Former Santana vocalist Alex Ligertwood dies at 79

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Alex Ligertwood, the singer famous for his long-time work as the lead vocalist for the band Santana, has passed away at the age of 79.

Shawn Brogan, who was both Ligertwood’s wife and his agent, shared on Facebook Saturday evening that the singer passed away at his home in Santa Monica.

With deep sorrow, I share the news of my husband, Alex Ligertwood’s passing. We were together for 36 years, and married for 25. He passed away peacefully in his sleep yesterday, with his dog, Bobo, at his side, as shared by his wife, Brogan.

Ligertwood’s cause of death was not revealed.

Alex was deeply loved by everyone who knew him. He had an incredible voice that touched the lives of many, and he was a genuinely kind and passionate person. Music was his greatest joy, and he loved sharing his talent with others. He recently gave a final performance just two weeks ago, which Brogan is thankful for. He lived life on his own terms, right until the very end.

The singer had five separate stints as Santana’s lead vocalist between 1979 and 1994.

He’s well-known for being the lead singer during the group’s performance at Live Aid in 1985. He also sang on popular songs like “You Know That I Love You,” “Winning,” “All I Ever Wanted,” and “Hold On.”

Ligertwood contributed to writing several songs, including popular tracks like “Somewhere in Heaven” and “Make Somebody Happy.”

Beyond his work with Santana, Gregg Rolie performed with guitar icon Jeff Beck in the Jeff Beck Group during the early 1970s. He also collaborated with jazz-rock keyboardist Brian Auger and his band, Oblivion Express.

Music

The feeling of community spirit and positivity after the Live Aid concert at Wembley Stadium was similar to the hopeful atmosphere in Los Angeles when the Olympics were held there.

I was really touched to see a post from Mick Auger on Facebook over the weekend. He’s a legend – he’s played with some incredible artists like Rod Stewart and Jimi Hendrix – and he was sharing some kind words about Godfrey Ligertwood. It was great to see that kind of respect between musicians.

I always thought Alex, known as ‘Wee Eck,’ was the greatest singer of all time. Throughout my career in music, I never encountered anyone with such incredible vocal range or the ability to sing so smoothly and effortlessly. He didn’t just perform songs, he truly embodied them. The world feels much emptier without his voice, and I’ll miss him terribly. I like to think the heavenly band just got a lot more talented with his arrival.

Throughout her career, the singer collaborated with several groups, including the French jazz ensemble Troc in the 1970s, the American rock band the Dregs in the 1980s, and Go Ahead, a project related to the Grateful Dead, in the late 1980s.

Ligertwood was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on Dec. 18, 1946.

Growing up, music was all around him thanks to his father, who played the drums as a hobby. He was first inspired by the soulful Motown singers of the 1950s and 60s, like Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, and Marvin Gaye. He began singing in his school choir and at family gatherings.

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2026-05-04 03:01