Tributes are being paid after the death of Marianne Faithfull, the English rock singer who became one of the leading female artists of the British Invasion during the Swinging Sixties. She was 78.
The news was announced in a statement by her spokesperson, who said: “It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of the singer, songwriter and actress Marianne Faithfull.
“Marianne passed away peacefully in London today, in the company of her loving family. She will be dearly missed.”
Tributes to Faithfull were lead by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, who co-wrote her debut single “As Tears Go By”.
On Instagram, Jagger posted a series of vintage photographs beginning with one of himself and Faithfull from 1967, when they were dating.
“I am so saddened to hear of the death of Marianne Faithfull,” he wrote. “She was so much part of my life for so long. She was a wonderful friend, a beautiful singer and a great actress. She will always be remembered.”
Richards posted a recent photograph of the pair together, with him clinking a wine glass against Faithfull’s tea cup. “My heartfelt condolences to Marianne’s family! Im so sad and will miss her!! Love, Keith,” he wrote.
Their Rolling Stones bandmate Ronnie Wood added on his own Instagram: “Farewell dear Marianne.”
One of the first to pay tribute to Faithfull was the singer-songwriter Tim Burgess, frontman of The Charlatans. On X he wrote: “Farewell Marianne Faithfull. I first heard Broken English on a school trip in 1980 and it blew my mind. She was such a free spirit and true talent. We met in Amsterdam in 1994 and spent an afternoon chatting and in between interviews - going to listen to “Why D’Ya Do it”, right now.”
Faithfull’s 1979 album Broken English was a critical and commercial hit that earnt her a Grammy nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. As the years went by, she felt it was overlooked by many.
“When they compiled the 100 best records of the century back in 2000, Broken English was nowhere to be seen,” she told The Independent in 2011. “Which I think was just absurd.”
Faithfull’s collaborator Ed Harcourt shared his own memories of her, writing on Instagram: “A sad, sad day; we’re all pretty devastated. I was on a long drive today & she popped into my head & I thought, I really should call & visit, it had been a while. When we worked together or just hung out, she always called me, the ‘wicked Ed’ with that twinkle in her eye. Sending my deepest love to everyone who knew and loved her. Thanks for the laughter & the beautiful music & the legendary stories, dearest Marianne, I really miss you already.”
Also paying tribute to Faithfull was the actor James Dreyfus, who worked with the late star when she made a guest appearance on BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous as God, opposite Anita Pallenberg – another 1960s icon – as the Devil.
“RIP Marianne Faithfull,” wrote Dreyfus on X. “Was lucky enough to work with her on Ab Fab. She was absolutely lovely…”
The broadcaster Tony Blackburn wrote on X: “Sorry to hear that 69’s singer Marianne Faithfull has died at the age of 78. She gave us some great songs to play. R.I.P.”
Faithfull released her final album, She Walks In Beauty, in 2021. The record saw her collaborating with Warren Ellis, Nick Cave and Brian Eno on songs inspired by poets Keats, Tennyson and Byron, and was widely praised by critics.
“Those who dismissed Faithfull as just Jagger’s ‘bird’ back in the Sixties can surely do so no longer,” Helen Brown wrote in her five-star review for The Independent. “While her old knight is now chugging out the sub-Status Quo pandemic schlock of “Easy Sleazy”, Faithfull is rising from the ashes of the past, breathing fierce, sharp magic into these old words. She’s a time-conquering dragon queen.”
