David Johansen, frontman of New York Dolls, dies at 75 after battling stage 4 cancer and brain tumor
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: David Johansen, legendary frontman of the New York Dolls and a pioneering figure in punk rock, died on Friday, February 28, at his home in New York.
His daughter, Leah Hennessey, confirmed the news to People, revealing that he died peacefully, surrounded by his wife Mara Hennessey and their daughter in an atmosphere filled with music and flowers.
How did David Johansen die?
Johansen's daughter Hennessey shared, "After a decade of profoundly compromised health, he died of natural causes."
"David and his family were deeply moved by the outpouring of love and support they’ve received after publicly revealing his health struggles. He was grateful to reconnect with so many friends and family members before his passing," she added.
Earlier in February, Hennessey had disclosed that Johansen had been battling stage 4 cancer and a brain tumor.
She revealed that he had been undergoing intensive treatment for years and that his family faced severe financial burden due to his ongoing medical care.
“David has been in intensive treatment for stage 4 cancer for most of the past decade,” she explained.
"He never made his diagnosis public as he and my mother are very private, but we felt compelled to share it due to the financial challenges we were facing," she added.
Hennessey also mentioned that her father had suffered a fall, breaking his back, which further complicated his health.
Inside David Johansen's revolutionary career in punk rock
David Johansen made his mark on the music industry in the early 1970s as the frontman of the New York Dolls, a band that helped lay the foundation for punk rock.
Though the band never achieved mainstream commercial success, their influence was undeniable, shaping the sound and attitude of future generations of punk and glam rock artists.
Formed in 1972, the New York Dolls released their self-titled debut album in 1973, followed by 'Too Much Too Soon' in 1974.
While both albums were commercial flops at the time, their impact resonated far beyond record sales.
In a 2021 retrospective, Billboard described the New York Dolls as a pivotal influence on countless artists, noting that "there’s a slew of musicians from the ’70s and beyond whose careers would be unthinkable without the pioneering look, sound, and attitude of these glammed-up NYC proto-punks."
Despite this, Johansen remained indifferent to the band’s absence from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, once telling Billboard, "To me, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame appears to be a racket."
David Johansen's reinvention as Buster Poindexter
David Johansen’s career took a dramatic turn in the late 1980s when he adopted the persona of Buster Poindexter, a lounge-singer alter ego known for his witty performances and the hit song 'Hot Hot Hot'.
The character became a sensation, and Johansen embraced the role, describing it as a way to entertain while staying true to his artistic instincts.
"I know some people think, 'Oh, Johansen puts on a tuxedo and thinks he's somebody else,'" he told People in 1988.
"But it's me, really. Sometimes, by getting into a certain drag or mindset, you can cast off your mortal coil and do something special. It’s entertainment," he said.
David Johansen's reunion with New York Dolls
David Johansen's influence continued well into the 21st century.
In 2004, he reunited with the New York Dolls for what was intended to be a one-off performance—but the band ended up touring and recording together for nearly a decade.
"We were gonna do one show, and then we wound up playing for eight years and went around the world like three times," he told People.
Johansen is survived by his wife Mara Hennessey and his daughter Leah Hennessey.
