Dennis Locorriere dies aged 76 after kidney disease battle
Dennis Locorriere, the Dr Hook frontman and musician, died aged 76 on May 16 2026 after a long battle with kidney disease. His management said he passed away peacefully surrounded by his loved ones, closing a career that stretched across nearly six decades.
Dr Hook and the 1970s run
Locorriere sang vocals for Dr Hook alongside Ray Sawyer, and the group he founded with Sawyer, Billy Francis and George Cummings became known for When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman, Sharing The Night Together and Sylvia’s Mother. The band was known as Dr Hook & The Medicine Show until 1975, a name tied to its early years before the shorter version stuck.
Born in Union City, New Jersey, Locorriere later lived in the UK for 24 years and recorded more than 18 albums across his career. He also forged a solo career after the band’s first long stretch, keeping his name in circulation long after the original 1970s peak.
Ray Sawyer and the band’s span
Ray Sawyer died in 2019, leaving Locorriere as the most visible surviving link to Dr Hook’s original front line. The band debuted in 1971, which gives the death added weight for listeners tracking the last direct connections to that era.
By 2014, the group reached number 11 on the top 40 chart Timeless, a late-career marker that showed the catalogue still had commercial pull long after the hit-making years had passed. That kind of chart return is the real story here: Dr Hook was not just a nostalgia act, but a name that kept resurfacing in the market.
What his family asked
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dennis Locorriere, who, after a long and courageous battle with kidney disease, passed away peacefully surrounded by his loved ones on May 16 2026.” The statement also said, “Dennis faced his illness with remarkable strength, dignity, and resilience throughout, and remained deeply cherished by all who knew him.”
“He will be remembered for his warmth, love, and the lasting impact he had on those around him,” the statement said. It added, “We would like to thank everyone who supported Dennis during his journey and ask for privacy for his loved ones as they grieve this profound loss.”
