Rockabilly Singer Robert Gordon Dead at 75 After Hospitalization for Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Family

Paul Natkin/Getty Robert Gordon

Robert Gordon, a rockabilly musician credited with helping to revitalize the genre in the 1970s, died on Tuesday following a battle with acute myeloid leukemia. He was 75.

Cleopatra Records, the singer's label, confirmed the news in a statement released via Facebook, writing, "Rockabilly legend Robert Gordon passed away today. Cleopatra Records would like to offer our deepest condolences to his family and friends."

The statement continued, "We liked working with Robert and will miss his powerful baritone vocal as well as his focused dedication to his music."

According to a GoFundMe launched by Gordon's family last month, which has earned over $16,000 of its $20,000 goal, he'd been hospitalized for "the past several months" and "fought for his life."

Juan Naharro Gimenez/Redferns Robert Gordon

On Tuesday, his family updated the GoFundMe with a statement about his death, writing, "Sadly, Robert has passed away from acute myeloid leukemia. All donations will go towards all the bills he has incurred from his lengthy hospital stay, procedures, and therapy, as well as funeral expenses."

Their statement continued, "Your love and continued support, of him and his music throughout the years, has been invaluable and so appreciated. He loved you all."

Gordon's family then wrote about his musicianship: "Robert's incredible voice and his music has not only put Rockabilly back on the map, it has made memories for us all. A voice like his, coupled with the authenticity he brings to the music, is unforgettable, and doesn't come around very often."

Further donations to the GoFundMe will go "toward his hospital bills and funeral."

Born in Bethesda, Maryland on March 29, 1947, Gordon grew up singing in local bands including the Confidentials and the Newports, per Variety. He then entered the National Guard, got married at 19 and welcomed two children before moving to New York City by 1970 with his family, as they were opening a clothing store.

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In NYC, Gordon began singing with pop-punk band Tuff Darts at popular venues like CBGB. "I was doing the rockabilly thing which always seemed to get people off, but I was an angry young man," he told Variety in 2014. "I had split from my first wife and punk worked for me. But I wasn't really into punk. I missed singing those old songs."

He later linked up with Link Wray, a musician from rockabilly's original 1950s era, and they created two albums together — 1977's Robert Gordon with Link Wray and 1978's Fresh Fish Special — earning Gordon a record deal with RCA, which housed the music of his idol, Elvis Presley.

Gordon's since released nine more albums: 1979's Rock Billy Boogie, 1980's Bad Boy, 1981's Are You Gonna Be the One, 1994's All for The Love of Rock 'N' Roll, 1997's Robert Gordon, 2004's Satisfied Mind, 2007's It's Now Or Never with Chris Spedding, 2014's I'm Coming Home and 2020's Rockabilly for Life.

His career also featured a stint in acting, as he starred in 1976's Amos Poe-directed punk film Unmade Beds and 1981's The Loveless alongside Willem Dafoe, per Deadline.

Gordon continued touring in recent years, and on Nov. 25, his final album Hellafied will be released by Cleopatra Records.