David Johansen dead: tributes pour in for New York Dolls frontman
Following the tragic death of David Johansen, the music world has come forward to pay their respects to the beloved icon.
Johansen’s death was confirmed by his stepdaughter, Leah Hennessey.
Known as one of the founding members of the New York Dolls, Johansen had been battling various health issues after announcing he had stage 4 cancer, eventually asking for help from his fans to offset some of his medical expenses.
A spokesperson issued the following statement: “David Johansen died at home in NYC on Friday afternoon holding hands with his wife Mara Hennessey and daughter Leah, surrounded by music, flowers, and love. He was 75 years old and died of natural causes after nearly a decade of illness.”
The announcement of the punk icon’s death was seemingly first confirmed by former Smiths frontman Morrissey, who had posted on his website that he had passed away, sparking a run of tributes before Johansen’s family communicated the news.
Tim Burgess of the Charlatans also paid his due respects, posting a picture of Johansen on social media during his glory years in the New York Dolls, saying, “Safe travels, David Johansen”.
E Street Band member Stevie Van Zandt also paid tribute to Johansen’s memory, calling him “One of the most unique legends of our business and a very good friend”.
While Johansen’s health struggles began in 2020, he kept his condition private for years. After his cancer led to a brain tumour, his situation became even more complicated in 2024 when he broke his back in three places. Until then, he had made no public appearances outside of being the focal point of Martin Scorsese’s documentary Personality Crisis.
Towards the end of his life, Johansen was completely unable to function due to his back injury, which left him in need of 24-hour care. After initial statements from his family revealed that he was in no financial position to pay for his treatment, the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund launched the David Johansen Foundation to help offset his medical expenses.
In a statement made at the time his condition was made public, the punk icon’s daughter, Leah Hennessey, described both Johansen and his wife, Mara, as needing “full-time assistance” but said that he continued to be both “hilarious and wise”.
Johansen is survived by his wife, Mara Hennessey, and his daughter, Leah Hennessey.
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