David Cassidy Dies: Rockers React
The death of veteran recording artist and television star David Cassidy has left many of his peers and famous fans to share their grief over his passing — and admiration for his work — via social media.
As previously reported, Cassidy died Nov. 21, days after being hospitalized and suffering multiple organ failures. Only 67 at the time of his passing, he suffered from a number of health issues; earlier this year, he'd gone public with his dementia diagnosis, and in the days leading up to his death, doctors placed him in a medically induced coma in an effort to keep him stable long enough to find a suitable liver for a transplant.
"David died surrounded by those he loved, with joy in his heart and free from the pain that had gripped him for so long," read a statement released by a representative after his death. "Thank you for the abundance and support you have shown him these many years."
That support continued with an array of messages from people in the entertainment industry. Although most widely known for his teen idol days as a member of the cast of The Partridge Family, Cassidy was a musician and songwriter who did some of his most interesting work out of the spotlight — and earned the respect of an eclectic assortment of acclaimed performers such as Brian Wilson and Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid, both of whom eulogized him via social media after the news of his death broke.
Wilson and Reid were only among the first stars to offer words of praise for Cassidy's work. Subsequent tributes included a tweet from Rick Springfield, who had his own personal experience trying to dig his way out of the teen idol trenches, and Go-Go's vocalist Belinda Carlisle.
Speaking to the breadth of his cultural impact, particularly early in his career, Cassidy inspired social media farewells beyond the expected pop stars and television vets — as evidenced by the words shared by Kiss co-founder Paul Stanley and the grizzled rockers in Foghat.