Guitar Virtuoso Dies at 75
Television co-founder and guitarist Richard Lloyd died Saturday morning at his home in Chattanooga, Tennessee, at the age of 75, Rolling Stone reported.
His family shared a statement with Rolling Stone confirming the death. “His loving wife Sheila and his dog Willie Mays were with him at the end,” the family stated.
Cholangiocarcinoma Claims Music Pioneer
The cause of death was cholangiocarcinoma, a malignant bile duct cancer diagnosed in March 2026, according to Rolling Stone. Lloyd developed multiple tumors in his liver, including one positioned too close to a major blood vessel for surgeons to remove, as detailed on a GoFundMe campaign established to cover medical expenses.
Born in Pittsburgh on October 25, 1951, Lloyd moved to New York City at a young age and immersed himself in the city’s burgeoning proto-punk scene. He initially played drums before switching to guitar following an auditory hallucination that told him to play a melody instrument, an experience he detailed in his 2017 memoir, Everything Is Combustible.
Shaping Punk at CBGB
In 1973, Lloyd joined forces with frontman Tom Verlaine, Richard Hell, and drummer Billy Ficca to form Television. The band quickly became a fixture at the legendary Manhattan club CBGB.
Television released three studio albums: Marquee Moon in 1977, Adventure in 1978, and a self-titled third record in 1992. Marquee Moon is widely regarded as a watershed release in rock history, earning the number 107 spot on Rolling Stone’s 2023 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
Lloyd Pursued Solo Projects After Leaving Television
Lloyd left Television briefly after their second album and parted ways permanently with the group in 2007. Alongside his work with the band, he launched a solo career with his 1979 debut album, Alchemy, and released subsequent projects including Field of Fire and 2018’s The Countdown.
He is survived by his wife Sheila and his son Dylan.
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