Marianne Faithfull, 'As Tears Go By' singer, dead at 78

Marianne Faithfull, the British singer and actress who rose to prominence in the 1960s with her chart-topping hit "As Tears Go By," died at the age of 78, a publicist confirmed Thursday.

"It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of the singer, songwriter and actress Marianne Faithfull," the spokesperson said in a statement. "Marianne passed away peacefully in London today, in the company of her loving family. She will be dearly missed."

The cause of her death was not immediately revealed.

Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull was born on December 29, 1946, in London, and she went to a Catholic boarding school.

Faithfull was a top female musician during the 1960s pop culture phenomena known as the British Invasion, which saw British music performers such as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones come to prominence in the United States.

Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, as well as the band's manager Andrew Loog Oldham, wrote "As Tears Go By," her most known song. The song was released in 1964 and peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 list.

Faithfull's self-titled debut album, released in 1965, was a financial success, reaching No. 12 in the United States.

In addition to her singing career, Faithfull was an actress who performed in theater plays such as "Three Sisters" and "Hamlet," as well as films such as "Made in the USA," "The Girl on a Motorcycle," and "Marie Antoinette." She also had a noteworthy performance as God in the British television sitcom "Absolutely Fabulous."

Faithfull struggled with substance misuse in the 1960s and 1970s, which, combined with a severe bout of laryngitis, caused her voice to become permanently raspy. After several years away from recording, she made a comeback in 1979 with the release of her seventh studio album, "Broken English." Faithfull's critically praised CD earned her a Grammy for outstanding female rock vocal performance.

She has recorded over 20 albums over her career. Her most recent CD, "She Walks in Beauty," was recorded in 2021 after a severe struggle with COVID-19.

The singer's autobiography, "Faithfull," published in 1994, detailed her life.

She recently provided her distinct voice for a character in the 2021 film "Dune: Part 1."

Faithfull was married three times.