho Man, died on June 30 at 74 following what was described as a short but aggressive illness. Davis, whose career included leading Columbia Records and founding Arista Records, died on June 22 aged 94.
Rollins, regarded as one of jazz’s great improvisers, died at 95, while Clayton-Thomas died at 84. The Blood, Sweat & Tears album released in 1968 sold millions of copies and won five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year.
Among the other musicians remembered in 2026 were Grateful Dead co-founder Bob Weir, salsa pioneer Willie Colón, Three Dog Night singer Chuck Negron, Seals & Crofts performer Dash Crofts and Commodores co-founder Ronald LaPread.
Weir died on January 10, aged 78, after joining the Grateful Dead as a teenager and spending decades touring with the group. His death came as fans continued to celebrate his partnership with the late Jerry Garcia.
Actors and filmmakers remembered
The acting world lost several familiar faces, including Sam Neill, Eric Dane, Robert Duvall, Catherine O’Hara and Chuck Norris.
Neill, best known as Dr Alan Grant in Jurassic Park, died in Sydney on July 13 at 78. He had been receiving treatment for stage-three blood cancer.
Dane, who starred in Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria, died on February 19 from motor neurone disease. He was 49. Duvall, whose seven-decade career included The Godfather and Tender Mercies, died on February 16 at 95.
O’Hara, celebrated for Beetlejuice, Home Alone and Schitt’s Creek, died on January 30 following a brief illness. She was 71.
Norris, the martial artist and actor associated with films including Missing in Action and The Delta Force, died on March 19 at 86. His family described him as a devoted husband, father and grandfather who had inspired millions through his work and discipline.
Other actors who died included Tim Curry, known for playing Dr Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show; Peter Cullen, the voice of Optimus Prime; Shelley Fabares; Michael Wright; Brenda Fricker; Anthony Head; and Robert Carradine.
Curry died on August 26 aged 80, while Cullen died the following day at 85. Fricker, the Irish Oscar winner who played the pigeon lady in Home Alone 2, was 81.
The year also saw the deaths of James Burrows, the director and co-creator of Cheers, and Mark Rydell, the Oscar-nominated director of On Golden Pond. Rydell died aged 97, while Burrows was 85.
Deaths from sport and public life
The sporting world mourned baseball pitcher Tommy John, whose pioneering elbow operation became synonymous with a procedure that extended the careers of countless players. He died on August 16 at 83.
Basketball Hall of Famer Don Nelson died aged 86 after a career spanning almost half a century. Rick Adelman, another highly respected NBA coach, died at 79, while former NBA player Jason Collins died at 47 following a battle with an aggressive brain tumour.
Former Formula One driver and Paralympic champion Alex Zanardi died on May 1 at 59. Kyle Busch, a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, died on May 21 aged 41.
In football, Hall of Fame player Raymond Berry died aged 93. Craig Morton, the first quarterback to start the Super Bowl for two different teams, died at 83.
The year’s losses also extended beyond entertainment and sport. Nancy Kissinger, the widow of former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger, died aged 92, while Marcia Lucas, the Oscar-winning editor of the original Star Wars, died after cancer.
From major stars to influential figures whose work shaped music, film, sport and public life, the deaths recorded in 2026 have brought an unusually wide range of tributes from around the world.
