In 1987, Lance was diagnosed with a heart attack, and he became nearly blind from glaucoma. As a result, he made no more recordings since. In June 1994, he gave his final performance at the 11th Chicago Blues Festival. In September of that year, he died in his sleep at the age of 55 of heart disease in Decatur, Georgia. He was survived by his family. He is buried at Washington Memory Gardens Cemetery in Homewood, Illinois.