Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, vocalist of Grateful Dead in the 1970s, passed away at the age of 78.
According to a statement reported by EFE, the singer, who was also a backing vocalist for Elvis Presley, died on Sunday in Nashville, Tennessee, after a "long battle with cancer".
"She was a sweet soul of endearing beauty, and all who knew her share in the grief. The family requests privacy in these moments of mourning. As Robert Hunter, lyricist of the Grateful Dead, said: 'May the four winds blow her safely home'", the statement reads.
Born as Donna Jean Thatcher in Florence, Alabama, she began her musical career as a session singer in Muscle Shoals, a renowned recording center where she lent her voice to several hits of the time.
Among her most notable collaborations are the iconic songs 'When a Man Loves a Woman' by Percy Sledge, and 'Suspicious Minds' by Elvis Presley, which reached number one on the charts, as well as working with Neil Diamond or Cher.
In California, Godchaux-MacKay married pianist Keith Godchaux in 1970. The singer met Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, and shortly after, both Donna and Keith officially joined the band.
Between 1971 and 1979, they toured the United States, Europe, and even Egypt with the group, leaving a unique mark on the history of psychedelic rock.
According to the statement, Keith Godchaux passed away in a car accident, and later on, the singer married David MacKay, with whom she started the Donna Jean Godchaux Band project.