January 11, 2016

The music world was shocked and saddened to learn of the death on Sunday night, January 10, of the British musician, composer, and actor David Bowie, one of the most creative figures in rock history. According to a statement posted to his official Facebook account, Bowie died “surrounded by his family after a courageous 18-month battle with cancer.” Bowie turned 69 on January 8, the same day his 26th studio album, Blackstar, was released.

David Bowie is shown performing in concert on June 19, 1987. He died on Jan. 10, 2016. Credit: AP Photo

Although Bowie had kept news of his illness secret until the announcement of his death, Blackstar was described as a “parting gift” to his fans, according to Bowie’s longtime producer and collaborator Tony Visconti. Writing on his Facebook page, Visconti said: “[Bowie] always did what he wanted to do. And he wanted to do it his way and he wanted to do it the best way. His death was no different from his life—a work of art. He made Blackstar for us, his parting gift.”

In his haunting last music video for one of the album’s songs, “Lazarus,” Bowie sings eerily from his apparent death bed, “Look up here, I’m in heaven/I’ve got scars that can’t be seen.” The song also appears in the off-Broadway musical of the same name by Bowie and Enda Wash that premiered on Dec. 7, 2015. It was inspired by the 1963 science-fiction novel, The Man Who Fell To Earth by Walter Tevis, and it centers on the character of Thomas Jerome Newton, an alien from outer space, famously portrayed by Bowie in the 1976 motion-picture adaptation directed by Nicolas Roeg.

Bowie was born in 1947 in London. His real name was David Robert Jones. He first attracted attention with his hit recording “Space Oddity” (1969). His reputation grew with his album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972). The album describes the rise and fall of a rock star. Bowie soon became famous for his bizarre, gender-bending costumes in concerts and for his experimentation with many musical styles and themes. His hit records include “Fame” (1975), “Heroes” (1977), “Let’s Dance” (1983), “Modern Love” (1983), “Without You” (1984), and “Day-In Day-Out” (1987). Bowie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.

Bowie also became a respected actor. He made his motion-picture acting debut in The Virgin Soldiers (1969). In addition to The Man Who Fell To Earth, Bowie’s major films include The Hunger (1983), Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (1983), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), Basquiat (1995), and August (2008). Bowie also received praise for his performance on Broadway in the drama The Elephant Man (1980). Bowie’s son, Duncan Jones, is a motion-picture director.

Other World Book articles:

• Branson, Richard
• Disco music
• Hadfield, Chris
• Popular music (1972) – A Back in Time article
• Popular music (1974) – A Back in Time article
• Popular music (1983) – A Back in Time article
• Popular music (1984) – A Back in Time article
• Popular music (1986) – A Back in Time article
• Popular music (1988) – A Back in Time article
• Popular music (1992) – A Back in Time article
• Poetry (2012) – A Back in Time article
  
• Popular music (2013) – A Back in Time article