British singer-songwriter Marianne Faithfull passed away on January 30 in London. She was 78.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of the singer, songwriter and actress Marianne Faithfull,” a statement released by her spokesperson on Thursday, Jan. 30 said.
“Marianne passed away peacefully in London today, in the company of her loving family. She will be dearly missed.”
Find out more about her and her personal life below.
Who Was Marianne Faithfull?
Faithfull was a British singer, songwriter, and actress, born in Hampstead, London, in December 1946 to Eva von Sacher-Masoch and Major Glynn Faithfull, a British Intelligence officer.
She rose to fame in the 1960s, known for her iconic music career and turbulent personal life. With her raw, expressive voice, Faithfull became a defining cultural figure of the swinging 60s. She was closely associated with the Rolling Stones, particularly Mick Jagger, with whom she had a highly publicized relationship.
Faithfull’s career took off in 1964 after being discovered at a London party by Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham, who helped launch her music career with the release of the song “As Tears Go By,” written by Jagger and Keith Richards.
Who Are Marianne Faithfull’s Children?
Faithfull had one son, Nicholas, whom she had with her then-partner, artist John Dunbar.
Was Marianne Faithfull Married?
Faithfull was married once to artist and writer John Dunbar in 1965 when she was just 18. The couple had their son, Nicholas, before divorcing in 1970. Later, she married Ben Brierly, a member of the punk band The Vibrators, in 1979. Her third marriage was to Giorgio della Terza, but they separated in 1991 after three years together.
She also had a long-term relationship with her manager, French record producer François Ravard, which lasted 15 years before they parted ways in 2009, according to The Guardian.
How Did Marianne Faithfull Die?
A spokesperson for Faithfull confirmed her death, though the cause has not been disclosed. At this time, it remains unknown.
How Was Marianne Faithfull’s Health?
Faithfull struggled with excessive drug use, sporadic homelessness, and a battle with anorexia nervosa. She even spent six days in a coma in 1969 after overdosing on sleeping pills.
“[I was] dependent on every possible neurotic thing – heroin, coke, pills, alcohol, sex and money,” she wrote in her autobiography Faithfull, calling herself a “garden-variety drug addict.” “The first year I was in treatment I was dying to uncover a serious psychosis that I could pin it all on, but nothing like that ever showed up. My headlong descent had much more to do with a willful and heedless pursuit of hedonism.”
Throughout her life, Faithfull faced many health scares, including breast cancer and hepatitis C. She also contracted COVID-19 in April 2020 and battled long-term side effects, such as memory and lung problems, as well as fatigue.
