Television’s Richard Lloyd Dead At 75

Richard Lloyd, former guitarist of the influential New York art‑rock band Television, has passed away at the age of 75. He was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, a bile‑duct cancer, in March and died this morning at his home in Chattanooga.

His loving wife, Sheila, and his dog Willie Mays were present at the end,

his family said in a statement to Rolling Stone. The loss also follows the passing of Television frontman Tom Verlaine in 2023.

Richard Lloyd was born in Pittsburgh on October 25, 1951. He attended high school in New York City, where his friend Velvert Turner, who claimed to be a protégé of Jimi Hendrix, introduced him to the guitar. Lloyd often skipped schoolwork to accompany his instrument to class. The group Television was formed in 1973 with Tom Verlaine, Richard Hell, and Billy Ficca, recruiting Lloyd as their second guitarist.

Television built a following through regular performances at the historic East Village club CBGB and collaborated with producer Brian Eno while attracting attention from numerous record labels. Their debut album Marquee Moon was released on Elektra in 1977, followed by Adventure the next year. The band eventually disbanded, but reunited for their final full‑length LP, Television, in 1992.

Lloyd launched a solo career, publishing his debut album Alchemy in 1979. He also performed as a guitarist and session musician for artists such as Matthew Sweet and John DOE (X’s John Doe), and later ran a studio in New York City where he mentored emerging guitarists. His discography includes nine solo releases and a memoir, Everything Is Combustible: Television, CBGB’s, and Five Decades of Rock and Roll, published in 2018.

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