Marianne Faithfull, a singer and actress best known for hits including “As Tears Go By,” died Thursday, a spokeswoman said. She was 78.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of the singer, songwriter, and actress Marianne Faithfull,” a statement to USA TODAY said. “Marianne died away peacefully in London today, surrounded by her loving family. She will be sorely missed.
The reason of death was not disclosed.
Faithfull’s music became popular in the 1960s, and she helped steer the female wing of the British invasion, a term used to describe British artists who gained appeal in the United States and were often linked with The Beatles.
Her musical career, which spanned five decades and included candid lyrics and albums of various genres, coincided with her growing fame in the film industry.
With films like “Hamlet,” “The Girl on a Motorcycle,” and, much later, Sofia Coppola’s “Marie Antoinette,” Faithfull demonstrated that her knack for narrative was not limited to her personal life.
Faithfull’s story, as both a household name and a victim of her circumstances, was punctuated by tragic events. Her trials with homelessness and drug addiction contributed to her career’s longevity, making it a genuine Phoenix story.
According to The Guardian, Faithfull met Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham in her teens, which began a lucrative and tumultuous collaboration with the band, particularly leader Mick Jagger.
In 1964, Oldham asked Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards to write Faithfull’s breakthrough single “As Tears Go By,” which has since become one of her most recognized songs.
Faithfull married artist John Dunbar in 1965 and had a son with him, but she left the marriage soon after to be with Jagger, according to the site. During the four-year relationship, she became a muse for one of the world’s most famous rock bands while also falling into a downward spiral of drug addiction.
In a remarkable fall from grace, Faithfull lost custody of her child and ended up homeless on London’s streets.
In 1993, she told Details magazine, “It destroyed me.” Being a male drug addict and acting like one is always empowering and glamorizing. A lady in her situation turns into a harlot and a lousy mother.”
In 1967, she made a comeback with “Dreamin’ My Dreams,” a country album that barely made a splash in the UK but became a cult hit in Ireland. Faithfull did not become completely clean and sober until more than ten years later.
Faithfull released 21 studio albums and collaborated with artists such as Emmylou Harris, Beck, and Metallica.
If you or someone you know is suffering from substance use problems, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.
