Known for his deep, world-weary voice, he was part of a generation of Seattle musicians who put grunge music on the map.
Mark Lanegan, a singer for Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age and an integral part of the 1980s and 1990s grunge scene in the Pacific Northwest, died on Tuesday at his home in Killarney, Ireland. He was 57.
SKH Music, a management company, confirmed his death in a statement but did not specify a cause.
In the statement, SKH Music called Mr. Lanegan “a beloved singer, songwriter, author and musician.”
Though his stints in the bands Screaming Trees, Queens of the Stone Age and the Gutter Twins never brought him the kind of fame achieved by Nirvana and Soundgarden, other Seattle grunge bands, he was known for his scratchy yet full-bodied voice that could take a song to both soaring heights and melancholy lows.
Mr. Lanegan’s voice was a defining element of hits like Screaming Trees’ 1992 song “Nearly Lost You” and Queens of the Stone Age’s 2000 record “Feel Good Hit of the Summer.” He wrote candidly about drugs and a self-destructive lifestyle.
Mark William Lanegan was born on Nov. 25, 1964, in Ellensburg, Wash., a small farming city, according to his IMDb page.
He is survived by his wife, Shelley, SKH Music said. A complete list of survivors was not immediately available.
A full obituary will appear shortly.
Ben Sisario contributed reporting.
