• Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, a renowned singer, has died at the age of 78.
• She gained fame as a member of the Grateful Dead during the 1970s.
• Her music credits include classics such as "Suspicious Minds" and "When a Man Loves a Woman."
• Godchaux was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.
• She continued to create music and tour for decades, even after personal tragedies.

Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, a soulful mezzo-soprano and member of the Grateful Dead, has died at the age of 78 after battling cancer. She passed away on November 2 at Alive Hospice in Nashville. Godchaux-MacKay was also renowned for her contributions to iconic 1960s songs such as “Suspicious Minds” and “When a Man Loves a Woman.” She and the Grateful Dead were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, according to sfgate, lemonde, and channelnewsasia.

Born Donna Jean Thatcher in Florence, Alabama, she became a session performer at a young age, working with both soul and rhythm and blues hits in Muscle Shoals and the Memphis American Sound Studio. Her collaborations included work with Elvis Presley, Percy Sledge, and others, showcasing her diverse musical talent. In the early 1970s, she joined the Grateful Dead alongside her husband, Keith Godchaux, participating in several albums and iconic tours, according to sfgate, lemonde, and channelnewsasia.

After leaving the Grateful Dead in 1979 with plans to start their own band, tragedy struck when Keith Godchaux died in an automobile accident the following year. Despite this loss, Donna continued her musical career and released multiple albums, including “Back Around” and “Donna Jean and the Tricksters.” She is survived by her second husband David MacKay, sons Kinsman MacKay and Zion Godchaux, and her siblings, as noted by sfgate, lemonde, and channelnewsasia.