British singer and actor Marianne Faithfull, best known for her hit song As Tears Go By, has passed away at the age of 78. Faithfull died in London, according to a statement from her representatives. The cause of death has not been disclosed.
Throughout her life, Marianne Faithfull was married three times. Faithfull married artist John Dunbar on May 6, 1965, in Cambridge. They had a son, Nicholas, born on November 10, 1965. The marriage was short-lived, and they separated as Faithfull began her relationship with Mick Jagger.
In 1979, she married Ben Brierly, a musician and member of the punk band The Vibrators. Their marriage lasted until 1986. Faithfull's third marriage was to writer Giorgio Della Terza in 1988. This union ended in 1991.
Marianne Faithfull, British singer, and actress, passes away at 78
Marianne Faithfull rose to fame in the 1960s and gained recognition with her 1964 single As Tears Go By, written by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Andrew Loog Oldham. Her delicate yet haunting vocals set her apart in the industry, leading to further releases such as This Little Bird and Come and Stay with Me.
Born in Hampstead, London, on December 29, 1946, Faithfull started her music career as a folk singer before being discovered at a party by Rolling Stones’ manager Andrew Loog Oldham. With her first single, she quickly became a pop sensation.
Her relationship with Mick Jagger from 1966 to 1970 put her at the center of the rock and roll lifestyle, reportedly influencing songs like Wild Horses and You Can’t Always Get What You Want. However, she also struggled with drug addiction, which led to a downward spiral in the 1970s, as reported by the Belfast Telegraph.
Marianne Faithfull spent years battling heroin addiction, living on the streets at one point, and losing custody of her son, Nicholas. Despite these setbacks, she made a remarkable comeback with the release of Broken English in 1979.
The album marked a turning point in her career, showcasing a deeper, more mature voice. It received critical acclaim and reestablished her as a serious artist.
After her breakup with Jagger, she married Ben Brierly of the punk band The Vibrators in 1979, but they divorced in 1987. She later married writer Giorgio Della Terza, though that marriage also ended in divorce in 1991. In the late 1990s, she entered a long-term relationship with her manager, François Ravard, as reported by BBC.
In the following decades, Marianne Faithfull continued to record music, venturing into jazz and blues with albums like Strange Weather (1987). She also acted in films, including Marie Antoinette (2006), and published multiple memoirs detailing her experiences in the music industry.
In 2020, Marianne Faithfull contracted COVID-19, which led to a lengthy hospitalization and long-term health effects. Despite this, she released She Walks in Beauty in 2021, an album of spoken-word poetry set to music. Over the years, she reinvented herself multiple times, moving from folk to rock to jazz, all while maintaining a distinct voice.