Singer Julee Cruise, David Lynch collaborator and B-52s tour stand-in, dead at 65
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By Michelle Ewing, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Singer Julee Cruise, who often collaborated with filmmaker David Lynch and was a tour stand-in for the B-52s in the 1990s, has died, multiple news outlets are reporting. She was 65.
According to The Guardian, Cruise’s husband, Edward Grinnan, shared the news in a Facebook post late Thursday.
“For those of you who go back, I thought you might want to know that I said [goodbye] to my wife, Julee Cruise, today,” he wrote to members of a B-52s fan group. “She left this realm on her own terms. No regrets. She is at peace.”
Although Grinnan’s post didn’t specify how Cruise died, The Guardian reported that she had lupus.
In 1986, Cruise collaborated with Lynch for the first time on “Blue Velvet,” according to the newspaper. She later sang a vocal version of the “Twin Peaks” theme “Falling,” for which Lynch wrote the lyrics, and two songs on the 1990 TV show’s soundtrack, NME reported. She released four albums during her career: “Floating Into the Night” (1989), “The Voice of Love” (1993), “The Art of Being a Girl” (2002) and “My Secret Life” (2011).
Cruise also gained fame as a B52s tour stand-in for band member Cindy Wilson from 1992 to 1999, Rolling Stone reported.
“Having had such a varied music career, she often said that the time she spent as a B filling in for Cindy while she was having a family was the happiest time of her performing life,” Grinnan wrote on Facebook. “She will be forever grateful to them. When she first stepped up to the mic with Fred [Schneider] and Kate [Pierson], she said it was like joining the Beatles. She will love them always and never forget their travels together around the world. I played her ‘Roam’ during her transition. Now she will roam forever. Rest In Peace, my love, and love to you all.”
Photos: The B-52s through the years Here are some memorable photos of the B-52s through the years. (Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)
Photos: The B-52s through the years 1980: Portrait of members of American New Wave group the B-52s as they pose in front of a fireplace, 1980. (Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)
Photos: The B-52s through the years 1989: The B-52s on September 27, 1989, in Munich. (Fryderyk Gabowicz/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Photos: The B-52s through the years 1990: Actor Alec Baldwin, left, is shown during rehearsals at "NBC's Saturday Night Live," with musical guests the B-52s, Keith Strickland, second from left, Kate Pierson and Fred Schneider, partially obscured, in New York on April 19, 1990. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
Photos: The B-52s through the years 1992: Kate Pierson, Fred Schneider and Julee Cruise of the B-52s perform in Brielpoort, Deinze, Belgium, on Dec. 3, 1992. (Gie Knaeps/Getty Images)
Photos: The B-52s through the years 2002: Recording artists B-52s perform at the "Star 98.7 Not So Silent Night 2002" concert at the Shrine Auditorium on December 14, 2002, in Los Angeles. (Robert Mora/Getty Images)
Photos: The B-52s through the years 2003: The B-52s perform during the Nextel All-Star Saturday reception on February 1, 2003, at the Westin Diplomat Hotel in Hollywood, Florida. (Craig Melvin/Getty Images)
Photos: The B-52s through the years 2004: Kate Pierson and Fred Schneider of the B-52s perform onstage at the 2004 Music Has Power Awards at The Jazz at Lincoln Center's Allen Room on November 29, 2004, in New York City. The awards are presented by The Institute for Music and Neurological Function. (Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)
Photos: The B-52s through the years 2005: Singing group the B-52s arrive at the Hero Awards on April 21, 2005, in Atlanta. (Annette Brown/Getty Images)
Photos: The B-52s through the years 2007: Singers Kate Pierson, Fred Schneider and Cindy Wilson of the B-52s perform onstage at Roseland Ballroom on October 31, 2007, in New York City. (Roger Kisby/Getty Images)
Photos: The B-52s through the years 2008: Keith Strickland, Cynthia Leigh Wilson, Fred Schneider and Kate Pierson of the music group The B-52s perform live on NBC's "Today" Show on May 26, 2008, in New York City. (Brad Barket/Getty Images)
Photos: The B-52s through the years 2009: Musicians Kristian Bush of Sugarland, Fred Schneider and Kate Pierson of the B-52s, Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland and Cindy Wilson of the B-52s perform "Love Shack" on stage during the 2009 CMT Music Awards at the Sommet Center on June 16, 2009, in Nashville, Tennessee. (Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
Photos: The B-52s through the years 2012: The B-52s perform during the "B-52s With the Wild Crowd" panel during the PBS portion of the 2012 Winter TCA Tour held at The Langham Huntington Hotel and Spa on January 4, 2012, in Pasadena, California. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
Photos: The B-52s through the years 2016: Cindy Wilson, Fred Schneider and Kate Pierson of the B-52s perform at UNICEF's Evening for Children First to Honor Ted Turner on March 30, 2016, in Atlanta. (Ben Rose/Getty Images for UNICEF)
Photos: The B-52s through the years 2017: Singer Fred Schneider (left) and singer Kate Pierson (right) of the B-52s perform on stage at the Growlers 6 festival at the LA Waterfront on October 29, 2017, in San Pedro, California. (Matt Cowan/Getty Images)
Photos: The B-52s through the years 2019: Kate Pierson, Keith Strickland and Cindy Wilson of the B-52s attend the opening night of the broadway show "Jagged Little Pill" at Broadhurst Theatre on December 5, 2019, in New York City. (Daniel Zuchnik/Getty Images)
Photos: The B-52s through the years 2020: Kate Pierson of the B-52's performs onstage as Woman's Day Celebrates the 17th annual Red Dress Awards on February 4, 2020, in New York City. (Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Women's Day)