In the early morning of July 3, Richard Swift died in a Tacoma, Washington hospice facility. He was 41. His family and management have now revealed the cause of his death in a statement on Swift’s Facebook page. “Yes, Richard Swift suffered from alcohol addiction, and it’s ultimately what took his life,” the post reads. Swift sought treatment over the past two years, but eventually succumbed to complications from hepatitis, as well as liver and kidney distress. See the full statement below.
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Swift’s family and management also said that the singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist was planning to release new music that they “hope to share” in the near future. In June, Swift’s family launched a GoFundMe page to support his recovery from what they then called a “life-threatening condition.”
Swift was a member of the Shins and the Arcs. He was a touring member with the Black Keys and worked with many artists as a producer from his recording studio in Cottage Grove, Oregon. Since his passing, he has been remembered by Dan Auerbach, the War on Drugs, Rostam, Tim Heidecker, Okkervil River, and many others.
Read “Why Richard Swift Was an Indie Rock Treasure” on the Pitch.
