Artist News Releases

Richard Swift’s family issue statement on musician’s death

By | Published on Wednesday 11 July 2018

Richard Swift

The family of Black Keys collaborator and former Shins member Richard Swift have said that health issues relating to “alcohol addiction” were the cause of his recent death, aged 41. Previously it had only been stated that he was receiving treatment for a “life-threatening condition”.

joint statement from Swift’s family, his label Secretly Canadian and management company Next Wave says: “Richard Swift suffered from alcohol addiction, and it’s ultimately what took his life. With the support of family and friends and the assistance of MusiCares, Richard had checked himself into rehab for multiple stays over the past two years, but his body gave out before he could overcome the disease. He was diagnosed with hepatitis and liver and kidney distress in June”.

“Multiple hospitals worked to help stabilise him over the course of that month, but his body was unable to heal and, per his wishes and with his family’s consent, he was moved to hospice care”, the statement goes on. “Richard passed in the early morning of 3 Jul 2018 in a hospice facility in Tacoma, WA”.

They add that Swift was working on new music prior to his death, which was scheduled for release in November this year. However, it may now be made available earlier. “We do not have a timeline for its completion yet, but we hope to share it with you sooner than that”, they say.



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