David Roach, who is best known as the frontman of the rock group Junkyard, passed away over the weekend following a battle with an aggressive skin cancer known as squamous cell carcinoma. He was 59 years old.
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Roach’s Junkyard bandmates announced the tragic news just hours after his death. “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of David Roach,” the bandmates shared in an Instagram post. “After a courageous battle with cancer, David passed away peacefully last night at home, in the loving arms of his wife.”
The bandmates praised Roach as being a gifted artist, performer, songwriter, and singer. “But above all, [he was] a devoted father, husband, and brother,” they pointed out. “Our thoughts are with the entire Roach family and everyone who loved him.”
Roach had been with Junkyard during the group’s initial run from 1987 to 1992. In 2000, nearly a decade after the band broke up, he and the Junkyard bandmates reformed and have been playing ever since.
Roach is survived by his wife, Jennifer, and 22-year-old son. A GoFundMe has been set up to help his family with the hospital and funeral expenses.
David Roach Was Diagnosed With the Aggressive Skin Caner in January 2025
David Roach announced in June that he had been diagnosed with skin cancer earlier this year. Although he had been fighting the cancer, things took a turn for the worse for the musician’s health in June.
In a Jun. 26 Instagram post, the Junkyard bandmates shared an unfortunate update about Roach’s condition.
“First off, we thank you all for the overwhelming support and love you’ve shown us during this incredibly challenging time,” they wrote. “We wish we could respond to each of you, but honestly, there are no words right now. We’re still struggling to process the news we received on Tuesday.”
The Junkyard bandmates revealed that Roach had an “ongoing fever and cough,” which led to his most recent hospitalization. It was then that he received “results that have completely shattered” the band’s world.
“It’s devastating and life-altering,” the bandmates said about the news. “And we’re trying to navigate through the emotions and uncertainty that came with it.”
The post featured a picture of Roach holding up a peace sign and middle finger while in a hospital bed.
Less than a month later, the Junkyard bandmates revealed in an Instagram post that Roach and his partner, Jennifer Michael, got married, just two weeks before his death.
Roach appeared in a wheelchair for one photo, but was able to stand as he exchanged vows with his now wife. “Congratulations to the happy couple — Mr. and Mrs. David Patrick Roach,” his bandmates declared in the social media post.