Q Lazzarus Cause of Death Confirmed: 'Goodbye Horses' Singer Dead at 61

In a report by The Rolling Stone, a close friend of Q Lazzarus, Eva Aridjis confirmed the death of the singer-songwriter. The 61-year-old singer-songwriter died following a short illness, but the cause of death was not released.

In an interview with The Rolling Stone, Aridjis talked about Lazzarus' vibrant and exuberant energy: "Q had one of those life forces that you simply can't imagine being extinguished or ceasing to exist, because it was so vital and radiant and exuberant. Despite having had a very hard life, she was not jaded at all."

Q Lazzarus, born Diane Luckey, was born in New Jersey and died at 61. Her obituary noted that the viewing was also held in New Jersey.

SHe rose to prominence following her single "Goodbye Horses" being featured in Jonathan Demme's 1991 movie "The Silence of the Lambs."

The song became a cult favorite, and her other songs were also featured in Demme's movies. She, however, vanished from the spotlight around the mid-1990s.

Due to her lack of public appearances, Lazzarus' death only came to media attention on Aug. 19, despite passing away the month earlier.

However, Aridjis revealed that Lazzarus was actually planning a comeback concert: "[...] She was full of enthusiasm, passion and humor. And she was also full of plans. At the time of her death, we were planning a 'comeback concert' with some of her original bandmates."

Q Lazzarus' Roots In Music

Lazzarus began singing at a young age. She was a member of the Mount Pisgah Youth Choir, and pursued music professionally after watching "Bubbling Brown Sugar" on Broadway.

At 18, she made her way to New York to forge her own music career there. It was then when she used the moniker Q Lazzarus.

While singing backup and writing jingles for Sigma Sounds Studio, she also worked on building a name for herself. She formed her band Q Lazzarus and the Resurrection.

It Began In A Taxi Cab

It was a long, tough road for Lazzarus before reaching fame. She was turned down by many recording companies. On the side, she took various jobs, including being a housekeeper, an au pair, and a taxi driver.

It was in her taxi that she landed herself a once-in-a-lifetime chance. She was playing a demo of her music when Demme got in her cab. When he asked whose music was playing, she replied it was hers.

Following this brief encounter, Lazzarus' music career was catapulted from being played in her cab to the movie theaters.

Her songs appeared on Demme's movies, including "Something Wild," "Married to the Mob," "Philadelphia," and "Silence of the Lambs."

However, despite all this, Lazzarus still struggled to land a record deal. Following the release of "Philadelphia," she essentially vanished from the spotlight.

Aridjis told Rolling Stone that not even close friends nor bandmates knew where or what happened to the singer.

Unreleased Music

A film about the recluse singer is under wraps, set to be released on 2023, reports say. The movie is entitled "Goodbye Horses: The Many Lives Of Q Lazzarus."

Aside from the movie, Aridjis shared that Lazzarus has left her with "a huge sack of cassette tapes," filled of music that was never released.

"Q had spent the past 20-plus years driving cars and buses, and couldn't wait to return to making music," she said.

"[...] I am heartbroken knowing I will never see her again, and I am devastated for her family."

Tags

Death, Singer