Tragic news strikes the family, friends, and fans of post-punk legend Richard Lloyd. In a report from Rolling Stone, the Television guitarist passed away at 75 years old. He died peacefully in his Chattanooga, Tennessee home from cholangiocarcinoma, also known as bile duct cancer. “His loving wife Sheila and his dog Willie Mays were with him at the end,” his family wrote in a statement.
Lloyd was diagnosed with the illness back in March 2026. According to their GoFundMe, doctors found tumors in his liver and couldn’t safely remove it due to its proximity to a major blood vessel. Since their diagnosis, he was admitted into the ICU several times and endured numerous complications in his liver and kidneys.
Ultimately, Richard Lloyd’s family made the GoFundMe because he couldn’t properly tour due to his illness. That left his wife Sheila as their full-time caregiver and under extreme financial duress.
“I am usually a pretty upbeat person and I am taking this in stride, but it has become very difficult on our own and financially we are strapped,” Lloyd said at the time. “That’s why I’m asking for your help. If you can see your way clear to make a donation please do that. Otherwise, please pass it around to your friends that might help and people that know me.”
Richard Lloyd Passes Away at 75 After Battle with Bile Duct Cancer
Lloyd was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and eventually moved to New York, where he formed the extremely influential Television in 1973. Alongside Tom Verlaine, bassist Fred Smith, and drummer Billy Ficca, they were largely formative to the punk scene. Together, they drew influence from jazz and 60s rock legends like the Velvet Underground.
Their biggest and most impactful album was Marquee Moon in 1977. Richard Lloyd and co. admittedly recorded a bulk of the album as if they were performing live for an audience. The album could be traced back to some of the biggest, most influential bands in rock history, from Sonic Youth to U2.
When Television initially disbanded in 1978, Richard Lloyd embarked on his own solo career. By 1979, he released his debut album Alchemy. After the release of the record, he said he purposefully intended to try and separate himself from his band. “I had wanted to do a record of a different tambre than the two Television records, more Pop, sentimental and personal,” Lloyd shared in commentary for the album.
Photo by Ebet Roberts/Redferns
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