MC5 manager John Sinclair has died at the age of 82, his representative confirmed.
Outside the band, Sinclair established his career as a poet and activist. He also served as a leader of the anti-racist White Panther Party while expanding his work as a marijuana advocate.
John Sinclair Dead at 82
In a statement posted by The Detroit News, Sinclair's representative, Matt Lee, revealed that the counterculture hero died of congestive heart failure at Detroit Receiving Hospital.
"He was on the forefront of the marijuana movement, that's for sure," Lee said. "But I don't think people realized how knowledgeable he was in American music and he was a certified expert in all forms of American jazz and rhythm and blues."
He is survived by his ex-wife, Leni Sinclair, and daughters Celia Sinclair and Sunny Sinclair.
On X, colleagues and fans paid tribute to the former manager and remembered his work in the industry.
One wrote, "a massive loss for the planet -- the great john sinclair has left the planet in a cloud of cheeb smoke as big as a bus. was lucky enough to spend time inside the glow of his amazing spiritual presence. i will feel this loss intensely."
"Fare thee well poet, activist and DJ John Sinclair. During my years at WWOZ John and I shared laughs and great conversations. He could be deep and thoughtful. He also possessed a childlike curiosity and playfulness. Most of all he wanted the least of us to get a fair shake," a second posted alongside a black-and-white photo of the activist.
rest in peace john sinclair. thank you for all you’ve done over the years, your friendship, mentorship,your impeccable taste in music and art, your poetry, your political activism, your wonderful family. you will be greatly missed. https://t.co/tlzLvrcALW
— rancho de la luna (@ranchodelaluna) April 2, 2024
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John Sinclair's Life, Career Explored
Sinclair's time with MC5 started in the mid-1960s, and he worked on the group's classic live album, Kick Out the Jams, in 1968.
In the decades before his death, Sinclair spent time in prison due to several reasons.
He was initially arrested for felony possession in the late 1960s for possessing two joints; he was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment then. His arrest led activists to hold a 1971 freedom rally, led by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, at Ann Arbor's Crisler Arena.
The event inspired the late The Beatles member to write a song about Sinclair, titled "Some Time in New York City," in which he sang, "They gave him 10 for two/What else can Judge Colombo do/We gotta set him free."
"The truth prevailed," Sinclair said in 2021 years after the freedom rally. "People didn't quit using it, you see? And more and more people got on the side of the felons and pretty soon they had to remove the felony. It just didn't make any sense."
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