Photo by Peter Cunningham
Maggie Roche, one of the three sisters who made up vocal trio The Roches, has died. Roche’s sister and bandmate Suzzy confirmed the news in a Facebook post, saying that Maggie passed away after a long struggle with cancer. She was 65.
“She was a private person, too sensitive and shy for this world, but brimming with life, love, and talent,” Suzzy’s notes reads. “I want to let you know how grateful she was to everyone who listened and understood her through her music and her songs. After decades of singing, writing, traveling and performing together, we spent the last month and a half helping each other through her final journey, now I have to let her go.”
The Roches formed in their hometown of Park Ridge, New Jersey, in the early 1970s and continued performing until their final album, Moonswept, was released in 2007. Maggie, the eldest of the Roche sisters, initially formed a duo with middle sister Terre, with whom she sang backup vocals on Paul Simon’s 1973 album There Goes Rhymin’ Simon. Their youngest sister, Suzzy, later joined them, and the siblings released their debut self-titled album as a trio in 1979.
Read Suzzy’s full note on her sister’s passing below.
Listen to some of The Roches’ songs below.
