Mark Lanegan: tributes paid to former Screaming Trees singer who has died at 57 - what family statement said

Singer Mark Lanegan has died at the age of 57.

The musician was confirmed to have passed away after his team shared the news on Twitter.

The music world has been mourning the loss of Lanegan, who is known for working with successful rock and alternative bands.

Here’s everything you need to know about the late singer.

Who was Mark Lanegan?

Mark Lanegan was an American singer songwriter, author and musician.

He grew to prominence in the music scene as the lead singer of the rock band Screaming Trees, which he founded with Gary Lee Conner, Van Conner and Mark Pickerel in 1984.

The band is known for their influence on the grunge scene, with Screaming Trees believed to be one of the pioneering bands of the genre.

The band would go on to influence one of the most famous grunge acts, Nirvana, with Lanegan even recording an unreleased album with lead singer, and close friend, Kurt Cobain in the 1990s.

In the 2000s, Lanegan continued to work with well-known bands such as Queens of the Stone Age, providing vocals on some of the band’s best-loved singles.

He was featured on the album Rated R and became a full-time member of the Josh Homme-led outfit with the release of Songs for the Deaf in 2002.

Lanegan left the band in 2005 with the release of Lullabies to Paralyze.

He continued to collaborate with many musicians up until his death on 22 February 2022.

This included The Twilight Singers and Belle & Sebastian vocalist Isobel Campbell.

What happened to Mark Lanegan?

Lanegan’s passing was confirmed after a heartbreaking statement was posted to his social media.

The statement, from his family, said: “Our beloved friend Mark Lanegan passed away this morning at his home in Killarney, Ireland.

“A beloved singer, songwriter, author and musician he was 57 and is survived by his wife Shelley. No other information is available at this time. We ask Please respect the family privacy.”

The cause of death has not yet been confirmed.

During 2021, he struggled with complications from Covid-19, leaving him in and out of comas for months.

Lanegan spoke about his experience in his memoir Devil in a Coma, which was published in December 2021.

He told of a horror Covid-related fall in which he cracked his ribs and was left in a hallucinating state in a hospital bed.

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