Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, a former member of the Grateful Dead, has died at the age of 78 from cancer, according to a statement.
The Context
Godchaux-MacKay’s contribution to American music spans iconic partnerships, from her tenure as a featured vocalist with the Grateful Dead during the band’s pivotal 1970s era, to her work as a backing singer on legendary tracks such as Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds” and Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman.” Her career reflected several transformative moments in American rock, soul and popular music, and her passing marks the end of a wide-ranging legacy. Godchaux-MacKay was inducted along with the Grateful Dead into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, underscoring her historic impact on the industry.
What To Know
Godchaux-MacKay died on Sunday in Nashville, Tennessee.
“Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, former vocalist with the Grateful Dead, passed away surrounded by her family on November 2, 2025, at Alive Hospice in Nashville after a lengthy struggle with cancer,” a statement shared with Relix magazine read. “She was a sweet and warmly beautiful spirit, and all those who knew her are united in loss. The family requests privacy at this time of grieving. In the words of Dead lyricist Robert Hunter, ‘May the four winds blow her safely home.'”
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
