Richard Swift’s Cause Of Death Revealed By Musician’s Family

Richard Swift’s family has revealed his cause of death in a Facebook post released late Monday night.

“Yes, Richard Swift suffered from alcohol addiction, and it’s what ultimately took his life,” the post reads. “With the support of family and friends and the assistance of MusiCares, Richard had checked himself into rehab for multiple stays over the past two years, but his body gave out before he could overcome the disease.”

The Inquisitr reported his death at the young age of 41 last week, which was confirmed on Instagram by his Black Keys and Arcs bandmate Dan Auerbach. He left behind a wife, three children, his father, and his five brothers.

Auerbach had posted a photo of himself and Swift, captioning it, “Today, the world lose one of the most talented musicians I know. He’s now with his Mom and Sister. I will miss you my friend.”

https://www.facebook.com/richardswiftofficial/posts/1922516597800386

His family also revealed that Swift had planned on releasing new music in November. “We do not have a timeline for its completion yet, but we hope to share it it with you sooner than that,” his family wrote in the post.

A month before his death, Swift was hospitalized in Tacoma, Washington, for a serious medical condition. A GoFundMe page was then set up in his name to help with his medical expenses. Once he passed away, the page became a “Richard Swift Memorial Fund” with the same goal in mind.

The GoFundMe page had a goal of $200,000 and had raised $88,410 at the time his death was first reported.

Lindsay Behr, who created the GoFundMe page, updated it after his death and wrote, “It was the insatiable pursuit of his own ability, his need for control and creation, that spilled into his personal life, a pursuit that sadly, tragically, swallowed him up.”

While no one revealed what her statement specifically refers to, it is suspected that it relates to his relationship with music. A post featuring his face was also uploaded to his Facebook page, and it read, “And all the angels sing ‘Que Sera Sera'” at the time of his death.

Swift released numerous solo albums and EPs during his career. He served as the touring drummer for the Black Keys in 2014, played with the Shins from 2011 to 2016, and was also the drummer for the Arcs. Swift also did production work for Pure Bathing Culture, the Mynabirds, Guster, Foxygen, Damien Jurado, and Sharon Van Etten, according to Variety.

His last solo album, The Atlantic Ocean, was released back in 2009.