Overview
- Queen’s archivist Greg Brooks posted a confirmation on Facebook that Barry Mitchell has died, with multiple outlets reporting his passing occurred on August 17, 2026.
- Mitchell was the group’s second bassist, playing roughly 11–13 gigs between August 1970 and January 1971 while the band developed its early material.
- He is credited with laying down original bass lines for songs such as “Liar” and “Son and Daughter,” lines later followed or adapted by subsequent bassists.
- After leaving Queen he briefly left music, later played with proto‑punk outfits Crushed Butler/Tiger, and returned in the 1990s with Jayne Raydio; friends and fans paid tribute on social media.
- Reports differ on Mitchell’s age at death (some outlets say 76, others 80) and no family statement or official cause or circumstances of death has been released.