Duncan Sheik, Broadway Composer & ‘Barely Breathing’ Singer, Dies At 56

Duncan Sheik, singer of the 1996 hit “Barely Breathing” and Tony Award-winning composer of Spring Awakening, died Thursday at age 56. His mother, Suzanne, confirmed the cause was organ failure. Sheik’s self-titled debut album featured “Barely Breathing,” which reached Number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and charted for 55 consecutive weeks, earning him a Grammy nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. He later collaborated with lyricist Steven Sater on Spring Awakening, which won Best Musical at the 2007 Tony Awards. Sheik received Tonys for Best Original Score and Best Orchestrations, plus a Grammy for Best Musical Show Album. He is survived by his wife and children.