Richard Lloyd, guitarist and co-founder of Television, died on November 7, 2026, at the age of 75, at his home in Chattanooga, Tennessee. According to his family, the musician had been battling bile duct cancer, which was diagnosed in March of this year.
As the disease progressed, a GoFundMe campaign was launched to help cover medical expenses and support the family. Unable to perform — his main source of income — Lloyd relied on the full-time care of his wife, Sheila, who also had to quit her job. The campaign garnered support from fans and music industry figures, such as singer Patti Smith and Sue Miller Tweedy, wife of Jeff Tweedy, frontman of Wilco.
A member of the original lineup of Television, a group formed in 1973, Lloyd was instrumental in shaping the band’s sound, making them one of the icons of the New York scene associated with the CBGB club. The interplay between his guitar and Tom Verlaine’s combined precision, melody, and improvisation, becoming the trademark of the classic album Marquee Moon (1977). The musician also appeared on Adventure (1978) and the self-titled album released upon the group’s reunion in 1992.
In his solo career, Lloyd debuted with Alchemy (1979) and released albums such as Field of Fire (1985), The Cover Doesn’t Matter (2000), and The Countdown (2018), solidifying his career as a guitarist, singer, and songwriter. In addition to his own albums, he collaborated with artists such as Matthew Sweet and John Doe of the band X.
The classic lineup of Television consisted of Tom Verlaine (vocals and guitar), Fred Smith (bass), and Billy Ficca (drums), in addition to Lloyd. Verlaine died on January 28, 2023, at the age of 73. Smith—a former member of Blondie who replaced original bassist Richard Hell in 1975—died on February 5, 2026, at the age of 77. With Lloyd’s passing, Ficca becomes the only surviving member of the quartet that recorded Marquee Moon. Richard Hell, a member of the original lineup, is also still alive.
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