Friend Says Cranberries Singer Dolores O’Riordan ‘Full of Life’ in Phone Conversation Before Death
Dolores O'Riordan sounded in good spirits just hours beforeThe Cranberriessinger's shocking deathat age 46 on Monday (Jan. 15) in London. That's according to a statement reportedly obtained by People magazine, from longtime friend Dan Waite, who said the "Linger" star left him an upbeat voicemail just hours before she died.
"Dolores left me a voice message just after midnight last night stating how much she loved Bad Wolves' version of 'Zombie.' She was looking forward to seeing me in the studio and recording vocals," Eleven Seven International Managing Director Waite said of O'Riordan's planned remix of The Cranberries' 1994 hit single with the rock band Bad Wolves. "She sounded full of life, was joking and excited to see me and my wife this week. The news of her passing is devastating and my thoughts are with Don her ex-husband, her children, and her mother," he added.
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O'Riordan, mother of Taylor (20), Mollie (16) and Dakota (12) with ex-husband Don Burton, was reportedly slated to record her vocals on the remix on the day she died. Bad Wolves singer Tommy Vext expressed his condolences and admiration for O'Riordan in a Facebook post on Monday. "We are shocked and saddened at the news of Dolores's passing, mere hours before she was to record vocals on our upcoming version of 'Zombie,'" he wrote. "We have always had deep respect for her as an artist and a vocalist and she was never afraid to bare her soul in her music and lyrics. 'Zombie' is an incredibly personal song and although we are a hard rock band, we always felt the rawness and honesty she projected on stage and in her recordings was something to which all bands should aspire to, regardless of genre."
Vext added that when the band heard that O'Riordan liked their version of the Cranberries' signature hit and wanted to sing on the remix, saying that it was the "greatest compliment" the band could have received. "Our hearts are broken that we were not able to see this collaboration through and our deepest condolences go out to her family, friends, loved ones and fans in Ireland and around the globe," he said.
The members of the Cranberries also expressed their grief in a tweet. "We are devastated on the passing of our friend Dolores," wrote Fergal Lawler, Noel and Mike Hogan. "She was an extraordinary talent and we feel very privileged to have been part of her life from 1989 when we started the Cranberries. The world has lost a true artist today."
Eleven Seven Music CEO Allen Kovac also released a statement. "From the very first time I met Dolores, I knew she was a great talent," said Kovac, who previous managed the Cranberries. "Managing the Cranberries and being part of making 'Zombie' one of the biggest records of its time was a great professional honor… My heart goes out to her children, I hope they can find some peace despite this tragic event."
A cause of death has not yet been determined. A month ago O'Riordan told fans she was "feeling good" after the band canceled their planned fall 2017 tour due to the singer's ongoing recovery from back issues. "Hi All, Dolores here. Feeling good!" she wrote in a Facebook post. "I did my first bit of gigging in months at the weekend, performed a few songs at the Billboard annual staff holiday party in New York with the house band. Really enjoyed it! Happy Christmas to all our fans." That final post has become a locus of grieving for fans, with more than 750 expressing their sadness at their favorite singer's passing.
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