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How They Died
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SEAN MCDOWELL is a radio jock from Pittsburgh, PA. THANKS to Sean for sharing all of his hard work and his loooooong list of "How They Died"!
a note from Sean......

"if there's a rock and roll heaven, then you know they have one hell of a band..."-----righteous bros. (and one of them is now gone!)

hey everyone! here's an unofficial "death list."...(and i'm updating it almost DAILY now, as of late nov. '03, adding "year of death" dates and other info for ALL the artists listed)...famous rock stars (and performers/comedians/celebrities/industry types who had strong ties to the rock/pop community) and how they died...i'm not including all of the country stars or jazz stars who've died, the list would go on forever if i did, same with many of the lesser known blues musicians from over the years... and i'm not including current "top 40" artists either coz many of them are rappers and rappers get shot daily... this whole list came about over scott weiland's arrest for heroin (again) in late may of '03...it occurred to me how many rock/pop stars over the years have died becoz of drugs and then it occurred to me how many died in other ways and i just started writing things down...

feel free to make any corrections or additions or comments, e-mail me at smcdowell@dve.com thanks! remember, this is an "unofficial" list, i think i've covered most bases but i can always use your help! p.s. so many listeners have already responded with critical additions! i'm very grateful to them...and special thanks to my buddy vinnie at "the x" for helping me with some of the newer artists who have died lately, guys from bands i've never heard of (and frankly, could give a shit about) thanks vinnie...and an asterisk (*) in front of an artist's name means they're an inductee in the "rock and roll hall of fame"...


Check out Sean's jock page for WDVE in Pittsburgh, PA
Heroin
By Sean McDowell
    • layne staley ("alice in chains" singer/"man in the box", "rooster", he o.d.'ed exactly 8 years to the day after kurt cobain killed himself) (2002)
    • *janis joplin (legendary blues-rock chick singer from the san francisco scene of the '60's [though she was born in texas], with "big brother & the holding co."/"down on me", "piece of my heart", "me and bobby mcgee" [written by kris kristofferson]) (1970)
    • phil lynott (bass and singer for irish rockers "thin lizzy"/"jailbreak", "the boys are back in town") (1986)
    • danny whitten (gtrst. for "crazy horse", "neil young's" band, danny can be heard all over the album "everybody knows this is nowhere", there's a picture of him too in the liner notes for that album/cd) (1972)
    • *jerry garcia (legendary co-founder and gtrst./singer/songwriter for the "grateful dead"/"truckin", "sugar magnolia", jerry died in a de-tox center of a heart attack, de-toxing from heroin) (1995)
    • kurt cobain (much worshipped and misunderstood singer/songwriter/gtrst. for "nirvana"/"smells like teen spirit") (he's under 2 categories here) (1994)
    • john belushi (brilliant but drug crazed "sat. nite live" alum, "jake" of the "blues bros.") (speedball: cocaine and heroin) (1982)
    • lenny bruce (cutting edge comedian, the 1st guy to incorporate profanity into his act back in the late '50's and early '60's/funeral paid for by "phil spector") (1966)
    • *dee dee ramone (real name: douglas colvin, bassist for "the ramones", 3 of the original "ramones" are now dead) (2002)
    • tommy bolin ("deep purple" gtrst. after "ritchie blackmore" left in mid-70's) (1976)
    • *howie epstein ("tom petty/heartbreakers" bassist) (2003)
    • *frankie lymon (of "the teenagers") ('50's singer/ teen idol,/"why do fools fall in love") (1968 )
    • ric grech (bass player for "blind faith" and another british band "family" and "traffic" too....he also did some production work for "gram parsons"/"can't find my way home", "presence of the lord") (1990)
    • hilliel slovak (original "red hot chili peppers" gtrst. before the band became popular) (1988)
    • sid vicious (real name: john simon ritchie...bassist for the "sex pistols") (1979)
    • robby macintosh (drummer for "average white band"/"pick up the pieces") (1974)
    • pete farndon (1983) and james honeyman-scott (1982) (both gtrsts. for "the pretenders"/"middle of the road", "brass in pocket")
    • brian cole (singer/bass player for "the association"/ "along comes mary", "windy", "cherish") (1972)
    • *benny benjamin (legendary motown drummer/"the funk brothers", the session musicians who played on ALL the motown hits) (1968)
    • paul kosoff (gtrst. for "free" w/"paul rodgers"/"allright now") (1976)
    • andrew wood (singer for "mother love bone", seattle grunge pioneers before "pearl jam" and "nirvana") (1990)
    • mike bloomfield (legendary blues gtrst., session guy w/"bob dylan" on 'highway 61 revisted', also was in the band that backed up "dylan" the 1st time he went "electric" in 1965 at the 'newport jazz festival', rhode island/member of '60's rockers "paul butterfield blues band" and "electric flag", a part of the "super sessions" album w/"al kooper" back in '68) (1981)
    • tim buckley ('60's folk rock/protest singer) (1975)
    • al "blind owl" wilson (singer for "canned heat"/ "goin up the country", "on the road again") (1970)
    • *billy holiday (legendary jazz singer, worked w/"count basie", "benny goodman", during '30's, '40's, '50's, was arrested on her death bed for heroin possession) (1959)
    • jimmy mccullough ("wings" gtrst.{there were a few of them, he was one of 'em}, also "thunderclap newman" gtrst.) ("thunderclap newman" had the hit "something in the air" in the early '70's)) (1979)
    • brad nowell (singer/gtrst. for "sublime") (1996)
    • gary thain (bass player for"uriah heep"/"sweet lorraine","easy livin","stealin") (1975)
    • johnny thunders (co-founder/gtrst./front man for the "new york dolls", glam-punk pioneers in early '70's....4 "dolls" are now dead) (1991)
    • vinnie taylor (gtrst. for "sha-na-na", goofy but slick '50's tribute band from late '60's...they played the original "woodstock" festival in '69) (1974)
    • tim hardin (legendary but troubled '60's folk singer who wrote 2 smash hits, that others had hits with, not him! "if i were a carpenter", "bobby darin" covered that in '67 and "reason to believe", "rod stewart" covered that in '71...tim was a dope buddy of "jim morrison's" of "the doors"...he also appeared at the original "woodstock" in '69) (1980)
    • robert quine (one of punk rock's most innovative gtrsts., heavily influenced by "the velvet underground"... he played w/"lou reed", "richard hell & the voidoids", "tom wait" and others (2004)
    • derek frigo (former lead gtrst. for "enuff z'nuff", chicago based early '90's rock band) (2004)
    • kristen pfaff (bassist for "hole" ["courtney love's" band]) (1994)
    • jonathon melvoin (touring kybrdst. for "smashing pumpkins") (1996)
    • bobby sheehan (bassist for "blues traveler") (1999)
    • g.g.allin (notorious punk rocker [of no consequence musically] from '80's and early '90's who would defecate on stage then eat his own feces!) (1993)
    • greg herbert (sax man for "blood sweat and tears"/ "spinning wheel", you've made me so very happy", many many others) (1978)
    • randy jo hobbs (bass, sax, gtrst. for "the mccoys", "johnny winter", "rick derringer", "montrose") (1993)
    • jon-jon poulos (original drummer for '60's pop, chicago-based "the buckinghams"/"kind of a drag", "don't you care", "mercy mercy mercy", many others) (1980)
    • *rudy lewis (one of the many lead singers for "the drifters"/rudy sang on "up on the roof",and "on broadway", he replaced "ben e. king" in the band) (1964)
    • "stevo" jensen (original lead singer for avante-garde southern california punk pioneers "the vandals", he was with them in the early '80's) (2005) 
Alcohol
By Sean McDowell
  • *pigpen (real name: "ron mckernan") ("grateful dead" keyboardist/singer, 3 "grateful dead" kybrdsts. died un-natural deaths) (1973)
  • *keith moon (fantastic "who" drummer and wild man, he o.d.'ed on medication he was taking to combat his alcoholism) (1978 )
  • *jim morrison (outrageous lead singer and frontman for "the doors", also a wild man...it was a heart attack that really killed the lizard king, but it was due to enormous amounts of alcohol [combined w/cocaine, l.s.d. and at the end, heroin] consumed during his short life) (1971)
  • *bon scott (real name: ronald belford..."ac/dc" lead singer before the "back in black" days, bon sang "highway to hell", "whole lotta rosie", "dirty deeds done dirt cheap" and "its a long way to the top" among many others) (1980)
  • paul butterfield (chicago rock/blues harp player and singer from the '60's & '70's/"butterfield blues band"(including "elvin bishop" and "mike bloomfield"), they played at the original "woodstock" festival in '69) (1987)
  • steve clark (guitarist for "def leppard"/"hysteria", "photograph") (1991)
  • *hank williams (country music superstar and brilliant songwriter,/"jambalaya", "your cheatin heart", "lovesick blues" and many, many others) (1953)
  • brian connelly ("sweet" lead singer /"ball room blitz", "love is like oxygen") (1997)
  • rory gallagher (under appreciated irish rock/blues gtrst.) (1995)
  • *john bonham (thundering drummer for "led zeppelin") (1980)
  • *james jamerson (legendary motown bass player/"the funk brothers", the session musicians who played on ALL the motown hits) (1983)
  • john panozzo ("styx" drummer, brother of "chuck panozza", bassist for "styx") (1996)
  • frank o'keefe (original "outlaws" bass player/"green grass & high tides", "there's goes another love song") (1995)
  • bob stinson (original "replacements" guitarist...he was fired from the band a few years before he died) (1995, a combo of booze and drugs)
  • *gene vincent (real name: vincent eugene craddock/"be bop a lula" the huge hit from '56, he was in the car accident in england in 1960 that killed "eddie cochran"["summertime blues"]) (1971)
  • *clyde mcphatter (original lead singer for "the drifters" in the '50's, before they recorded "on broadway" and "under the boardwalk", successful solo performer too) (1972)
  • billy murcia (original drummer for the "new york dolls", glam-punk pioneers from the early '70's...4 "dolls" are now dead) (1972)
  • jack kerouac (legendary "beat" generation writer/poet from the '50's and '60's, though he was born in 1922...his epic "on the road" is one of the classic novels of all time...he was columbia university/n.y.c. pals with fellow "beat" writers/characters "allen ginsberg" and "neal cassady") (1969)
  • guitar slim (real name: eddie jones, legendary blues gtrst. from '40's and '50's, among the 1st to perform outrageous stage antics while playing his guitar, huge influence on "buddy guy"/"the things i used to do") (1959)
  • mickey finn (percussionist for glam rock pioneers "t-rex"/"bang a gong") (2003)
  • *chris wood (woodwinds and sax man, original member of "traffic"/"dear mr. fantasy", "low spark of high heeled boys", many many others) (1983)
  • david byron ( lead singer for "uriah heep"/ "seet lorraine", "easy living"/ "magician's birthday", many others) (1985)
  • tennessee ernie ford (real name: ernest jennings ford/legendary recording and tv host & artist who was successful in country, pop and gospel music/ his version of "16 tons" in '55 was a huge hit) (1991)
Tobacco
By Sean McDowell
the rat pack"-(frank sinatra, (1998), sammy davis jr.(1990) and dean martin) (1995) (ALL of 'em ultimately died from smoking related diseases, especially sammy davis jr,[throat cancer] and dean martin [emphysema])
  • *george harrison ("beatles" lead gtrst./singer/songwriter) (2001)
  • *carl wilson ("beach boys" bassist/singer and brother of brian and dennis, carl sang "god only knows") (1998)
  • *nat king cole (legendary crooner from "50's and '60's/"unforgettable", "ramblin rose") (1965)
  • *michael clarke (original drummer for "the byrds") (1993)
  • leon wilkerson (original bass player. for "lynard skynard") (2002)
  • john cippolina ("quicksilver messenger service" gtrst., legendary san francisco rockers/"fresh air") (1989)
  • johnny carson (the "king of late nite tv" for 30 years, a broadcasting legend and cultural/entertainment icon, he retired in 1992) (2005)
  • tom dowd (legendary producer/engineer for atlantic records beginning in the '50's w/"ray charles" and then "aretha franklin", "the allman bros.", "cream", "lynard skynard" and so many others) (2003)
Aviation
By Sean McDowell
    • john denver (folk/pop singer/songwriter, "take me home country roads", "rocky mountain high") (1997) (experimental airplane he was piloting crashed in pacific)
    • stevie ray vaughn (legendary texas blues-rock gtrst.) (1990) (helicopter)
    • *buddy holly (legendary pop/rock pioneer/songwriter/gtrst./performer, "that'll be the day", "peggy sue"), the big bopper ("chantilly lace"), and richie valens ("la bamba")... (this was referred to, when all 3 of these guys died together, in don mcclean's "american pie" as "the day the music died") (1959) (plane crash)
    • *otis redding (legendary r & b performer, "stax" star who played at "the monterey pop festival" in "67 and knocked out all the white hippies with his powerful performance/"sittin on the dock of the bay") and almost of all his band "the barkays" (1967) (plane crash)
    • *rickie nelson (pop/country star, teen idol/child tv star in the '50's, "hello mary lou", "garden party", "travelin man", many, many others (1985) (plane crash)
    • *bill graham (legendary concert promoter/entrepeneur in san francisco and new york in the '60's, owner of the fillmores, east and west) (1991) (helicopter)
    • jim croce (chart topping singer/songwriter from the early '70's/ "bad bad leroy brown", "don't mess around with jim", "time in a bottle") (1973) (plane crash)
    • ronnie van zandt (founder, singer/songwriter for "lynard skynard" (plane crash) (1977)
    • steve gaines (gtrst. for "lynard skynard") (plane crash) (1977)
    • cassie gaines (steve's sister, back-up singer for "lynard skynard" (plane crash)(1977)
    • randy rhoads ("ozzie osbourne" gtrst. on ozzie's biggest hits from the early '80's like "crazy train", and "flying high again") (1982) (plane crash)
    • glenn miller (big band/jazz/swing king-pin from '20's ,'30's & '40's, "tuxedo junction", "in the mood") (1944) (plane crash during WWII, the plane just disappeared and glenn and the plane and crew were never found)
    • the whole band "chase" (brass band rockers from early '70's/"get it on") (1974) (plane crash)
    • patsy cline (real name: virginia hensley) (country diva from late '50's and early '60's/"crazy") (1963) (plane crash)
    • aaliyah (pop singer from the late '90's) (2001) (plane crash)
Hanging
By Sean McDowell
    • michael hutchence ("inxs" front man, singer/"what you need", "the one thing") (1997)
    • roy buchanan (legendary blues-rock gtrst./was offered gig w/"rolling stones" in the '70's) (1988) (suicide in jail)
    • *richard manuel (kybrds. for "the band"/"the weight", "the nite they drove...")(1986)
    • pete ham (singer/gtrst./kybrds)(1975) and tom evans (bass) (1983) (both with "badfinger"/"no matter what", "day after day", it was ham and evans who wrote "without you" which was a huge hit for "harry nilsson" in '71)
    • phil ochs ('60's folk/protest singer/ "draft dodger rag," "i ain't marching anymore") (1976)
    • stuart adamson (scottish rockers "big country" lead singer) (2001)
    • ian curtis (lead singer for british punk/techno late 70's rockers "joy division") (1980)
    • screaming lord sutch (real name: david edward sutch, bizarre, comical british musician/politician from london's "swingin' '60's", all of england's rock elite worked with sutch, from "jeff beck" to "jimmy page" & "john bonham" to "ritchie blackmore" to "nicky hopkins," all making goofy music together) (1999)
    • paul hester (drummer for '80's australian band "crowded house" and also new zealand band "split enz" before) (2005)
Drowning
By Sean McDowell
    • *dennis wilson ("beach boys" drummer, brother of brian and carl) (swimming in marina while boating) (1983)
    • *brian jones (original whacked-out gtrst./sitarist/ singer/songwriter for the "rolling stones") (swimming pool) (1969)
    • randy california (given his name by "jimi hendrix"/played w/hendrix in '60's in greenwich village/gtrst for l.a.rockers "spirit" /"nature's way, "mr. skin") (1997) (swimming in ocean in hawaii, trying to save his son from also drowning)
    • scott smith ("loverboy" bassist/"workin for the weekend", "turn it loose") (boating accident/drowned) (2000)
    • jeff buckley ("tim buckley's" son/singer & performer just like dad, tim was a folk/protest singer) (1997) (drowned in mississippi river in memphis while swimming)
    • jim hodder ("steely dan" drummer on 1st 2 albums) (drowned in his pool) (1990)
    • shorty long (motown multi-instrumentalist/songwriter,"here comes the judge", "devil with the blue dress" [covered by "mitch ryder] "stevie wonder" played harp at shorty's funeral) (boating accident) (1969)
    • barry cowsill (bass player for rhode island family pop star band from "60's, "the cowsills"/"hair", "the rain the park and other things", "indian lake") (drowned during hurricane katrina) (2005)
Car/Motorcycle/Skiing/Falling Down Steps/Accidents
By Sean McDowell
    • *dave prater (dave of "sam and dave", legendary memphis/"stax" records stars/"soul man", "hold on i'm comin") (1988) (car)
    • sam kinneson (cutting edge wild man comedian) (1992) (car)
    • *eddie cochran (legendary late '50's performer/"summertime blues", "c'mon everybody") (1960) (car)
    • harry chapin (popular singer/songwriter from '70's..."cat's in the cradle", "taxi") (1981) (car)
    • *keith godcheaux ("grateful dead" keyboardist, 3 "grateful dead" kybrdsts. died un-natural deaths) (1980) (car)
    • *duane allman (legendary slide gtrst., session gtrst. at "muscle shoals studios", gtrst. for "the allman bros." (1971) (motorcycle)
    • *berry oakley (bass player for "the allman bros.", he was killed 3 blocks from where "duane" died a year earlier) (1972) (motorcycle)
    • billy stewart (huge black guy, incredible singer, one hit wonder with "george gershwin's" classic "summertime" from '66) (1970) (car, 3 other band members died with billy too)
    • clarence white (gtrst. for "the byrds") (1973) (hit by drunk driver while loading equipment after a gig)
    • cliff burton (former "metallica" bass player) (1986) (fatal "metallica" van wreck in europe)
    • marc bolen (he was "t-rex"/"get it on, bang a gong", "ringo starr" worked with t-rex, so did "flo and eddie" ["the turtles"]) (1977) (car)
    • allen collins (gtrst. for "lynard skynard", ultimately, a car crash both disabled and killed allen) (1990)
    • cozy powell ("jeff beck group"/"black sabbath"/legendary solo british session drummer) (1998) (car)
    • james dean (the original rebel, only made 3 movies in his whole career) (1955) (car)
    • sonny bono ("sonny and cher"/"i got you babe", "the beat goes on", sonny started as a songwriter/gopher for "phil spector" in l.a. in early '60's) (1998) (skiied into a tree)
    • falco (real name: hans holzel, german singer/songwriter,"der kommisar", "rock me ammadeus") (1998) (car crash in dominican republic)
    • sandy denny (sang b.g. chick vocals on "the battle of evermore" w/ "led zeppelin," member of british outfit "fairport convention") (1978) (fell down stairs)
    • kit lambert (original "who" manager in the '60's) (1981) (fell down stairs)
    • tommy caldwell ("marshall tucker" bass player, younger brother of toy, lead singer in the band) (1980) (car)
    • patti santos (chick singer on song "white bird", by "its a beautiful day") (1989) (car)
    • tim kelly (gtrst.for "slaughter") (1998) (car)
    • lynn strait ("snot" lead singer) (1998) (car)
    • "razzle" (real name: nicholas dingley)("hanoi rocks" drummer, vince neil of "motley crue" was driving that car that crashed and killed razzle) (1984) (car)
    • donnie hathaway (singer from the '70's, known for his work with "roberta flack"/"where is the love", "the closer i get to you") (fell from a hotel window in n.y.c., probable suicide) (1979)
    • gus dudgeon (legendary rock producer, primarily for "elton john", but he also worked w/"david bowie" and "the zombies" and others...he produced all of "elton's" biggest hits from all of his biggest albums from the '70's) (2002) (car)
    • chris bell (singer/songwriter/gtrst. for early '70's memphis act "big star", featuring "alex chilton" formerly of the "box tops") (1978) (car)
    • phil "taylor" kramer (bassist, though not original member, of "iron butterfly"['inna-gadda-da-vida"], his remains went undiscovered for 4 years after wrecking his van in a southern california ravine near malibu) (1995, remains found in '99) (van wreck)
    • freyda epstein (multi instrumentalist,violinist, violist, gtrst. and vocalist with folk bands "trapezoid" and "acoustic attitude") (2003) (car)
    • rushton moreve (original bassist for "steppenwolf" in 1968, wrote "magic carpet ride" then left the band) (1981) (car)
    • *nico (real name: christa paffgen, swingin' '60's model, "velvet underground" chick singer and former squeeze of "jim morrison's" of "the doors" and "andy warhol" plaything) (1988) (hit by a car while riding a bicycle in spain)
    • johnny kidd (early british rocker w/ "the pirates" who were england's 1st raunchy rock band/"shakin all over", covered by "the who" on "live at leeds") (1966) (car)
    • *tommy gaither (singer for music's legendary 1st r&b vocal group "the orioles"/"its too soon to know", "crying in the chapel", many many others) (car) (1950)
    • bessie smith ("empress of the blues", from early 1900's, highest paid black performer of her day, $1500 per gig in late '20's, worked w"louie armstrong", loved her gin/"nobody knows you when you're down and out" (1937) (car)
    • rod price (founding member & lead gtrst. for "foghat"/"fool for the city", "slowride", he also worked w/blues legends like "john lee hooker" and "muddy waters" and willie dixon") (fell down stairs) (2005)
    • richard farina (folk singer,author, dulcimer player from late '50's, early '60's, married "joan baez'" sister mimi) (motorcycle) (1966)
    • steve currie (bassist, for a time, for "t-rex"/"bang a gong", "the slider") (car) (1981)
    • kirsty macoll (british singer who worked w/"rolling stones","talking heads"," simple minds" and others, wife of big time producer "steve lillywhite") (boating accident) (2000)
    • jerry edmunton (original drummer w/"steppenwolf"/"born to be wild", "the pusher", "magic carpet ride", he & his brother dennis, a.k.a. "mars bonfire" came from canada w?stpeenowlf founder "john kay" in the '60's) (car) (1993)
    • johnny horton (novelty singer from the '50's/"battle of new orleans", "north to alaska") (car) (1960)
    • doug nelson ("jonny lang's" bass player/"lie to me", jonny, a hot shot teen gtr. slinger from late '90's) (hit by car) (2000)
    • tony meehan (original drummer w/influential british pop/gtr. group "the shadows", who pre-dated 'the beatles" and all the other british wave acts in early '60's/"apache", "fbi")(fell at his home) (2005)
    • roebuck "pops" staples (patriarch of the "staples singers", a family vocal gospel group, they were "stax records" stars in late '60's thru mid '70's) (fell at his home) (2000)
    • gerry tolman (mgr. of "crosby, stills & nash" and of NASCAR driver "tony stewart" too, he was also a musician and songwriter) (car) (2005)
Guns/Stabbing/Assassination/by Misadventure
By Sean McDowell
    • *john lennon ("beatles" singer/songwriter) (shot by a deranged fan) (1980)
    • *sam cooke (incredible singer/songwriter from late '50's, early '60's/"another saturday nite", "twistin the nite away", "cupid", many, many others) (shot by a hotel mgr.in l.a.) (1964)
    • bobby fuller (shot, but under mysterious circumstances) (" i fought the law...") (1966)
    • felix pappalardi ("mountain" singer and bassist/"nantucket sleighride"/"cream" songwriter and producer) (1983) (shot by his wife)
    • *al jackson ("stax" stars "booker t. and mg's" drummer/"time is tight" hang 'em high", "green onions") (1975) (shot in his home by an armed intruder)
    • *terry kath ("chicago" gtrst., singer, he and "jimi hendrix" were pals/kath sang on "make me smile", and "colour my world" and other "chicago" hits) (1978) (accident while allegedly playing russian roulette)
    • kurt cobain (much worshipped and misunderstood "nirvana" singer/gtrst.) (1994) (suicide by shotgun)
    • *marvin gaye (legendary superstar motown singer/songwriter/"what's goin on", "you're all i need to get by", "heard it thru the grapevine","sexual healing", many, many others) (1984) (shot by his father)
    • peter tosh (reggae superstar, original member of "the wailers"w/"bob marley") (1987) (murdered by burglers in his home)
    • phil hartmann (brilliant and much loved "sat.nite live" alum) (shot by his wife) (1998)
    • wendy o. williams (bizarre "plasmatics" front person) (1998) (suicide by gun)
    • jaco pastorius (reknowned session bass player for "weather report", "joni mitchell", others) (1987) (beaten to death outside ft.lauderdale club)
    • mal evans ("beatles" original road mgr., was w/the fab 4 till the very end, mal can be heard talking or playing a goofy instrument on several "beatles" songs, he can be seen at the very beginning of film "let it be") (1976) (shot by police in los angeles during a serious misunderstanding)
    • *del shannon (real name: charles westover...greatly influential early '60's rocker/singer/underrated gtrst., was 1st to record "bob seger" in a studio back in the '60's/"runaway", "little town flirt") (1990) (suicide by gun)
    • tommy boyce (1/2 of top songwriting team from '60's, w/"bobby hart", they wrote "the monkees" big hits like" last train to clarksville" and "valerie" and others...) (1994) (suicide by gun)
    • larry williams (singer-songwriter from new orleans originally/"boney maroney", and "the beatles" covered 2 of larry's songs: "dizzy miss lizzy" and "slowdown") (1980) (suicide by shotgun)
    • little walter (real name: marion walter jacobs) (legendary harp player with the great "muddy waters", it was little walter who 1st amplified the harmonica in concert, he wrote "boom boom, out go the lights", covered by "pat travers") (1968) (he died as a result of a street fight in chicago)
    • john lee "sonny boy" williamson (the original "sonny boy" williamson, from the '30's and '40's... there were 2 "sonny boy" williamson's and they were both legendary blues harp players! john lee was the older of the 2, they weren't related...john lee played with "big bill broonzy", legendary blues gtrst.) (mugged on the way home from a chicago club, he died from his injuries) (1948)
    • bobby bloom (one hit wonder/"montego bay" from '60's) (it was reported that he accidentally shot himself somehow in l.a.) (1974)
    • *cornell gunter (singer w/"the coasters"/"yakkity yak", "charlie brown", "poison ivy") (shot to death in las vegas) (1990)
    • *king curtis (real name: curtis ousley, top session tenor sax man, played with all the "50's and '60's stars like "buddy holly", "coasters", "drifters", "wilson pickett" & "sam cooke" and many others) (stabbed to death in n.y.c.) (1971))
    • *paul williams (original member of "the temptations", he was responsible for "the temps" mesmerizing dance moves in concert) (alleged suicide by gun in his car) (1973)
    • graham bond (early '60's british blues pioneer["graham bond organization"], "jack bruce", and "ginger baker" played w/bond before forming "cream") (jumped in front of a train) (1974)
    • danny rapp (lead singer for "danny & the juniors"/2 million selling "at the hop" and also "rock and roll is here to stay", late '50's philly doo-wop pop band discovered by "dick clark" of 'american bandstand') (suicide by gun) (1983)
    • john whitehead (1/2 of "mcffaden & whitehead", philly r & b performers/songwriters, they sang 'ain't no stoppin us now' in '79, and wrote for "the o'jays": 'back stabbers' and 'for the love of money', and many other songs for other artists..."mcfadden & whitehead" were discovered by "otis redding" back in the '60's) (shot to death by 2 gunman on the streets of philadelphia) (2004)
    • elliot smith (gifted singer songwriter, oscar nominated for his music in the soundtrack of film "good will hunting") (suicide by knife) (2003)
    • johnny ace (real name: john alexander, r&b star from the early '50's/"yes, baby", "my song", "the clock" and others) (russian roulette backstage during a break) (1955)
    • terry knight (former manager of "grand funk", extremely bitter split w/the band in '72 permanently estranged him from the 3 band members) (stabbed to death by his daughter's boyfriend) (2004)
    • "dimebag" darrell (real name: darrell abbott, former gtrst. for "pantera" and was w/"damageplan" at the time of his death) (murdered on stage by crazed gunman at columbus club) (2004)
    • james "shep" sheppard (founder of "shep and the limelights", r&b group from early '60's/"daddy's home") (robbed and murdered in his car in n.y.c.) (1970)
    • samuel george (drummer/lead singer for 'the capitols"/"cool jerk" from '66) (stabbed to death in argument in detroit) (1982)
    • hunter s. thompson (creator of "gonzo journalism", legendary brilliant novelist & writer beginning in the '60's, heavy doper and drinker and gun enthusiast, once took the hells angels to "ken kesey's" farm in california in '65 for an "acid test") (suicide by gun) (2005)
    • selena (tejano {hispanic but born in texas} singer, wildly popular in the latino community) (shot by her fan club's president) (1995)
    • arlester christian (singer/songwriter/bass player for "o'jays" back up band, wrote "funky broadway" for "wilson pickett", was "dyke" in "dyke & the blazers" from late '60's) (shot by gunman on gehtto street in phoenix) (1971)
    • barry sadler (wrote & sang hugely popular "ballad of the green berets" in "66, former green beret himself) (shot by unknown assailant in guatamala, never fully recovered and died within the next year) (1989)
    • nathaniel "buster" wilson (bass singer for "the coasters"/"yakity yak", "charlie brown", many many others) (shot to death in las vegas, his hands and feet were both cut off!) (1980)
Cocaine
By Sean McDowell
    • *john entwistle ("who" bassist, known as "the ox", possibly the greatest rock bassist of 'em all, sang "boris the spider" & "my wife") (2002)
    • jeff porcaro (member of "toto" and top session drummer/"steely dan" and "boz scaggs"...he suffered a fatal reaction to a gardening chemical that he was using on his lawn but toxicology reports also linked his death to past heavy cocaine abuse, which had constricted and hardened his arteries... ) (1992)
    • shannon hoon ("blind melon" lead singer/"no rain") (1995)
    • lowell george ("little feat" gtrst./singer/songwriter/producer/founder/"dixie chicken", "fat man in the bathtub") (1979)
    • chris farley (outrageous and huge "sat.nite live" alum) (cocaine & morphine) (1997)
    • *david ruffin ("temptations" lead singer/"ain't too proud to beg", "beauty's only skin deep","my girl"... lower voice) (1991) (crack cocaine)
    • toy caldwell (lead singer/gtrst. "can't you see"/ "marshall tucker band", brother of tommy, also dead) (1993)
    • brent mydland ("grateful dead" kybrdst., 3 "grateful dead" kybrdsts. died un-natural deaths) (cocaine & morphine) (1990)
    • *bobby hatfield (the shorter, higher-voiced member of "the righteous bros."/"you've lost that lovin feelin", "soul and inspiration", bobby sang "unchained melody") (2003)
    • andy gibb (youngest brother of the "bee gees", the gibb bros., though not a member of that band?solo hits from late '70's/early '80's/"i just want to be your everything" & "Shadow dancing") (1988)
Electrocution
By Sean McDowell
  • *keith relf ("yardbirds" ,"renaissance" lead singer, accident at home) (1976)
  • les harvey (gtrst. for scottish rockers "stone the crows", 'late '60's, early '70's act, electrocuted on stage) (1972)
Fire
By Sean McDowell
    • steve marriott ("humble pie"/"small faces" lead singer,/"30 days in the hole", "itchykoo park")( fire at home) (1991)
    • ty longley ("great white" gtrst. died in horrific rhode island club fire, along with more than 100 patrons that nite) (2003)
Poison
By Sean McDowell
  • *robt. johnson (legendary blues songwriter/singer/slide gtrst., "made a deal with the devil at the crossroads at midnite", "led zepp", "the stones", "zz top", they all covered robert johnson's songs, "eric clapton" has worshipped robert johnson his entire career) (poisoned by a jealous husband) (1938)
Barbituates
By Sean McDowell
    • brian epstein (closeted homosexual "beatles" mgr. and the guy who discovered the fab 4, and they were never the same without him either) (barbituates o.d./ probably a suicide) (1967)
    • *jimi hendrix (guitar god/"purple haze", "little wing", "angel", former army paratrooper w/101st airborne) (sleeping pills and wine/accidental) (1970)
    • gram parsons (legendary country rock pioneer, member of "the byrds" [for less than 1 year], founder of "flying burrito bros.", much-admired solo career, heroin-coke pals w/"keith richards") (morphine & tequila/accidental) (1973)
    • rob pilatus (1/2 of "milli vanilli", the lip-synching, grammy winning phonies [the grammys, 'best new artist'-1990, were returned after it was discovered the 2 guys in "milli vanilli" didn't actually sing the lyrics themselves] (alcohol and prescription pills in a germany hotel room, probable suicide) (1998)
    • dave blood ( punk rockers "dead milkmen" bassist, it hasn't been confirmed yet publicly, as of 3/17/04, but we suspect it was a barbituates suicide...sadly, it was definately a suicide, we just don't know how he did it...yet...) (2004)
    • rory storm, of "the hurricanes" (real name: alan caldwell...the liverpool band "ringo starr" played with before joining "the beatles" in '62...he was found dead w/his mother, a combo of booze and sleeping pills in a suicide pact) (1972)
    • nick drake (mysterious, troubled british folk singer, only recorded 4 albums, none sold well, he died at his parents' home in england, o.d.'ing on anti-depressants) (1974)
    • paul hammond (original drummer for "atomic rooster"/"death walks behind you") (barbituates o.d./ suicide) (1993)
    • *dinah washington (real name: ruth jones, powerful jazz/pop vocalist from '40's & '50's, worked w/"lionel hampton", "max roach", "brook benton" ["rainy nite in georgia"]) (booze and pills/accidental) (1963)
    • bryan ottoson (gtrst. for "american head charge", fledgling rockers from u.s.a.) (prescription pills o.d., apparently accidental) (2005)
    • lester bangs (legendary rock/punk critic from late '60's thru the early '80's, wrote for "rolling stone" "creem", "the village voice", "penthouse, "playboy" and many other magazines, he is credited with coining the term" punk" when describing bands) (darvon & valium) (1982)
 
Too Much Food
By Sean McDowell
    • *mama cass ("mamas and papas", real name: naomi cohan... it was a heart attack that really killed her and she died in the same apartment that "keith moon" from "the who" would die in 4 years later, an apartment owned by the late "harry nilsson") (1974)
    • john candy (huge and hilarious actor) (1994) (he died on location filming a movie in mexico)
    • steve "peregrin" took (percussionist/drummer for "t-rex", british glam rockers from early-mid '70's, before he was fired) (he choked on a cherry pit) (1980)
Not Enough Food
By Sean McDowell
  • karen carpenter (drummer/singer for "the carpenters" w/her brother richard/"close to you", "rainy days and mondays") (1983) (chronic anorexia nervosa)
AIDS
By Sean McDowell
    • *freddie mercury (real name: farrokh bulsara...flamboyant "queen" front man/"bohemian rhapsody", "we are the champions") (1991)
    • liberace (flamboyant concert pianist, once was "highest paid performer in las vegas") (1987)
    • robin crosby ("ratt" gtrst./"round and round") (2002)
    • ricky wilson ("B-52's" gtrst./"rock lobster", "love shack") (1985)
    • ray gillen (temporary but powerful "black sabbath" lead singer, replacing "glenn hughes" in '86, also worked with '80's hair band "blue murder") (1993)
A Combination of Barbituates and Cheeseburgers
By Sean McDowell
*elvis presley (1977) ("the king", and where would rock and roll be without elvis?? he opened the door for EVERYONE in pop/rock music, both black and white)
Natural Causes
By Sean McDowell

Of natural causes, prolonged illness or a heart attack, cancer or some other common, yet unfortunate way to go, non-substance or violence/accident related:
By Sean McDowell
    • nicky hopkins ("quicksilver messenger service" member, "jefferson airplane" too, both legendary san francisco rockers, and THE top session keyboardist in british rock in the "60's and '70's, played w/"the beatles", "the stones", "jeff beck", "the who", you name 'em) (1994)
    • *noel redding ("jimi hendrix" bass player, original member of "the experience") (2003)
    • dino valenti ("quicksilver messenger service" lead singer,/"fresh air", real name "chester powers", he wrote "get together", it was a huge hit for "the youngbloods" in '69) (1994)
    • mick ronson ( "david bowie" and "ian hunter" gtrst., toured with "dylan" on the "rolling thunder revue" tour of '75) (1993)
    • *tom fogerty ("c.c.r." gtrst./"down on the corner", "born on the bayou", "fortunate son"... and "john fogerty's" older brother) (1990)
    • *john phillips (legendary "mamas and papas" founder and songwriter/ "california dreamin","monday, monday", underwent liver transplant in "92 becoz of serious substance abuse over the years) (2001)
    • *curtis mayfield (legendary founder of "the impressions" and superstar r & b singer and performer and songwriter/"superfly", "people get ready", many others...was paralyzed from neck down in bizarre stage accident in n.y.c. in 1990, died 9 years later) (1999)
    • glenn buxton (original gtrst. for "alice cooper" on first 3 albums including "killer", he played on most of alice's biggest hits) (1997)
    • maurice gibb (one of  the "bee gees", "sat. nite fever" stars, along with many, many other hits from 3 decades: "how can you mend a broken heart","i've got to get a message to you")) (2003)
    • *joe strummer (real name: john mellor, singer/gtrst. for "the clash"/"rock the casbah", "london calling", "the clash" was the 1st "mainstream" punk band) (2003)
    • *joey ramone (real name: jeff hyman, singer for "the ramones", 3 of the original "ramones" are now dead) (2001)
    • nicolette larson (country/rock vocalist, friend of "neil young's", had a big hit w/neil's song "lotta love" back in the '70's, married to session drummer star "russ kunkel") (1997)
    • *frank zappa (legendary and outrageous gtrst./composer/cutting edge and uncompromising pop-rock icon) ("yellow snow", "goin to montana", many many others) (1993)
    • bob "the bear" hite (singer/harp for "canned heat"/"goin up the country", "on the road again") (1981)
    • *zal yanovski (gtrst/co-founder of "lovin spoonful"/"summer in the city", "daydream") (2003)
    • james dewar ("robin trower" bassist/vocalist, the guy who sang "bridge of sighs" and "too rolling stoned", he also belonged to "stone the crows" too, scottish rockers from the early '70's) (2002)
    • carl radle (legendary l.a. session bass player from '60's thenwent on to play with "derek & the dominoes", "eric clapton", "delaney and bonnie", "george harrison") (1980)
    • eric carr ("kiss" drummer at one time) (1991)
    • *john lee hooker (blues legend/"boom, boom, boom", "one bourbon, one scotch...", "boogie chillin", many others) (2001)
    • *howlin wolf (real name: "chester burnette"/chicago "chess records" blues legend/"smokestack lightning", "killin floor", many others) (1976)
    • *willie dixon (chicago "chess records" blues legend, maybe the greatest blues songwriter in history, "hootchie kootchie man", "back door man", "spoonful", many, many others...if it wasn't for willie, "led zeppelin" wouldn't have had enough songs for their 1st 2 albums!) (1992)
    • *muddy waters (real name: "mckinley morganfield"-chicago "chess records" blues legend/"mannish boy", "i'm a man"... the "rolling stones" named themselves after one of muddy's songs) (1983)
    • *bob marley (superstar reggae legend) (1981)
    • *chas chandler (original "jimi hendrix" manager, discovered hendrix in n.y.c. in '66/"animals" bass player too) (1996)
    • peter grant (original "led zeppelin" manager, managed "the yardbirds" too and "the animals" and "jeff beck group", a huge imposing bear of a man) (1995)
    • mickie most (producer for "herman's hermits"/"mrs. brown you've got a lovely daughter"), "the animals"/"house of the rising sun") and "donovan"/"sunshine superman", "mellow yellow") (2003)
    • dan hartmann (multi-instrumentalist, played with "edgar winter" on "they only come out at nite", sang on "free ride"/solo performer -"i can dream about you") (1994)
    • benjamin orr (bassist for "the cars", sang on "just what i needed") (2000)
    • linda mccartney (paul's wife, member of "wings", reknowned rock photographer of '60's rock stars) (1998)
    • ronnie lane (bassist for "small faces" /"itchykoo park", and "faces" w/ rod stewart) (1997)
    • *dave rowberry (kybrdst. for "the animals") (2003)
    • dee murray ("elton john" bass player on elton's biggest '70's hits) (1992)
    • lamar williams ("allman bros." bass player after berry oakley, "sea-level" too) (1983)
    • randy castillo ("ozzy's" drummer in mid '80's to early '90's and "motley crue's" too for awhile) (2002)
    • david briggs (legendary and irrascible producer for "neil young", he produced all of neil's albums in the '70's and late '60's, l.a. rock band "spirit" too) (1995)
    • jack neitzsche (legendary producer and arranger, movie soundtrack composer ..."rolling stones", "neil young", "phil spector" (worked w/spector in early '60's as staff songwriter, him and "sonny bono", played keyboards on many of the "stones" mid '60's recordings done in l.a.) (2000)
    • laura nyro (legendary songwriter.."and when i die"["blood sweat and tears"], "eli's coming"["3 dog night"], "stoned soul picnic [5th dimension"]", "wedding bell blues" ["5th dimesnion"]) (1997)
    • *alan freed (the original rock and roll disc jockey[based out of cleveland] from the '50's, coined the phrase "rock and roll" and promoted the first ever 'rock concert" in cleveland in the '50's, was the first dj to be indicted for payola) (1965)
    • wolfman jack (maybe the most famous '50's and '60's rock and roll dj ever, most distinctive on-air voice of 'em all certainly...real name: bob smith) (1995)
    • barry white (legendary soul man and love song singer, known as "the walrus of love"... "love unltd. orchestra" was barry's band) (2003)
    • patty donahue (lead singer for "the waitresses"/ "i know what boys like") (1996)
    • *eddie kendrick (lead singer-higher voice- for motown superstars "the temptations") ( 1992)
    • *gene clark (singer/songwriter & original member of "the byrds") (1991)
    • edwin starr (motown star from late '60's and early '70's/"25 miles" and "war") (2003)
    • john glascock (bassist for "jethro tull", there have been many over the years, he was one of 'em) (1979)
    • waylon jennings (legendary cutting edge country music star ,"willie and waylon & the boys...", "good hearted woman" and so many others, waylon was supposed to be on the plane that crashed carrying "buddy holly" but he gave up his seat at the last minute!) (2002)
    • *skip spence ("moby grape" founder and temporary member of "jefferson airplane", he played drums on the "airplane's" 1st album) (1999)
    • mary wells (legendary motown star/"my guy", "two lovers", known as the "queen of motown") (1992)
    • erik braunn (gtrst. for "iron butterfly", played on "in- a-gadda...", at that time in '68, he was 17 yrs. old) (2003)
    • *sam philipps (one of the architects of rock and roll, launched the careers of "elvis," "jerry lee lewis", "johnny cash" and "carl perkins" ("the million dollar quartet") ,owned "sun" studios and sun records in memphis and was the 1st to record "elvis presley" in a studio) (2003)
    • *flo ballard (original member of "the supremes", legendary motown stars, the biggest chick band in history, sadly she died broke and addicted) (1976)
    • tammy terrell (co singer with "marvin gaye" on many of marvin's big hits/"you're all i need to get by", "your precious love", she died very young of a brain hemmorage/tumour at age 24) (1970)
    • bob hope (no rock heritage, but maybe the greatest overall entertainer in history) (2003)
    • mike "smitty" smith (original drummer for "paul revere & the raiders"/"kicks", "hungry", "just like me") (2001)
    • allan woody ("gov.t mule" bassist) (2000)
    • tony jackson ("searchers" bassist/"needles and pins", "love potion #9") (2003)
    • dennis danell ("social distortion" gtrst.) (2000)
    • skip batten ("byrds", "flying burrito bros.", "new riders of the purple sage" bassist) (2003)
    • *johnny cash (legendary country star, known as "the man in black"/"folsom prison blues","i walk the line", many, many others)(2003)
    • robert palmer (british blue eyed soul performer/"every kinda people", "sneakin sally thru the ally", remade "t-rex's" 'bang a gong' w/"power station) (2003)
    • arthur conley (soul singer form '60's, "sweet soul music" and "funky street", pals w/"otis redding" out of legendary "stax studios" in memphis) (2003)
    • tony thompson (drummer for "chic", "power station" and session drummer for "d. bowie", "madonna" and "m. jagger") (2003)
    • doug sahm (singer/founder/kybrds. for '60's pop- rockers "sir douglas quintet"/"mendecino", "she's about a mover") (1999)
    • dave williams (singer for "drowning pool") (2002)
    • *steve douglas (top session sax man in l.a. in the '60's and '70's, worked w/"duane eddy") (1993)
    • john hartford (folk singer/songwriter /"gentle on my mind", covered by many) (2001)
    • *woodie guthrie (grandaddy of all folk singers,"this land is your land", "bob dylan's" hero, "arlo guthrie's" father) (1967)
    • tommy tedesco (the most recorded studio session gtrst. OF ALL TIME, worked in l.a. in the '60's, that's tommy's guitar on the tv soundtracks of M*A*S*H, "batman", "green acres", so many others, also that's him on all the "beach boys" stuff, "sinatra", "streisand", all the "phil spector" stuff too, "monkees"...he was the #1 top session gtrst. of 'em all in l.a.... if it was recorded in l.a. in the '60's and '70's, more than likely, tommy played guitar on it) (1997)
    • *bobby darrin ('50's, early '60's teen pop idol/"mack the knife", "splish splash", he left his body to the medical school at u.c.l.a.) (1973)
    • boudleaux and felice bryant (songwriters, wrote almost all of "the everly bros". big hits, also wrote "love hurts" covered by "nazareth") (him: 1987, her: 2003)
    • *doc pomus (real name: jerome solon felder...large and legendary n.y.c. songwriter, wrote several of elvis's biggest hits,"viva las vegas", "little sister", "suspicion" ; also wrote, from the famed "brill bldg." in n.y.c., "save the last dance for me" ["the drifters"] and "this magic moment" ["the vogues"] and many. many others) (1991)
    • richard "pistol" allen (drummer, legendary "funk bros.", motown session pros, the guys who played on ALL of motown's hits) (2002)
    • robert white (1994) (gtrst. legendary "funk bros.", motown session pros, the guys who played on ALL of motown's hits)
    • johnny griffith (2002) (kybrdst., legendary "funk bros.", motown session pros, the guys who played on ALL of motown's hits)
    • earl van dyke (1992) (kybrdst., legendary "funk bros.", motown session pros, the guys who played on ALL of motown's hits)
    • eddie "bongo" brown (1983) (percussionist, legendary "funk bros.", motown session pros, the guys who played on ALL of motown's hits)
    • "lonesome" dave peverett (singer/songwriter/gtrst./founder of "foghat"/"slow ride", "fool for the city") (2000)
    • *melvin franklin (deep bass singer for motown superstars "the temptations") (1995)
    • *roy orbison ("elvis" referred to him as the best singer that ever was, "pretty woman", "only the lonely", "blue bayou" [huge hit for "linda ronstadt"]...also member of "the traveling wilburys" w/"dylan, "t. petty", "g. harrison" & others) (1988)
    • jr walker (of "the all-stars", real name: autry dewalt lll) (motown sax blowing star/"shotgun". "what does it take", "i'm a roadrunner"", played sax on "foreigner's" 'urgent' too) (1995)
    • ian drury (of "the blockheads") (mid-late '70's british punk rocker on "stiff records"/"hit me with your rhythm stick") (2000)
    • ian stewart (known as the "5th rolling stone", "stu" played keyboards on just about all the "stones" biggest hits up until the '80's [it was him or "nicky hopkins"], with the band since even before "keith richards" was and was their road manager in the '60's) (1985)
    • *dusty springfield (british white soul chick singer from '60's/"you don't have to say you love me", "son of a preacher man", "wishin and hopin") (1999)
    • duke ellington (legendary composer/big band leader/pianist, conducted "cotton club" house band in harlem during '20's, '30's, 40's, etc...) (1974)
    • *louie armstrong (legendary new orleans-bred jazz/dixieland horn man/vocalist during '20's, '30's, '40's, '50's, etc., known as "satchmo"/"hello dolly", "what a wonderful world") (1971)
    • ella fitzgerald (iconic black jazz/pop/swing/scat singer-performer-diva, "the 1st lady of song", worked w/"count basie", "louie armstrong", "duke ellington" and others during the '30's, '40's, '50's, etc.) (1996)
    • hoyt axton (prolific songwriter from '60's and '70's, penned "the pusher" for "steppenwolf", "the no-no song" for "ringo starr", "joy to the world" and "never been to spain"for "3 dog nite", many others) (1999)
    • lionel hampton (legendary jazz/big band leader,"king of the vibes", composer/arranger from '30's, '40's and '50's, etc.) (2002)
    • count basie (legendary big band/swing orchestra leader and composer/pianist from '20's, '30's, '40's, etc.) (1984)
    • bill black ("elvis" original bass player, staff bassist for "sun records" in memphis, he and "scotty moore" (gtrst.) played on "elvis' 1st big hit: "that's allright mama") (1965)
    • michael kamen (conductor/movie soundtrack composer: "lethal weapon", "101 dalmations", "mr. holland's opus", "die hard", also scored orchestration for "pink floyd's" 'the wall') (2003)
    • harry nilsson (singer/songwriter/pianist: "coconut", "jump into the fire", "spaceman", wrote "one" for "3 dog nite" was a drinking buddy of john lennon's in the '70's) (1994)
    • country dick montana (drummer, deep throated singer for "the beat farmers"/"happy boy", died on stage in vancouver in 1995, the band called it quits immediately)
    • vickie sue robinson (disco diva, one hit wonder/"turn the beat around") (2000)
    • van mccoy ("the hustle"...van was a songwriter/performer, "the hustle" was a huge [instrumental] dance hit in the disco years of the '70's) (1979)
    • timothy leary (l.s.d. guru, harvard educated,w/a ph.d., he coined the phrase, "tune in, turn on, drop out", all his life he advocatd the use of l.s.d. for greater personal enlightenment, he was a part of the "1st human be-in" in golden gate park, san francisco in january of 1967 w/"the grateful dead", "quicksilver" and "the jefferson airplane", it was the initial event of "the summer of love", "the beatles" quoted leary in their song 'tommorrow never knows' :'turn off your mind, relax and float downstream') (1996)
    • ken kesey (novelist: 'one flew over the cuckoo's nest', organizer of the "acid tests" in the mid '60's in california, when l.s.d. was still legal, he was the founder of "the merry pranksters," a bunch of l.s.d. swilling partiers who drove from city to city on a wildly painted school bus, spreading the word about l.s.d., again, while it was still legal, and throwing huge bizarre parties..."the grateful dead" was the house band frequently for "the acid tests" and "the hell's angels" motorcycle club usually attended too) (2001)
    • freddie king (legendary blues gtrst, contemporary of "otis rush", "buddy guy", "eric clapton" covered 3 of freddie's tunes: "i'm tore down" and "have you ever loved a woman" and "hideaway") (1976)
    • albert king (legendary, grammy nominated blues gtrst, opened for "jimmy hendrix" & "janis joplin" at the fillmore west in "68, did an album w/"stevie ray vaughn" in early '80's/"born under a bad sign" w/"booker t. and mg's") (1992)
    • derek taylor (press agent in the '60's for 'the beatles", "byrds", "beach boys", "harry nilsson", and "paul revere & the raiders", helped to organize the "monterey pop festival" in '67 [rock/pop's 1st festival], was instrumental in creation of "beatles anthology" project) (1997)
    • *jimmy reed (legendary harp player/blues man, "rolling stones," "grateful dead", "steve miller" all covered jimmy reed songs like "big boss man" and "bright lights, big city") (1976)
    • jimmy miller (legendary record producer: "spencer davis group", both their big hits 'i'm a man' and 'gimme some lovin', the "rolling stones" albums 'beggar's banquet', let it bleed" [jimmy plays drums on 'you can't always get what you want'], 'exile on main street', 'sticky fingers', and he produced the 1st 2 "traffic" albums) (1994)
    • fred "sonic" smith (gtrst. for incendiary '60's detroit rockers "the mc5", husband of punk rocker "patti smith") (1994)
    • little eva (real name: eva narcissus boyd, she was "carole king" and "gerry goffin's" babysitter, king and goffin were top notch "brill bldg." songwriters in n.y.c. at that time, little eva sang "loco-motion" at the age of 16 in 1962) (2003)
    • dizzy gillespie (famous be-bop pioneer, legendary jazz trumpet master, '30's, '40's, '50's, '60's, etc., worked w/"ella fitzgerald", "duke ellington", "charlie 'bird' parker") (1993)
    • charlie "bird" parker (possibly the greatest jazz/be-bop saxophonist of all time, from the '30's '40's and '50's, deeply troubled by booze and heroin too) (1955)
    • john guerin (one of the top session drummers in l.a. in the '60's and '70's, "joni mitchell's" 'court and spark" album he played on, "hissing of summer lawns" too, he worked w/"frank zappa" and many others in late '60's) (2004)
    • randy van warmer (singer/songwriter: "just when i needed you most", he was 18 when he wrote that song in 1979) (2004)
    • *jackie wilson (r & b singer/somgwriter/performer from '50's and '60's and early '70's/ "your love has lifted me higher", "lonely teardrops"...jackie suffered a heart attack on stage in '75, he went into a coma and never recovered) (1984)
    • "colonel" tom parker (crooked manager of "elvis presley", the "colonel" withheld and mismanaged millions of dollars that belonged to "the king") (1997)
    • francisco garcia (singer/founder of "cannibal & the headhunters"/"land of 1000 dances") (1996)
    • richard berry (the guy who wrote the biggest "frat-rock" song in pop/rock history: "louie, louie"...it was a huge hit for "the kingsmen" in 1963, but "paul revere & the raiders" actually released their version of the song at the same time which wasn't a hit) (1997)
    • junior wells (real name: amos blackmore...legendary blues harmonica player, played with "muddy waters" and "buddy guy", "john belushi" in the film "the blues bros." patterned his chararcter "jake" after junior wells) (1998)
    • slim harpo (real name: james moore... r&b/blues gtrst. songwriter/performer from late '50's and '60's..."rolling stones" "yardbirds" , "the kinks" all covered slim's songs like "i'm a kingbee" and "baby scratch my back".."the stones" named their live album after a slim tune: "got live if you want it") (1970)
    • *professor longhair (real name: henry roeland byrd, legendary and influential new orleans pianist/singer/songwriter, one of the boogie woogie keyboard kings of all time) (1980)
    • sam "lightning" hopkins (legendary and influential texas r & b/blues gtrst.) (1982)
    • john siomos (drummer for "peter frampton" on "frampton comes alive" album in '76) (2004)
    • billy jones (original gtrst. for "outlaws"/"green grass & high tides", "there goes another love song") (1995)
    • gene hughes (lead singer for 'the casinos"/"then you can tell me goodbye", they were a doo wop band from '50's and '60's) (2004)
    • cornelius bumpus (sax man for "the doobie bros." and also a member of "steely dan's" touring band) (2004)
    • big mama thornton (powerful blues singer, based out of texas, she was the 1st to record the "leiber/stoller" song "hound dog", but it was "elvis" who had the big hit with it 3 years later...she also recorded "ball and chain" but "janis joplin" had a hit with that later instead of big mama) (1984)
    • brook benton (real name: benjamin frank peay) (sliver-throated black singer from '50's, '60's and '70's, styled after "nat king cole", his biggest hit was a cover of "rainy night in georgia" in '70 [written by "tony joe white"/"polk salad annie"]) (1988)
    • stu sutcliff (original "beatles" bass player, as paul at that time, late '50's, was playing guitar...sutcliff left the band on his own and died of a brain hemorrage less than a year later) (1962)
    • alexis korner (the early '60's bandleader in england who helped launch the careers of rock stars like "jack bruce/cream", "charlie watts/stones", "ginger baker/cream", "robert plant/led zeppelin", "steve marriot/humble pie" and others) (1984)
    • *leadbelly (real name: huddle ledbetter) (legendary louisiana/texas traditional blues/folks singer/gtrst., always in and out of prison, credited with writing "the midnight special" ["creedence" had a hit with that] and "goodnight irene"..he was usually in the presence of "blind lemon jefferson" or "t-bone walker"...in the last years of his life, he performed with folk legends "pete seeger" and "woody guthrie") (1949)
    • rice miller (the much better known 'sonny boy williamson'...rice miller, a legendary and talented blues harp player and colorful performer & storyteller, he allegedly was with "robert johnson" the nite johnson was poisoned in 1938... stole the name "sonny boy williamson" from an older blues harp player, though rice miller actually had much more success as a blues musician than the original "sonny boy" did...rice miller wrote "one way out" [covered by the "allman bros."] and "eyesight to the blind" [covered by "the who"] and other influential blues classics..it was rice miller who was worshipped by up and coming british rock musicians, ["animals" & "yardbirds"], in fact "the yardbirds" w/eric clapton" recorded an album w/rice miller in '65] in the '60's as a blues god...rice miller performed radio work back in the '40's for "king biscuit flour", an arkansas flour company, thus, years later, "the king biscuit flower hour" came to be..."elmore james" played with rice miller at one time) (1965)
    • big bill broonzy (real name: william lee conley broonzy...legendary traditional, standard chicago blues gtrst. from the '30's and '40's, '50's, the british up and coming rock stars in the '60's worshipped this guy) (1958)
    • son house (legendary delta bluesman/gtrst. from '30's and '40's, '50's and '60's, both the mythical "robert johnson" and "muddy waters" actually were schooled by son house, that's how legendary he was) (1988)
    • doris troy (singer/performer from '60's and '70's/"just one look" was her biggest hit, but she sang back-up vocals on "pink floyd's" 'dark side' album and on the "rolling stones" album 'let it bleed' too...she was american-born, but relocated to england in late '60's where she was a much sought-after studio session vocalist w/ various british rock bands) (2004)
    • ron towson (original "5th dimension" member/"aquarius-let the sun shine", "stoned soul picnic", "wedding bell blues") (2001)
    • fred rogers ("mr. rogers neighborhood"... no rock or pop or music heritage at all but one of the most recognizable and respected pop-culture icons of all time...and by the way, mr. rogers was NOT a decorated war hero, as internet rumors allege...) (2003)
    • bob keeshan ("capt. kangaroo"...again, no rock or pop music heritage at all but one of the most recognizable and respected pop-culture icons of all time...and by the way, keeshan was NOT a wwII combat veteran /hero, as internet rumors allege...) (2004)
    • bob mayo ("peter frampton" kybrdst. on 'frampton comes alive'...during the song 'do you feel like we do", peter frampton yells, "bob mayo on keyboards, bob mayo!" mayo played w/frampton for 25 years...) (2004)
    • estelle axton (co-founder of "stax records", the legendary record label out of memphis, home to "sam and dave", "booker t. and the m.g's."[they were the house band at stax] and "otis redding"...estelle axton's brother, jim stewart, was the other co-founder of "stax records", the 2 combined their last names to come up with "stax": the 'st' from stewart and the 'ax' from axton) (2004)
    • oliver (real name: william oliver swofford) ( sang the 1969 song "good morning starshine" from the broadway musical "hair" and had another hit with "jean" shortly afterwards) (2000)
    • papa john creach (electric violinist from "the jefferson airplane/starship" and "hot tuna"...he was already in his 50's when he joined the "airplane" and played on "the starship's" biggest hits like 'miracles" and "ride the tiger") (1994)
    • rust epique (former gtrst. for "crazy town" and "pre)thing") (2004)
    • john mcgeoch (former gtrst. for cutting-edge punk rockers "siouxsie & the banshees") (2004)
    • *aaron 't-bone' walker (legendary texas blues gtrst., known as one of the fathers of electric blues, /"they call it stormy monday"[ the "allmans brothers" had a hit with this t-bone song], t-bone also pioneered stage antics like playing his guitar behind his head and with his teeth back in the '50's and early '60's, he worked frequently w/"blind lemon jefferson" and "leadbelly" as a young man) (1975)
    • alf bicknell (chauffeur, bodyguard and general "gofer" for "the beatles", he also appeared on on the song "yellow submarine", providing the anchor noise...he wrote a book in 1989 "baby you can drive my car", detailing his adventures driving "the beatles" around) (2004)
    • *big joe turner (legendary blues singer/shouter from kansas city, a major influence on "chuck berry", "bo diddley", "elvis" and others, he won a grammy in '83...had a huge hit w/"shake rattle and roll" in the '50's) (1985)
    • j.j. jackson (one of the pioneering original "mtv" vee-jays, and radio d.j. in l.a., but NOT the same guy who sang "but its allright" back in the '60's) (2004)
    • edmund sylvers (lead singer & member of the family r&b/dance act from the '70's "the sylvers"/"boogie fever") (2004)
    • don murray (original "turtles" drummer, played on "it ain't me babe", "let me be", "you baby" and other "turtles" early hits) (1996)
    • mark dinning (one hit wonder pretty much who sang "teen angel", a typically morbid teen death tune, involving a car accident, in 1959) (1986)
    • johnny bristol ("motown" producer and songwriter, he wrote hits w/ "harvey fuqua", {another "motown" songwriter}, for "the supremes", "stevie wonder" "marvin gaye" and "junior walker" [for junior and marvin:" how sweet it is to be loved by you", and for marvin and "tammi terrell: "ain't no mountain high enuff"]) (2004)
    • josh clayton-felt (singer/songwriter, former front man/lead singer for "school of fish"/"3 strange days") (2000)
    • harold melvin (leader of legendary philly soul outfit "harold melvin & the blue notes"/"if you don't know me by now", helped luanch the careers of "billy paul" ["me & mrs. jones"] and "teddy pendergrass" too) (1997)
    • *tom donahue (the father of "fm rock/underground" radio...in '67, donahue launched san fran radio station "kmpx", by playing album cuts, featuring bands live in the studio, making political announcements, things no other radio station had done before, and this was on FM radio, not AM! the format caught on quickly nationally, donahue moved to san fran station "ksan" a year later...he was 46 when he died of a heart attack...he is in the rock and roll hall of fame) (1975)
    • *bill haley (of "the comets", probably the 1st "rock and roll band" w/"rock around the clock", the smash hit and regarded as the 1st mainstream "rock and roll" song ever from 1954) (1981)
    • *leonard chess (co-founder, with his brother phil, of the legendary "chess studios" in chicago, where blues greats "willie dixon", "muddy waters", "howlin wolf" and many others recorded their classics, including "chuck berry" too, the "rolling stones", the "yardbirds" and still many others...) (1969)
    • *carl perkins (writer of the smash hit "blue suede shoes" in 1956, one of the famous "sun records" performers, perkins was legendary as a rockabilly singer, he was one of the "million dollar quartet" guys at "sun" w/"elvis", "johnny cash" and "jerry lee lewis"..."the beatles" covered "honey don't" from perkins and also "everybody's trying to be my baby") (1998)
    • jan berry (of "jan and dean", surf music pioneers/"deadman's curve", "little old lady from pasadena" and "surf city"..."brian wilson" of the "beach boys" co-wrote "surf city" and "deadman's curve" w/berry...in 1966, he ws in a serious car accident that left him brain damaged and partially paralyzed...he recovered somewhat but was never really the same) (2004)
    • gene allison (r&b/gospel singer out of nashville, had the hit with "you can make it if you try" in 1957, the legendary "sam cooke" once said, "i wish i could sing like gene allison..") (2004)
    • *elmore james (legendary "king of the slide guitar", he was a contemporary of the mythical "robert johnson" and "sonny boy williamson II), composer of blues classics like "dust my broom"[actually co-written w/"robert johnson", covered by "zz top"], "it hurts me too" [covered by the "grateful dead"], "the sky is crying" [covered by "stevie ray vaughn"] and "done somebody wrong" [covered by the "allman bros."] and "shake your money maker" ["the black crowes" named their debut album after that song]) (1963)
    • allen ginsberg (homosexual counterculture "beat" poet, contemporary of "jack kerouac" and "william burroughs" and lover of "neal cassady"...schooled at columbia univ. in n.y.c....experimented w/pot and speed years before society had awareness of such substances, he was part of the inspiration for "kerouac's" legendary 'on the road'..he created the poem "howl", a counterculture classic...he helped timothy leary spread the word about LSD, he participated in historic rock events like the "1st human be-in", in san francisco in 1/67 and the "kool aid acid tests" conducted by "ken kesey" in '66 and '67...in the '80s he appeared on "the clash's" "combat rock" album...) (1997)
    • *hank ballard (of "the midnighters", he wrote "the twist" in 1958, made into a huge hit by "chubby checker", also "finger poppin time" and "let's go let's go let's go" (2003)
    • *leo fender (creator of the legendary "telecaster"[1951] and "stratocaster" [1954] electric, solid body, mass produced guitars) (1991)
    • *o'kelly isley (one of the "isley bros."/"twist & shout", "shout", "its your thing") (1986)
    • *will "dub" jones (one of the original "coasters"/"yakkity yak", "charlie brown", "poison ivy") (2000)
    • *billy guy (one of the original "coasters", he was the deep baritone/"yakkity yak", "charlie brown", "its your thing") (2002)
    • guy lombardo (big band kingpin, known as "mr. auld lang syne" as a result of his new year's eve radio show which ran from 1929-1976, he was also a champion speedboat racer!) (1977)
    • *sterling morrison ("velvet underground" gtrst./"sweet jane", "heroin") (1995)
    • "mississippi" fred mcdowell (legendary bottleneck slide guitarist/blues man, the "rolling stones" covered "you got to move" from mcdowell, he was a huge influence on "bonnie raitt" too) (1972)
    • jerry nolan (replacement drummer for the "new york dolls", after original drummer "billy murcia" died in '72..."the dolls" were glam-punk pioneers in the early '70's and 4 of 'em are now dead) (1992)
    • buddy rich (possibly best jazz/big band drummer ever, played w/ "tommy dorsey", "dizzy gillespie" and "louis armstrong" during '40's and '50's and '60's, seen frequently on the "tonite show" w/"johnny carson") (1987)
    • gene krupa (legendary jazz/big band drummer during '30's, '40's and '50's, a contemporary of "buddy rich's", krupa was the 1st drummer to "solo" during performances, he helped to develop tune-able tom-toms [for slingerland drums] and also the "hi-hat" [for zildjian cymbals], played w/"benny goodman" and "tommy dorsey") (1973)
    • al hirt (legendary new orleans trumpet guy, headlined 1st halftime super bowl show ever in 1967, played with "tommy dorsey" and "benny goodman") (1999)
    • woody herman (big band kingpin during the '40's & 50's, with his "herd", he played clarinet & saxophone too) (1987)
    • the dorsey brothers (tommy and jimmy, both were big band kingpins during '30's '40's and '50's, mostly tommy, the younger of the 2, the "dorsey bros. orchestra", with both of them, featured artists like "glenn miller" and "frank sinatra"...tommy's orchestra was more well known) (tommy-1956 jimmy-1957)
    • paul atkinson (original grtst. for "the zombies", british pop band from mid '60's/"she's not there",[the scat-like keyboard solo in that song was the inspiration for "roger mcguinn's" scat-like guitar work on "the byrds" 'eight miles high" in '66] "time of the season" and "tell her no"...after they broke up in '67, atkinson went to be a record label exec, discovering and signing, among others, "bruce hornsby"/"that's just the way it is") (2004)
    • arthur "big boy" crudup (legendary blues singer and song writer from '20's, '30's, '40's thru the early '70's, toured with blues greats "sonny boy williamson [rice miller]" and "elmore james", he wrote for "elvis" 'that's all right mama" and 'mean old frisco blues' covered by "eric clapton") (1974)
    • steve goodman (famed songwriter/"city of new orleans", a huge hit for "arlo guthrie", but many of his other lesser known songs have been covered by a multitude of major artists) (1984)
    • ivory joe hunter (r&b keybrdst./singer/songwriter from texas during '20's thur 'early '70's, he performed "blues at sunrise" covered by "stevie ray vaughn", he had a big hit with his song "i almost lost my mind" in the mid-50's, then he crossed over to the country charts and was successful there..he also wrote songs for "elvis") (1974)
    • *niki sullivan (original rhythm gtrst. for the legendary "crickets", "buddy holly's" band...sullivan played on "that'll be the day", "maybe baby" and "not fade away", but he quit the band before the fatal plane crash in '59!...he quit in '57) (2004)
    • michael thomas tucker (original drummer for "sweet"/"ballroom blitz", "fox on the run", "love is like oxygen") (2002)
    • george gershwin (legendary "tin pan alley", broadway and hollywood songwriter/composer/"rhapsody in blue", "porgy and bess", "summertime"[covered by "janis joplin" and "billy stewart"], many, many others) (1937)
    • cole porter (legendary broadway songwriter/composer during the "roaring '20's"..."i get a kick outta you"[covered by "frank sinatra"] "night and day", many, many others) (1964)
    • benny goodman (legendary big band/jazz/swing clarinetist/band leader) (1986)
    • ronnie white (original member of "the miracles with smokey robinson"/"2nd that emotion","goin to a go-go", "tears of a clown") (1995)
    • *jelly roll morton (real name: ferdinand lematt...legendary composer and piano player from early 1900's, the 1st great pianist in "hot jazz"...he worked in new orleans [his birthplace], the west coast and new york...his band was called the "red hot peppers") (1941)
    • warren zevon (edgy l.a. singer/songwriter/"werewolves of london", "lawyers guns and money", "poor poor pitiful me"[a huge hit for "linda ronstadt"], he also wrote song for "the turtles" back in the '60's) (2003)
    • mark sandman (lead singer, gtrst. for 3-man boston outfit "morphine") (died on stage of a heart attack) (1999)
    • memphis slim (real name: peter chatman...legendary blues pianist, maybe the best ever, worked with "big bill broonzy", he wrote, among many many other songs,"everyday i have the blues", a hit for "b.b.king"...memphis slim spent the last 26 years of his life living in paris) (1988)
    • charles mingus (legendary jazz bassist, composer/arranger, played w/"louis armstrong's" band in early '40's, worked into the '70's, was and is deeply respected world wide) (1979)
    • neil bogart (founder of legendary "casablanca" records, label from the '70's, 1st act to be signed: "kiss", bogart also signed "donna summer", "the village people" and "parliment"..."casablanca" was the original disco record label...bogart sold it to polygram records in 1980) (1982)
    • darrell sweet (drummer for "nazareth"/"hair of the dog", "love hurts") (1999)
    • neal cassady ("beat" generation cult figure; though hetero, he had a homosexual relationship with "allen ginsberg", was a part of the 'electric kool aid acid tests' with "ken kesey" and was very close with "jack kerouac", legendary "beat" writer ['on the road', in fact, cassady's character in that book was 'dean moriarity'], the "grateful dead" wrote a song for neal cassady: "cassady") (1968)
    • rudy maugeri (baritone singer for world famous doo-wop quartet from the '50's "the crew cuts"/"sh-boom", and other covers they had hits with...they were one of the 1st white groups to record rock and roll versions of black r&b songs..."paul mccartney" and "george harrison" as young boys were both fans of "the crew cuts") (2004)
    • *bob wills (legendary "king of western swing", from texas, "bob wills & his texas playboys" from the '30's, '40's, '50's and '60's.../"san antonio rose", "faded love" and many others) (1975)
    • *bill monroe (legendary "father of blugrass", "bill monroe & the blue grass boys" from the '30's, '40's, '50's and '60's, the band included "lester flatt" and "earl scruggs", equally legendary bluegrass superstars/"blue moon of kentucky", "uncle pen" and many, many others...bill monroe influenced countless musicians, from bluegrass to country to rock) (1996)
    • johnny 'guitar' watson (legendary influential gtrst. sax man, he played gtr. w/his teeth and over his head before "jimi hendrix" did, he was the funkster inspiration for "sly stone" and "george clinton", "steve miller' covered watson's "the gangster of love"...he died on stage of a heart attack in japan) (1996)
    • lawrence welk (schmaltzy but extremely shrewd businessman/ orchestra leader, host of a nationally broadcast tv show from the '50's to the '70's, enormously popular with the older generation of americans, "...and a one, and a two..." he didn't learn to speak english till he was 21 though he was born in north dakota!) (1992)
    • bruce fairbairn (top notch record producer, he worked with "kiss" and "ac-dc" and "aerosmith" and "yes" out of vancouver, british columbia...his body was discovered in his home by "jon anderson" of "yes", as fairbairn was producing a new "yes" album at the time) (1999)
    • william powell (original member of "the o'jays"/"backstabbers", "love train", "for the love of money") (1977)
    • barney kessel (world reknowned studio session gtrst. in hollywood, worshipped by stars like "george harrison" and "pete townshend" and "phil spector" who kessel worked extensively with on spector's 'wall of sound" recordings, spector referred to kessel as a "true genius") (2004)
    • miles davis (legendary trumpet player/composer/band leader, possibly the most innovative of all jazz artists ever, miles was always dramatically changing his sound) (1991)
    • john coltrane (legendary jazz sax man/band leader, played with "miles davis" among others, hugely influential and innovative thruout the '50's and early '60's) (1967)
    • rob tyner (lead singer for legendary and incendiary detroit '60's and early '70's rockers "mc5"/"kick out the jams") (1991)
    • *doris kenner jackson (original member of "the shirelles", one of the 1st chick groups from late '50's and early '60's/"soldier boy", "dedicated to the one i love", "will you still love me tomorrow") (2000)
    • *micki harris (original member of "the shirelles" [see above] (1982)
    • *ray charles (SUPER legendary r & b, gospel, blues, jazz pianist/vocalist/"hit the road jack", "georgia on my mind", many, many others, he's been described as the father of soul music, "brother" ray charles was a GIANT in the industry) (2004)
    • otis blackwell (singer/tremendous songwriter/pianist, he wrote 3 of "elvis presley's" biggest hits: "don't be cruel", "all shook up", and "return to sender"...he also wrote "great balls of fire" for "jerry lee lewis") (2002)
    • bobby helms (singer from '50's and '60's, country/rocka billy star but his biggest hit was "jingle bell rock" in 1957) (1997)
    • mort shuman ("doc pumus's" musical partner, together mort and doc wrote a huge catalogue of hits for various artists in the "50's and '60's mostly, scroll up and see "doc pomus" under "natural causes") (1991)
    • henry mancini (legendary multiple academy award winning pianist/composer/soundtrack scorer: "the pink panther theme", "peter gunn theme", many, many others) (1994)
    • dave carter (folk singer/songwriter star, partner of "tracy grammer") (2002)
    • *john hammond (legendary music mogul [producer, critic, label A&R guy], he discovered "benny goodman", "count basie", "billie holiday", "bob dylan", "pete seeger" and "bruce springsteen"! john hammond personally effected enormous change in pop/rock music) (1987)
    • arthur "killer" kane (original bassist for glam/punk pioneers from the early '70's "the new york dolls"...4 "dolls" are now dead) (2004)
    • syreeta wright (ex-wife of motown superstar "stevie wonder", she co-wrote with him "signed sealed delivered" and also "if you really love me"...she also had a huge hit in the late '70's with "billy preston", "with you i'm born again") (2004)
    • philippe wynne (former lead singer with "the spinners"/"then came you", "rubberband man", "games people play", many others) (1984)
    • *lavern baker (legendary r&b/pop/scat singer from '50's thru the '70's: "jim dandy"[covered by "black oak arkansas"] and "tweedlee dee" and others) (1997)
    • jerry goldsmith (multiple academy award and emmy winning film and tv composer/[films]:"the omen", "hoosiers", "poltergeist", "chinatown",[tv]: "the twilight zone", "perry mason", "gunsmoke" and many others) (2004)
    • mary ann ganser and marge ganser (twin sisters with "the shangri-las", girl group from the '60's/"remember walkin in the sand", "the leader of the pack", n.y.c. street chicks who were still in high school when they hit the big time, if for only a short time) (mary ann-1971)(marge-1996)
    • *rick danko (bass player for 'the band"/"the weight", "the nite they drove old dixie down", many, many others, rick sang lead vocals on "stage fright") (1999)
    • illinois jacquet (legendary tenor sax guy from the '40's thru the '80's, played with "lionel hampton" and "count basie" and others, created the "texas tenor" style of sax playing) (2004)
    • *rufus thomas (legendary memphis ambassador, early radio d.j. on WDIA, bluesman/entertainer & vaudeville guy beginning in the '30's... "stax" records performer [w/his daughter "carla"]/"walking the dog", "do the funky chicken") (2001)
    • lacy van zandt (patriarch of the famous "van zandt" southern rock family from jacksonville fla., lacy was the father of the late "ronnie van zandt" of "lynyrd skynard", also the father of "johnny["skynard"]" and "donnie"[".38 special"]van zandt...lacy was 89 yrs. old when he died) (2004)
    • w.c. handy ("father of the blues", handy was the 1st to recognize "blues" as real music in the early 1900's, and to actually write down the notes and the lyrics and present them to the rest of the world! he wrote "memphis blues" and "st. louis blues"...he was completely blind the final 15 yrs. of his life) (1958)
    • andy warhol (the father of "pop art" back in the '60's, producer and manager of "the velvet underground", coined the phrase "15 minutes of fame", world famous celebrity and hanger-on) (1987)
    • lowell fulson (legendary, but largely unknown blues man from '40's thru '90's, gtrst., songwriter, worked w/"ray charles", replaced "howlin wolf" in "texas alexander's" band, huge hits w/"reconsider baby", "3 o'clock blues", "tramp"[covered by "otis redding" and "carla thomas"] (1999)
    • rick james (crazed, over the top funkster from the '80's/"super freak", in the '60's he played w/"neil young" briefly in detroit, huge coke/crack head unfortunately) (2004)
    • albert collins ("the master of the telecaster", legendary blues gtrst. from texas/"frosty", "ice pickin", grammy nominee, actually worked construction for awhile, having given up on music in the '70's!) (1993)
    • bertrand odom ("james brown's" longtime bassist, "james brown" and odom played together for 40 yrs./"papa's got a brand new bag","i feel good", many many others) (2004)
    • bull moose jackson (r & b legend from '40's thru the '60's/"big ten inch record" [covered by "aerosmith"] (1989)
    • richard harris (world famous movie star from ireland, but it was harris who sang "jimmy webb's" "macarthur park" in '68, deemed one of the worst songs ever recorded by most accounts) (2002)
    • rob fisher (kybrds. for british '80's techno pop band "naked eyes"/"always something there to remind me") (1999)
    • vincent crane (original kybrdst. for "atomic rooster" ["death walks behind you"] and for "the crazy world of arthur brown" ["fire"] too) (1989)
    • peggy lee (real name: norma egstrom, legendary sultry songstress from '40's thru the '80's, "fever", "is that all there is?" [grammy winner for that song], she voiced disney films too and campaigned for artists' rights vs. the big record labels) (2001)
    • laura branigan ('80's singer, grammy nominee/"gloria" and "solitaire", she also added to soundtracks for "flashdance" and "ghostbusters") (2004)
    • magic sam (real name: samuel maghett, legendary chicago blues gtrst., destined for greatness but after spectacular set at the ann arbor blues fest. in '69, he died of a heart attack at the age of 32) (1969)
    • ed sullivan (host of the longest running variety show in tv history, EVERYBODY in pop and rock knew the huge importance of being on ed's show, from the '50's to the early '70's..."elvis" and "the beatles" were ed's guests multiple times, playing to massive national audiences) (1974)
    • carl wayne (lead singer for "the move", popular british band from the "60's that never caught on, unfortunately, in the u.s.a...."jeff lynne" of "e.l.o." joined "the move" after wayne had quit) (2004)
    • robert nighthawk (legendary slide/blues gtrst. from the '30's thru '60's, nighthawk was the 1st to pioneer slide blues gtr., huge influence on "elmore james" and "muddy waters", he played w/"robert johnson", "sonny boy williamson II" "son house" and other huge blues legends) (1967)
    • billy davis (song writer/ad man, he helped to write jingle "i'd like to buy the world a coke" in '71, also co-wrote hit for "jackie wilson", "lonely teardrops") (2004)
    • ernie ball (pioneer maker of guitar strings, which in the last 40 years were used by everyone to "the rolling stones" to "metallica" to "merle haggard" to "b.b.king") (2004)
    • fred ebb (lyricist who wrote lyrics to broadway smashes like "chicago", and "cabaret" and also wrote the words to "new york, new york" [huge hit for "frank sinatra"]) (2004)
    • kenny buttrey (top session nashville drummer, played on "neil young's" 'harvest" album in '72, "bob dylan's" 'blonde on blonde" album from "60's too...toured with "neil young" as well) (2004)
    • *johnny ramone (real name: john cummings, gtrst. for "the ramones"...3 of the original "ramones" are now dead) (2004)
    • skeeter davis (real name: mary francis penick, had a top 40 #i hit in '63 "the end of the world", though she was a country star and a regular on the "grand ole opry" radio show for 40+ years....she toured w/"elvis" and "the rolling stones" in the '60's) (2004)
    • scott muni (legendary new york disc jockey, known as "the professor" w/his encyclopedic knowledge of rock and roll, "top 40" jock during "beatlemania", went on to become a pioneer of fm "underground" rock radio in '67 at WNEW-fm....close friends w/"john lennon" and many other rock illuminaries) (2004)
    • *bruce palmer (bass player for "buffalo springfield", fellow canadien w/"neil young", it was bruce and neil who journeyed to l.a. in '65 to start a rock and roll band, they also played w/"rick james" in detroit '60's band "the mynah birds") (2004)
    • john peel (legendary british disc jockey for the BBC and also one of the industry's 1st "pirate" dj's back in the '60's, he discovered dozens of cutting edge bands, he was a huge supporter of "punk" rock in the '70's) (2004)
    • ronnie bond (drummer for "the troggs"/ "wild thing", "love is all around") (1992)
    • bert burns ( legendary songwriter/record label founder ("bang records" from the '60's), burns co-wrote "twist and shout" for the "isley bros." and "hang on sloopy" for "the mccoys", "i want candy" by "the stangeloves" and many others..."bang records" was the label for early "neil diamond", "the strangleoves" and "van morrison" hits..."bang" was an acronym for the 1st names of "bert berns," "ahmet ertegun", "nesuhi ertegun" and "jerry wexler", all atlantic records execs from the '60's)) (1967)
    • bobby russell (songwriter, wrote huge "60's hits "honey" for "bobby goldsboro" and "little green apples" for "o.c.smith" and "the nite the lights went out in georgia" for his wife "vickie lawrence" (1992)
    • greg ridley (former "humble pie" ["30 days in the hole"] and "spooky tooth" bassist) (2003)
    • terry melcher (son of "doris day", famous hollywood producer in the '60's, w/"the byrds" and "paul revere & the raiders", was a member of "the rip chords"/"hey little cobra") (2004)
    • tiny tim (real name: herbert khaury/bizarre but loved ukelele player from the '60's, was married on the "johnny carson show" in '69/"tiptoe thru the tulips", he died shortly after performing that song on stage in minneapolis) (1996)
    • lee dorsey ('60's pop singer/"workin in the coal mine", '66) (1986)
    • marty robbins (country star and stock car racer! "el paso" won him a grammy in '59, and it was the 1st country song to ever be awarded a grammy) (1982)
    • *sonny til (singer for "the orioles", music's legendary 1st r&b vocal group from the late '40's and '50's/"its too soon to know", "crying in the chapel", many many others) (1981)
    • *jacob carey (singer w/"the flamingos", doo wop group from late '50's/"i only have eyes for you" from '59) (1997)
    • *zeke carey (cousin of "jacob carey" [see above], zeke and jacob were founding members of "the flamingos") (2001)
    • jerry scoggins (the guy who sang "the ballad of jed clampett", the "beverly hillbillies" theme, and member of "the cass county boys") (2004)
    • johnny copeland (legendary blues gtrst./singer, "w.c. handy" & grammy award winner, worked w/"albert collins" and "robt. cray" too) (1997)
    • luther allison (legendary blues gtrst./singer, "w.c. handy" award winner, worked w/"magic sam" and "otis rush" & "freddie king") (1997)
    • gary usher (co-wrote "beach boys" hits "in my room" and "409", also produced "the byrds" at times, along with "the surfaris" and "chad & jeremy") (1990)
    • freddie perren (grammy award winning motown records producer for "the jackson 5", "gloria gaynor" and the "sat. nite fever" soundtrack, and other high profile projects as well) (2004)
    • bobby lakind (percussionist and former roadie for "the doobie bros.", he also worked w/"nicolette larson" & "michael mcdonald" [solo]) (1992)
    • marc moreland (gtrst. for "wall of voodoo"/"mexican radio") (2002)
    • joe nanini (drummer for "wall of voodoo"/"mexican radio") (2000)
    • hank garland (legendary country, rock & jazz nashville gtrst., in the studio and in concert, who played w/"elvis", "the everly bros.", "roy orbison", "conway twitty" and many, many others) (2004)
    • artie shaw (legendary swing/ big band leader/clarinetist from the '30's & '40's and early "50's, a contemporary of "glenn miller", "tommy dorsey,", "benny goodman" and others from that era..."billie holiday" was his lead singer (2004)
    • danny sugerman (former manager of "the doors", he 1st started working for the band at the age of 14 as a gopher! he also co-wrote the "doors" book "no one here gets out alive") (2005)
    • *spencer dryden ("jefferson airplane" drummer for all their big hits/"white rabbit", "somebody to love", "volunteers", many others, also "new riders of purple sage" drummer/"panama red") (2005)
    • jimmy griffin ("bread" co-founder, singer/songwriter: "i wanna make it with you", "guitar man", "baby i'm a want you", many others) (2005)
    • wes montgomery (legendary and highly influential jazz gtrst. from 50's and '60's) (1968)
    • "champion" jack dupree (legendary boogie/jazz pianist from new orleans from 1st 1/2 of the century, boxed professionally when he wasn't playing the piano, worked w/"professor longhair") (1992)
    • *jim capaldi ("traffic" drummer and lyricist, he co-wrote most of "traffic's" biggest hits w/"steve winwood"/"low spark of high heeled boys", many many others) (2005)
    • ray peterson (had a huge hit w/"tell laura i love her" in 1960, a teen tragedy tune, he also was an opening act for the "beach boys" in the '60's) (2005)
    • david lerchey (original member [baritone] of the "del vikings", 60's pop/r&b act/"come go with me", 2 white guys, 3 black guys, lechey was white) (2005)
    • clarence bassett jr. (singer w/"shep & the limelights", '60's doo-wop act/"daddy's home") (2005)
    • barbara cowsill (mother of everyone in "the cowsills", the family pop group from the '60's, brothers and sisters and mom all performed nationally and on tv shows too/"the rain, the park,etc...", "hair", others, "the cowsills" were the inspiration for the tv show "the partridge family"...) (1985)
    • dick james ("beatles" original music publisher/"northern songs", he also assembled "elton john & bernie taupin" together for another smash song writing team) (1986)
    • keith knudsen (drummer, 1 of 2, for "the doobie bros.", keith joined in '74, was around for all of the michael mcdonald era of the band) (2005)
    • tyrone davis (r&b singer, based in chicago, had 2 huge hits with "can i change my mind" and "turn back the hands of time" from the late '60's & early '70's) (2005)
    • murray "the k" kaufman (legendary new york city disc jockey from the late '50's & '60's, he dubbed himself the "5th beatle" becoz of his close relationship w/the fab 4 and he would organize rock concerts featuring the newest bands in the industry like "cream" and "the who" and many others) (1982)
    • hoagy carmichael (legendary american composer from early and mid 1900's, he also starred in early hollywood tv shows and movies, he wrote "stardust", "georgia on my mind" "up the lazy river" and many many others) (1981)
    • *paul ackerman (former "billboard" magazine editor for 3 decades, '43-'73, he witnessed the birth of rock and roll while running the industry's most influential publication) (1977)
    • *edward patten (one of "the pips", w/"gladys knight", "the pips" were all related to each other and to gladys/"midnite train to georgia", "you're the best thing that ever happened to me", many others) (2005)
    • blind lemon jefferson (one of the original legendary blues masters from texas, early 1900's, played often w/"t-bone walker" and "leadbelly" around street corners in dallas (1929)
    • thelonius monk (legendary jazz cpmposer/pianist, '50's thru 'early '80's, worked w/ "john coltrane", "charlie parker", "miles davis", many others...) (1982)
    • chris curtis (drummer for "the searchers"/"needles and pins", "love potion #9" , others) (2005)
    • danny joe brown (lead singer for "molly hatchet", original founding member/"gator country", "flirtin with disaster") (2005)
    • b.j wilson (drummer for "procol harum"/"whiter shade of pale", "conquistador", "salty dog") (1990)
    • martin denny (creator of "exotica"-type of music, south pacific island-flavored lounge-lizard sort of 'muzak') (2005)
    • *ma rainey (real name: gertrude pridgett, known as "the mother of the blues", from early 1900's, worked w/"bessie smith" and "louie armstrong", her band was "the rabitt foot minstrels" in the 1920's) (1939)
    • smiley lewis (new orleans r&b singer/songwriter from '50's and early '60's, "fats domino" had hits w/smiley's songs, so did "elvis"/"i hear you knockin"[covered by dave edmunds] (1966)
    • tiny bradshaw (jazz & r&b bandleader, singer, pianist, drummer from '30's thru '50's, he wrote "train kept a rollin" which "aerosmith" and "yardbirds" covered) (1958)
    • jackson spires (drummer/songwriter/original member of "blackfoot"/"highway song", "train, train") (2005)
    • neon park (real name: martin muller, artist who's work was seen on almost all the "little feat" albums, "frank zappa's" 'weasels ripped my flesh' and many others...magazines like "playboy" and "national lampoon" used his brilliant stuff too) (1993)
    • bobby short (beloved tuxedoed cabaret pianist from the carlyle hotel in n.y.c., for 35 years, he played for presidents at the white house too and appeared in hollywood films) (2005)
    • lyn collins (funky r&b singer, once was a part of "james brown's" stage show, brown nicknamed her "the female preacher") (2005)
    • *lawrence payton (original member of the legendary motown supergroup "the four tops"/"i can't help myself", "reach out, i'll be there", "baby i need your loving", many many more) (1997)
    • burl ives (legendary folk singer, author and academy award winning actor from '30's thru the '70's, "holly jolly x-mas" and many many others) (1995)
    • cab calloway (legendary african-amer. big band leader/jazz singer from'30's thru '50's/"minnie the moocher", appeared in hollywood movies, his orchestra featured at one time "dizzy gillespie") (1994)
    • marvin jenkins (pianist, composer, worked w/"barney kessel trio", and many years w/"della reese" too... played piano on "marvin gaye's" landmark '73 lp "what's goin on") (2005)
    • *johnnie johnson ("chuck berry's" piano player & co-composer of most of berry's biggest hits: "maybelline", "roll over beethoven", "no particular place to go", many many others...berry allegedly wrote "johnnie b. goode" for johnson) (2005)
    • john fred [gourrier] ("john fred & his playboy band", 1-hit wonders from '67/"judy in disguise", a goofy response to "the beatles" 'lucy in the the skies' from the same year) (2005)
    • bernard edwards (bassist for '70's r&b/funk band "chic"/"good times", "le freak", many others...edwards was also much in demand top notch recording producer, arranger & songwriter w/"nile rogers" too) (1996)
    • eric griffiths (original member of "the quarrymen", "john lennon's" band before "the beatles", it included "paul mccartney" and "george harrison" too, griffiths was fired from the band as a gtrst.when harrrison joined) (2005)
    • spike jones (real name: lindley armstrong jones, cutting-edge hugely influential musician/humorist/parody song master from the '30's thru the '50's, he had his own national radio show, guests included "groucho marx", "hank williams", "frank sinatra" burl ives" and many many others..."spike jones & the city slickers"/"all i want for x-mas is my 2 front teeth", "cocktails for 2" and many many others) (1965)
    • bing crosby (real name: harry lillis crosby, one of the most legendary & popular entertainers in history, from late '20's to mid '70's, movie star, tv and radio star, worked w/"fred astaire", "bob hope", many many others/"white x-mas", "swingin on a star","little drummer boy"[w."david bowie"], many many others) (1977)
    • ethel merman (real name: ethel agnes zimmerman, legendary powerful singer/vaudeville performer from late '20's to '70's, she was a long time "the 1st lady of the broadway stage" doing musicals/"there's no business like show business") (1984)
    • rick lewis (member of doo-wop band from late '50's "the silhouettes"/"get a job" was a huge hit in '58, "goofy doo-wop"-ers from late '60's "sha na na" took their name from vocalizations in "get a job") (2005)
    • jim pash (founding member and gtrst. for "the surfaris", legendary pioneering early '60's surf rock band from southern california ("wipeout", "surfer joe") (2005)
    • ron wilson (drummer who did world famous solos on surf rock classic "wipeout" by "the surfaris", '63) (1989)
    • arthur alexander (black r&b/country soul songwriter from alabama, "the beatles" [anna], "the rolling stones" [you better move on, alexander's biggest hit from early '60's] and many others covered his songs..."fame studios" in muscle shoals was where he worked most often) (1993)
    • mindy jostyn (violinist, gtrst. and harp player w/"john mellencamp's" touring band in mid '90's) (2005)
    • john cascella (keybrdst./accordian player for "john mellencamp's" band, died 1/2-way thru recording the "human wheels" album in '93, that album was dedicated to cascella...all the accordian music you hear on mellencamp records was played by john cascella) (1992)
    • *jimmie rodgers (generally regarded as the "father of country music" from early '20's and '30's/"t for texas") (1933)
    • thurl ravenscroft (voice of "tony the tiger" for "frosted flakes", "they're grrrrreat!", also he sang "you're a mean one mr. grinch" in "how the grinch stole x-mas") (2005)
    • mel blanc (legendary voice of cartoon superstars as "bugs bunny", "daffy duck", "porky pig", "foghorn leghorn", "sylvester pussycat" "woody woodpecker", "barney rubble" and many others) (1989)
    • karl mueller (bass player for '90's band "soul asylum"/"runaway train") (2005)
    • simon "si" waronker (founder of l.a.'s "liberty records", one of the 1st "indie" labels on the '50's & '60's, "simon" of the "chipmunks" was named after si, "liberty's" artists included eddie cochran, bobby vee & jan and dean", among others, his son lenny was head of "warner bros." records in the '70's) (2005)
    • alan jay lerner (legendary broadway lyricist & composer/"brigadoon", "my fair lady" "camelot", "gigi" and others) (1986)
    • chet helms (legendary "60's san fran promoter, manager of "janis joplin w/big brother", and organizer of many "summer of love" events in 1967, helms worked w/"bill graham", owner of the fillmores, east & west, and helms also operated the other legendary san fran rock venue, "the avalon ballroom") (2005)
    • bert kaempfert (legendary german orchestra composer/songwriter/"danke schoen", "strangers in the nite", "spanish eyes", kaempfert also was the 1st to sign the then unknown "beatles" in hamburg and record them w/'tony sheridan" in '61) (1980)
    • luther vandross (romantic r&b/soul crooner from '80's & '90's, 8 time grammy award winner, he never fuly recovered from a stroke in '03) (2005)
    • *renaldo "obie" benson (original member of "the four tops", motown superstars, "baby i need your loving, "reach out i'll be there" "i can't help myself", many many others, only 2 other original members of the "tops" are left now) (2005)
    • *johnny moore (lead singer, one of many, for 'the drifters" back in the '60's, moore sang lead on "under the boardwalk") (1998)
    • fred neil (publicly unknown but legendary amongst '60's performers, he was a singer/songwriter/grtrst. based in greenwich village, hugely influencing "david crosby", "john sebastian", "paul kantner", "gram parsons" and many many others...he wrote" everybody's talking" for "harry nilsson") (2001)
    • *ray davis (original member of "parliment funkadelic", outrageous funk/electric/rock/r&b band from '60's, '70's and '80's, led by "george clinton") (2005)
    • chris griffin (trumpet master who played with "benny goodman's" big band and also in in orchestras on the "ed sullivan" and "jackie gleason" shows) (2005)
    • "big" al downing (one of the few black highly successful country music stars ever, playing rockabilly piano thru the '50's into the "00's/"mr. jones", "touch me" "bring it on home") (2005)
    • minnie ripperton ("chess records" artist, worked w/"etta james" before being produced by "stevie wonder" when she recorded "lovin' you" in '74, a huge hit w/her unique vocal stylings) (1979)
    • long john baldrey (hugely influential british musician, a mentor to "eric clapton", "rod stewart", "elton john", "the beatles" and many others) (2005)
    • eugene record (original member, lead singer & songwriter for '70's r&b act "the chi-lites"/"oh girl" and "have you seen her) (2005)
    • "little milton" campbell (legendary blues gtrst./singer from early '50's thru present, based in memphis, recorded for "sun" and "stax" records/"we're gonna make it", "tin pan alley", "grits ain't groceries") (2005)
    • dan hamilton (of "hamilton, joe frank & reynolds" fame from early '70's/"don't pull your love out", "falling in love", formerly the "t-bones"/"no matter what shape your stomach's in" from '60's) (1994)
    • al aronowitz (rock journalist pioneer from the new york post from '60's who introduced "dylan" to "the beatles" and was friends w/beat poets "allen ginsberg" and "jack kerouac" (2005)
    • vassar clements (legendary fiddle virtuoso, bluegrass super star, played w/everyone from "the grateful dead" to the "nitty gritty dirt band", "paul mccartney" and "bill monroe") (2005)
    • ester "madame" wong (punk rock promoter/club owner in l.a. during the '70's and '80's, booking then unknown bands like "the police", "go-go's", "the motels" and many others) (2005)
    • pearl bailey (legendary jazz/scat singer/actress, on broadway, movies & tv, spectacular vocalist from '40's thru '80's/"takes 2 to tango") (1990)
    • tampa red (real name: hudson whittaker, a.k.a. "the guitar wizard", influential prolific blues legend from '20's into '50's, pals w/"big bill broonzy" in chicago) (1981)
    • memphis minnie (real name: lizzie kid douglas, legendary influential country blues gtrst/singer/songwriter from '20's thru '50's/"bumble bee") (1973)
    • robt. moog (creator of the legendary and distinctive sounding moog synthesizer in the '60's, used by everyone from "the beatles" to "yes" to "e.l.p." and "genesis" and many others in pop & rock) (2005)
    • townes van zandt (texas-born folk singer/songwriter, hugely influential amongst his peers though not well known with the general public/"pancho & lefty" and many others) (1997)
    • denis d'amour ("piggy") (gtrst. for canadian thrash metal pioneers "voivod" from the '80's) (2005)
    • r.l. burnside (blues veteran/gtrst. born in late '20's but didn't catch on in europe till the "70's and not in the usa till the '90's!) (2005)
    • shel silverstein (celebrated "playboy" author & children's author and songwriter/"a boy named sue"[for "johnny cash"]"sylvia's mother" & "cover of the rolling stone"[for "dr. hook"]"the unicorn"[for "the irish rovers"](1999)
    • clarence "gatemouth" brown (legendary grammy winning bluesman, singer, gtrst., multi instrumentalist from texas, played thruout the '40's into the 2000's, worked w/'eric clapton", "bonnie raitt" "ry cooder" and many others, he died fleeing hurricane katrina, of a heart attack) (2005)
    • mike patto (popular british singer/kybrdst. from '60's & '70's, fronted own band "patto" & worked w/"spooky tooth" for a short time) (1979)
    • irving berlin (legendary american composer/movie-broadway soundtrack scorer/"white x-mas", "there's no business like show business", "putting on the ritz", "god bless america" and thousands more) (1989)
    • paul burlison (influential rockabilly pioneer from memphis, backed by "the rock and roll trio" in early-mid '50's, w/"johnny & dorsey burnett", he hung out w/"howlin wolf"... "eric clapton", jeff beck" & "jimmy page" were all big fans of paul burlison, his version of "train kept a rollin" was a big hit) (2003)
    • joel hirschhorn (prolific composer, academy award winner twice for theme songs for "the poseidon adventure" & "the towering inferno", plus many other films & his songs were covered by many other artists too) (2005)
    • michael gibbins (british pop masters from early '70's "badfinger" drummer/"no matter what", "come and get it", "day after day", only 1 member remains alive from the band now) (2005)
    • paul pena (songwriter/musician, having played w/"b.b.king" & "bonnie raitt", he wrote "steve miller's" big hit "jet airliner") (2005)
    • michael "cub" koda (gtrst/songwriter for "brownsville station", '70's rockers, koda wrote "smokin in the boys room" for the band, also an expert/prolific writer on rock history) (2000)
    • willie hutch (songwriter/procer for motown records in early '70's, he wrote "i'll be there" for "the jackson 5" and arranged the vocals for "got to be there" and "never can say goodbye" also for the "j-5") (2005)
    • harold leventhal (internationally reknowned folk-music promoter in the '60's, he presented "bob dylan" in his 1st concert in '63, he also represented "woody guthrie", "joan baez", "peter, paul & mary", "mamas & papas", "phil ochs" and many, many others) (2005)
    • nick hawkins (frmr. gtrst. for "big audio dynamite", british techno-punk band from early '90's, hawkins was not an original member..."b.a.d." was "mick jones" idea, mick formerly of "the clash") (2005)
    • leonard bernstein (legendary composer/conductor-new york philharmonic,"west side story", "on the town", "candide", many others) (1990)
    • frankie yankovic (legendary "polka king" from cleveland, 1st ever to win a grammy for "best polka"!) (1998)
    • baker knight (prolific songwriter, his hits were recorded by "elvis"/"the wonder of you", "frank sinatra", "ricky nelson"/"lonesome town", "paul mccartney", "perry como", "sammy davis jr." and many others) (2005)
    • perry como (legendary crooner/tv show host from '40' thru '80's, he sold 60 million records in his career/"till the end of time", "catch a falling star", many many others) (2001)
    • ralph j. gleason (founding editor w/"jann wenner" of "rolling stone" magazine, legendary &influential jazz & pop critic from "50's thru "70's, based out of san francisco, gleason wrote columns for all the country's biggest publications, he was the "1st rock journalist") (1975)
    • roger miller (multi grammy award winner, prolific singer/songwriter/"dang me", "king of the road", "england swings", many others) (1992)
    • howie blauvelt (bassist w/ "ram jam", east coast rockers from 'mid-'70's"/"black betty", he also worked w/"billy joel" years earlier) (1993)
    • skitch henderson (grammy winning conductor who 1st directed the 'tonite show" orchestra, before "doc severinsen", skitch also worked w/"sinatra" and "bing crosby" and "bob hope" too) (2005)
    • link wray (hugely influential, but mostly unknown pioneering gtrst. from the '50's/"rumble", "raw-hide" and others...he is credited w/inventing the "power chord" in rock and also inventing the "fuzz tone" for guitars, he died in denmark where he had been living) (2005)
    • chris whitley (unsung publicly but critically acclaimed singer/songwriter from texas, "dave matthews" was a huge fan of whitley's) (2005)
    • joe jones (one hit wonder artist, 1960's "you talk too much", also discovered the "dixie cups" from new orleans/"iko iko", "chapel of love") (2005)
    • *johnny reed (original member of "the orioles", the 1st american vocal, doo-wop, r&b band from the '50's & '60's) (2005)
    • rob buck (gtrst. for american punk/new wave band "10,000 maniacs"/"what's the matter here", "these are days") (2000)
    • lou rawls (multiple grammy award winning, tremendous soul/jazz vocalist thru "60's and '70's, also acted in tv & films/"you'll never find another love like mine"/"love is a hurtin thing", many others) (2006)
    • wilbert harrison (vocalist from '50's thru '70's, huge hit w/"kansas city" in'59) (1994)
    • georgianna marie tillman (original member of motown superstars "the marvelettes"/"please mr. postman","beechwood 4-5789", to many fish inthe sea", "the hunter gets captured...",many others) (1980)
    • cyril davies (legendary british harp player/blues musician, tho he was a white guy!  a "who's who" of british rock stars worked w/davies when they were just pupsin davies' band "blues inc." and at his club in london," the ealing club/"jack bruce", "charlie watts", "rod stewar", "keith richards", "eric burdon", "jimmy page", "jeff beck" and many others) (1964)
    • henry "sunflower" vestine" (original gtrst. w/"canned heat", l.a. based blues rock/boogie band from '60's & early '70's/ 'goin up the country", "on the road again", "let's work together"..."canned heat" played "woodstock" in '69 and "the monterey pop festival' in '67") (1997)
Everyone Heroine ALMOST Killed
By Sean McDowell
    • *keith richards ("rolling stones") and anita pallenberg and marianne faithful (keith's and mick's groupies in the '60's)
    • *brian jones ("rolling stones")
    • *mick tayor("rolling stones" gtrst. after "brian jones" died)
    • *james taylor (folk-pop singer/songwriter/"fire and rain", "country roads")
    • *john lennon ("beatles")
    • *jimi hendrix (ultimate guitar god)
    • *eric clapton (guitar god, "john mayall's bluesbreakers", "yardbirds", "cream", "blind faith", "derek & dominoes")
    • *ginger baker ("cream" drummer)
    • *lou reed ("velvet underground" singer/songwriter/gtrst.)
    • *david crosby ("crosby stills and nash")
    • johnny winter (albino texas born blues/rock gtrst, brother of edgar)
    • scott weiland (former "stone temple pilots" lead singer and full time addict)
    • *aerosmith (the whole band apparently)
    • perry farrell ("jane's addiction" front man)
    • anthony keidis ("red hot chili peppers'" gtrst.)
    • al "blind owl" wilson" (singer for "canned heat")
    • bob "the bear" hite (singer & harp/"canned heat")
    • rick james (funk performer/"superfreak", also played w/"neil young and the mynah birds" in the mid '60's)
    • slash (ex-"guns & roses" gtrst.)
    • steven adler (ex-"guns & roses" drummer )
    • steve earle (country-rock singer/songwriter/"copperhead road")
    • marc bolen ( he was "t. rex")
    • skip spence ("moby grape" founder, drummer for "jefferson airplane" on their debut album)
    • *john phillips ("mamas and papas" founder/singer/songwriter)
    • *sly stone ("sly and the family stone" founder, real name: sylvester stewart..former radio dj in san fran.)
    • billy idol (british punk rocker, formerly w/"generation x")
    • nikki sixx ("motley crue's" bassist)
    • tommy lee ("motley crue" drummer/pam anderson's ex)
    • 3 dog night (the whole band, apparently)
    • *jimmy page ("led zeppelin" founder/gtrst, top london session gtrst. in '60's. "yardbirds" too, after "jeff beck" left)
    • john frusciante ("red hot chili peppers" gtrst.)
    • mike ness ("social distortion" lead singer)
    • dallas taylor ("csn&y" drummer)
    • *ray charles (super legendary blind r&b, gospel, jazz, pop pianist/singer)
    • mick mars ("motley crue's" gtrst.)
They Rocked into Heaven at the Age of 27
By Sean McDowell
    • *jimi hendrix (see "barbituates") (1970)
    • *janis joplin (see "heroin") (1970)
    • *jim morrison (see "alcohol") (1971)
    • *brian jones (see "drowning") (1969)
    • kurt cobain (see "heroin") (1994)
    • *robert johnson (see "poison") (1938)
    • al "blind owl" wilson (see "heroin") (1970)
    • gram parsons (see "barbituates") (1973)
    • *ron "pigpen" mckernan (see "alcohol") (1973)



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