Richard Lloyd, a founding member and guitarist of influential New York rock band Television, has died at 75. This article recounts Lloyd’s life, music, and career, from Television and Marquee Moon to his solo albums and memoir.
Lloyd died Saturday morning (Nov. 7) at his home in Chattanooga, Tennessee, according to Rolling Stone.
“His loving wife Sheila and his dog Willie Mays were with him at the end,” his family told the publication.
The cause of Lloyd’s death was cholangiocarcinoma, a cancer of the bile ducts. Lloyd was diagnosed with the disease in March 2026, and a GoFundMe campaign was later launched to help cover his medical expenses and other bills.
Born in Pittsburgh in 1951, Lloyd moved with his family to New York City at age 6 and grew up in Greenwich Village. He initially studied drums before turning to guitar. After spending time in Boston and Los Angeles, he returned to New York in 1973.
In 1973, Lloyd joined Tom Verlaine, Richard Hell, and drummer Billy Ficca to form Television. The band became a regular at CBGB, the Lower Manhattan club that helped launch the careers of fellow New York acts including the Ramones, the New York Dolls, Talking Heads, and Blondie.
Television released its debut album, Marquee Moon, in 1977. The album earned widespread critical acclaim for its intricate arrangements and the distinctive interplay between Lloyd’s and Verlaine’s guitars. Although it achieved limited commercial success, Marquee Moon went on to become one of the most influential releases of its era. The group followed it with Adventure in 1978 before breaking up later that year.
Lloyd began his solo career with the 1979 release of Alchemy, but struggles with substance abuse derailed his career in the years that followed. After getting sober, he returned with his second solo album, Field of Fire, in 1985. He continued releasing music over the following decades, with his final solo studio album, The Countdown, arriving in 2018.
Lloyd also worked as a session guitarist, contributing to recordings by artists including Matthew Sweet and John Doe of X, while continuing to tour and teach guitar. In 2017, he published his memoir, Everything Is Combustible: Television, CBGB’s and Five Decades of Rock and Roll.
Television reunited to record its self-titled third album, released in 1992, and continued performing periodically in the years that followed. Lloyd announced his departure from the band in 2007 to focus on his solo career.
