In February, Johansen publicly disclosed that he was battling stage four cancer, a brain tumor, and a broken back. First diagnosed in 2020, his health struggles kept him from performing in the final years of his life. Last month, he launched a fundraising campaign through the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund to help cover medical expenses, acknowledging the severity of his condition by stating, “I’ve never been one to ask for help, but this is an emergency.”
A statement from his family, released Saturday, said that Johansen had endured “a decade of profoundly compromised health” and that he died “peacefully at home, holding the hands of his wife, Mara Hennessey, and daughter Leah, in the sunlight, surrounded by music and flowers.”
Johansen was the last surviving member of the New York Dolls, the groundbreaking band that helped shape the sound and attitude of punk rock. After the band’s breakup, he reinvented himself under the persona of Buster Poindexter, bringing a flamboyant lounge act to mainstream audiences and scoring a hit with “Hot Hot Hot.” His talents extended beyond music, as he also built a career in film, appearing in movies like Scrooged and Let It Ride.
His family expressed deep appreciation for the outpouring of love and support they had received in recent weeks, noting that Johansen was grateful for the chance to reconnect with many friends and loved ones before his passing. “He knew he was ecstatically loved,” the statement read.
Plans are underway for several events to honor Johansen’s life and legacy, with further details to be announced in the near future.
