What could have been: musicians who died young
by alioth4 | created - 16 Aug 2014 | updated - 17 Aug 2014 | PublicWhich of these musicians who died before age 30, do you think had the most potential for continuing greatness had they been spared? (Inspired by yrnej's poll of actors who died before age 30)
Discuss here
1. Jim Morrison
Soundtrack | Army of the Dead
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American poet, singer, and songwriter from Florida. He was the lead vocalist of the rock band "The Doors" (1965-1973), and has been cited as "one of the most influential frontmen in rock history". Morrison recorded a total of six studio albums with the Doors, all...
Poet and lead singer for the Doors, died at 27 from heart failure, possibly alcohol or drug related. Billed along with Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix as members of the "27 Club", who all died at age 27 in 1970 or 1971 (Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones, who died in 1969 at that age, is also often mentioned as a member).
2. Jimi Hendrix
Soundtrack | Woodstock
Widely regarded as the greatest and most influential guitarist in rock history, Jimi Hendrix was born on November 27, 1942 in Seattle, Washington, to African-American parents Lucille (Jeter) and James Allen Hendrix. His mother named him John Allen Hendrix and raised him alone while his father, Al ...
Pioneering psychedelic-blues guitarist of the late 1960s, also "part of the 27 club" (died age 27) from an overdose of sleeping pills
3. Janis Joplin
Soundtrack | Watchmen
Janis Lyn Joplin was born at St. Mary's Hospital in the oil-refining town of Port Arthur, Texas, near the border with Louisiana. Her father was a cannery worker and her mother was a registrar for a business college. As an overweight teenager, she was a folk-music devotee (especially Odetta, ...
Bluesy rock singer from Texas, died of a drug overdose at 27
4. Duane Allman
Self | Untitled Allman Brothers/Nick Cassavetes Project
Duane Allman was born in Nashville, Tennessee in November 1946. On Christmas Day in 1960, Duane was given a motorcycle as a gift while his younger brother, Gregg Allman, got a guitar. A few months later, Duane wrecked his motorcycle in an accident, but traded in the spare parts for a guitar of his ...
Allman Brothers guitarist and collaborator with Eric Clapton on the song "Layla"; died when his motorcycle collided with a truck, at age 24
5. Ronnie Van Zant
Soundtrack | Kingsman: The Secret Service
Ronnie Van Zant was born on January 15, 1948 in Jacksonville, Florida. He was the oldest son of six children (3 sisters and 2 brothers - musicians Donnie and Johnny). Ronnie attended Lee High School in Jacksonville with fellow band members Gary Rossington and Allen Collins. They soon formed what ...
Along with his bandmates in Lynyrd Skynyrd, Steve and Cassie Gaines, died in a plane crash in 1977 at age 29
6. Buddy Holly
Soundtrack | Big Fish
Charles Hardin Holley, known as Buddy Holly, was an American singer and songwriter who was a central and pioneering figure of mid-1950s rock and roll. He was born in Lubbock, Texas, to a musical family during the Great Depression, and learned to play guitar and sing alongside his siblings. His ...
1950s rock legend from Texas, died in a plane crash during a blizzard while touring, along with Richie Valens and the Big Bopper, at age 22
7. Ritchie Valens
Soundtrack | La Bamba
Ritchie, the 'California Kid' was from a family of poverty stricken fruit pickers and was the first rock star to originate from the West Coast and one of the innovators of 'Latino rock. In an eight month career he scored three hits with 'Come On Let's Go', 'Donna' and 'La Bamba' before being killed...
50s Latino rock legend, died in the same plane crash as Buddy Holly while touring, age 17
8. The Big Bopper
Soundtrack | True Romance
The Big Bopper (real name: Jiles Perry Richardson Jr. ) was an American singer, songwriter, and disc jockey from Texas. His best known song compositions were" Chantilly Lace" (featuring a flirtatious phone conversation) and "White Lightning" (a rockabilly hit). Richardson was killed in an airplane ...
Rounding out the trio of 50s rock headliners that died in that fateful plane crash in Iowa, he was 28
9. Aaliyah
Soundtrack | Romeo Must Die
Talented. Beautiful. Modest. These three words described R&B singer-turned-actress Aaliyah perfectly.
Aaliyah Dana Haughton was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Diane (Hankerson) and Michael Haughton. Her uncle was music manager Barry Hankerson and her brother is director Rashad Haughton. Aaliyah was ...
Popular R&B artist in the 90s, died in a plane crash in the Bahamas, age 22
10. Tupac Shakur
Actor | Juice
Born in New York City, Tupac grew up primarily in Harlem. In 1984, his family moved to Baltimore, Maryland where he became good friends with Jada Pinkett Smith. His family moved again in 1988 to Oakland, California. His first breakthrough in music came in 1991 as a member of the group Digital ...
Legendary 1990s rapper, was shot in a driveby shooting in Las Vegas at age 25
11. Hillel Slovak
Soundtrack | Less Than Zero
Hillel Slovak was born on April 13, 1962 in Acre, Israel. He was an actor, known for Less Than Zero (1987), Tough Guys (1986) and Red Hot Chili Peppers: Catholic School Girls Rule (1985). He died on June 25, 1988 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Founding guitarist for the funk-blues-rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, died of a drug overdose in 1988 at age 26
12. Shannon Hoon
Soundtrack | Without a Paddle
Shannon Hoon was born on September 26, 1967 in Lafayette, Indiana, USA. He was an actor and director, known for Without a Paddle (2004), Private Parts (1997) and Remember the Daze (2007). He was married to Lisa Crouse. He died on October 21, 1995 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
Lead singer for alternative rock band Blind Melon in the 1990s, died of a cocaine overdose at age 28
13. Kurt Cobain
Soundtrack | The Batman
Kurt Cobain was born on February 20 1967, in Aberdeen, Washington. Kurt and his family lived in Hoquiam for the first few months of his life then later moved back to Aberdeen, where he had a happy childhood until his parents divorced. The divorce left Kurt's outlook on the world forever scarred. He...
Characterized by some as a late member of the "27 Club", this lead singer from the meteoric 90s band Nirvana committed suicide by shotgun at age 27
14. Brian Jones
Soundtrack | Mord und Totschlag
Jones was born on 28 February, 1942, to Lewis and Louise Jones. He had two sisters, Pamela and Barbara. Pamela died when Brian was still a child. He fathered his first of several children in high school and was subsequently made to leave. In the early 1960s, Brian formed the legendary group, The ...
Founding guitarist and keyboardist for the Rolling Stones, was initially considered the "bandleader" before Jagger and Richards' growing songwriting collaboration overshadowed him. Drowned in his swimming pool at age 27
15. Randy Rhoads
Soundtrack | Ghost Rider
Randy Rhoads was born on December 6, 1956 in Santa Monica, California, USA. He was a writer, known for Ghost Rider (2007), Megamind (2010) and Tag (2018). He died on March 19, 1982 in Leesburg, Florida, USA.
Talented guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne's solo band, died in a plane crash at age 25
16. Cliff Burton
Soundtrack | Triple Frontier
Clifford Lee Burton was born on February 10, 1962 in Castro Valley, California, to Janet (Morgen) and Ray Herbert Burton. He had two siblings. His mother was from a German Jewish family, and his father was of British Isles descent.
As a youngster, Clifford always liked music, listening to genres ...
Bass player for Metallica, killed in a bus crash in Sweden at age 24
17. Sid Vicious
Soundtrack | The Astronaut's Wife
Along with fellow Sex Pistol member, Johnny Rotten, lanky, sneering, pock faced Sid epitomised the punk movement born in the mid 1970s in working class England. Sid Vicious (real name John Beverly) wasn't an original member of the Pistols, but rather joined the band after original bassist, Glen ...
Bass player and vocalist for the Sex Pistols, died of a heroin overdose at 21
18. Hank Williams
Soundtrack | The Last Picture Show
Hank Williams was born in September 1923 in a small Alabama farming community about 70 miles south of Montgomery. His father was a railroad engineer who was also a victim of shell shock after a year of fighting in France in 1918 during World War I and spent many years in veterans hospitals. Hank's ...
Early legend of country music, died of alcoholism-related heart failure at age 29. His son Hank Williams Jr. is a country legend in his own right still living and playing today.
19. Tim Buckley
Soundtrack | Zack Snyder's Justice League
Tim Buckley was born on February 14, 1947 in Amsterdam, New York, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021), Lost Highway (1997) and Candy (2006). He was married to Judy Fern Brejot and Mary Guibert. He died on June 29, 1975 in Santa Monica, California, USA.
Eclectic artist of folk, psychedelic, jazz and funk styles of music in the 60s and 70s, died of a drug overdose at 28
20. Ron McKernan
Soundtrack | The Dreamers
Ron McKernan was born on September 8, 1945 in San Bruno, California, USA. He was an actor, known for The Dreamers (2003), The Music Never Stopped (2011) and On Any Saturday (2006). He died on March 8, 1973 in Corte Madera, California, USA.
Nicknamed "Pigpen", organist and harmonica player for the Grateful Dead in the late 60s and early 70s, died of a gastrointestinal hemorrhage at age 27
21. Gram Parsons
Soundtrack | Jerry Maguire
Gram Parsons was born on November 5, 1946 in Winter Haven, Florida, USA. He was an actor, known for Jerry Maguire (1996), Wristcutters: A Love Story (2006) and Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987). He was married to Gretchen Carpenter. He died on September 19, 1973 in Joshua Tree, California, ...
Country and rock musician who played guitar for the Byrds, died of a drug overdose at age 26
22. Selena
Soundtrack | Don Juan DeMarco
Selena was born in Lake Jackson, Texas, 50 miles southeast of Houston, to Abraham Quintanilla Jr. and Marcella Quintanilla. Abraham opened a Mexican restaurant, Papagayo, in Lake Jackson. Selena was 9 years old when her father discovered her talent for singing. He formed a band consisting of Selena...
1990s Tejano singer, shot by the president of her fan club, Yolanda Saldivar, when she confronted Saldivar for embezzling money from the club, age 23
23. The Notorious B.I.G.
Soundtrack | Fast X
Christopher Wallace, a.k.a. Biggie Smalls, was born on May 21, 1972 in Brooklyn, New York. He was the son of Jamaican parents, Voletta Wallace, a pre-school teacher, and Selwyn George Latore, a welder and small-time politician. He was raised in the poor Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant. ...
1990s rapper, shot by an unknown killer while riding with his entourage through Los Angeles
24. Darby Crash
Soundtrack | Psycho
Darby Crash was born on September 26, 1958 in Los Angeles County, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Psycho (1998), 20th Century Women (2016) and Suburbia (1983). He died on December 7, 1980 in Hollywood, California, USA.
Vocalist and songwriter for 70s punk band the Germs, committed suicide by intentional drug overdose at age 22
25. Ian Curtis
Soundtrack | Donnie Darko
Ian Curtis was born in Old Trafford, Manchester, at the Memorial Hospital. He grew up listening to The Who and The Rolling Stones, and other heroes of his teenage years included David Bowie, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, and James Dean. He especially liked musicians whose lyrics ...
Singer and songwriter for Joy Division, hanged himself at age 23
26. Nick Drake
Soundtrack | How I Live Now
Fabled singer/songwriter who only recorded three albums in his short lifetime. "Five Leaves Left" rightly brought him acclaim from the folk crowd, although the exquisite arrangements on follow-up "Bryter Layter" received surprisingly stilted attention upon release. Nick became disillusioned with ...
English folk rock artist of the 70s, suffered clinical depression and overdosed on antidepressants at age 26. Dream Academy's 1980s hit "Life in a Northern Town" is inspired by and dedicated to him.
27. Frankie Lymon
Soundtrack | American Graffiti
Frankie Lymon was born on September 30, 1942 in Harlem, New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor and composer, known for American Graffiti (1973), October Sky (1999) and The Big Fix (1978). He was married to Emira Lymon, Zola Taylor and Elizabeth Waters. He died on February 28, 1968 in New ...
Boy singer in the 50s band the Teenagers, and later R&B artist, died of a heroin overdose, age 25
28. Bobby Fuller
Soundtrack | Boys Don't Cry
Bobby Fuller was born on October 27, 1942 in Baytown, Texas, USA. He was a composer, known for Boys Don't Cry (1999), Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) and Dead Beat (1994). He died on July 18, 1966 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Early 60s rocker who fronted the Bobby Fuller Four, known for the hit single "I Fought the Law (and the Law Won)"--his body was found inside a car parked outside his home, under mysterious circumstances, age 23
29. Marc Bolan
Soundtrack | G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
Born on September 30, 1947 in London, England, Mark Bolan was always destined to be a star. Even as a teenager, he was already seeking fame. Well known as a sharp dresser, he was employed by a modeling agency and became a "John Temple Boy", wearing John Temple suits in their catalogs as well as ...
Frontman for English glam rock band T Rex, died in a car crash, age 29
30. Amy Winehouse
Soundtrack | Amy
Amy Jade Winehouse was born on September 14, 1983 in Enfield, London, England and raised in Southgate, London, England to Janis Holly Collins (née Seaton), a pharmacist & Mitchell "Mitch" Winehouse, a window panel installer and taxi driver. Her family shared her love of theater and music. Amy was ...
English R&B artist from the 00s decade, died of acute alcohol poisoning at age 27
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