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January 2026 started off with a cold, hard fact: Death is inevitable.<\/p>\n
The first major musician death to make the news this year was that of Jim McBride, the Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame artist known for penning country hits alongside Alan Jackson; he died days into the new year on Jan. 6 at age 78. Among his most known songs that he collabed with the country star on were \u201cChasin\u2019 That Neon Rainbow,\u201d\u00a0 \u201cSomeday,\u201d \u201cThat\u2019s All I Need to Know,\u201d \u201c(Who Says) You Can\u2019t Have It All\u201d and \u201cChattahoochee,\u201d with the last song peaking at No. 48 on the Billboard Hot 100<\/a> in 1993.<\/p>\n Days later, on Jan. 10, Colombian singer-songwriter Yeison Jim\u00e9nez passed away in a plane crash that took the lives of six people. He was 34. Deadheads were stunned the same day when a statement on Bob Weir\u2019s Instagram account announced that the Grateful Dead founding member had died at 78 after beating lung cancer, but had \u201csuccumbed to underlying lung issues.\u201d<\/p>\n Another unexpected death of a celebrated artist was announced before the new year was even two weeks old. Grammy-nominated musician John Fort\u00e9, who is known for his work with the Fugees, was found dead at age 50 in his Massachusetts home on Jan. 12. Fugees singer Lauryn Hill paid tribute to her late collaborator days later, writing on Instagram, \u201cThis loss is unexpected and surreal and my heart aches\u2026 for his family, for his wife, for his children, for his friends, and for all of us who were blessed to know him.\u201d<\/p>\n