Biggest Wastes of Talent - By Death: Murder, Suicide, or Accident
There's already a thread on Biggest Wastes of Talent, but it is fueled by an artist's or group's dysfunction - drugs, fighting, lifestyle; this thread is dedicated to those whose lives were cut short way before their time.
Jim Croce - died in a plane crash in 1974 (?) but had tremendous success with his album You Don't Mess Around With Jim in 1972, achieved #1 hits with Bad, Bad Leroy Brown while alive, and Time In A Bottle posthumously. He may have been as big as Elton John had he lived. Badfinger - founding members Pete Ham and Tom Evans committed suicide. I know that they had a helping hand in their success by members of the Beatles - Paul McCartney wrote and produced their first hit, Come And Get It, and George Harrison had a hand in producing their top 10 hits No Matter What and Day After Day, but their genius was evident in their own composition, Without You. In 1974, Nelssen covered their tune and took it to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. One year later, Pete Ham took his life. In 1983, Tom Evans followed suit. |
Terry Kath - founding guitarist of Chicago, and an extremely underrated talent. Died of an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound.
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I'd include John Denver in this list, but his career died in 1975 after his two-sided hit I'm Sorry/Calypso peaked at #1 and #2, respectively. His body died in 1998 in a plane crash, but it didn't really matter by that point.
EDIT: That sounded really cold. The death of John Denver - or any person - is a sad thing. My apologies. Same thing with Karen Carpenter - she died in 1983, but the career of The Carpenters was over by 1975. Please Mr. Postman was their last top 10 hit. |
Biggie Smalls - One of my favorite rappers and is a legend after only 2 cd released. Could have been much more.
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2Pac/Makaveli
Cliff Burton |
How about Ian Curtis of Joy Division who killed himself on the eve of their first American tour. They were on the verge of huge success. The band went on after his death to fom New Order.
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Hendrix, dies in own vomet
Kurt Cobain suicide Stevie Ray Vaughn plane crash John Bonnahm (led zeppelin) drowned in pool |
Jeff Buckley.
That guy coulda turned me gay just by the sound of his voice. Not sure what that means, but I'll miss him. |
I pulled this from a web site. I don't agree with all of them, I mean sure, John Denver died in a plane crash (ultra-light), but his career was over 25 years prior to it. Also, I would add Harry Chapin, who died in a car crash in 1981 (he was rear-ended by a semi-trailer), he was 38.
1953 - Hank Williams dies of a Heart Attack at age 29. 1959 - Buddy Holly dies of a plane crash at age 22. 1963 - Patsy Cline dies from a plane crash at age 30. 1965 - Nat King Cole dies of lung cancer at age 53. 1967 - John Coltrane dies from cancer at age 39. 1970 - Jimi Hendrix dies from inhalation of vomit at age 28. 1970 - Janis Joplin dies of a heroin overdose at age 27. 1971 - Duane Allman dies of a motorcycle accident at age 25. 1977 - Elvis Presley dies from a drug overdose at age 38. 1977 - Ronnie Van Zant of Lynard Skynard dies in a plane crash at age 32. 1980 - John Lennon is shot by a crazed fan at age 40. 1994 - Kurt Cobain shots himself in the head at age 27. 1996 - Tupac Shakur is killed in a drive-by-shooting at age 25. 1997 - Notorious BIG is killed in a drive-by-shooting at age 25. 1997 - John Denver dies in a plane crash at age 52. 1998 - Sonny Bono hits a tree while skiing and dies at age 63. |
Randy Rhoads -- Plane crash, 1982 (age 25)
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Shannon Hoon- lead singer of Blind Melon- Heroin overdose. Don't remember the year, mid 90's.
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if we are talking of people at the apex of the career, I would go with
Buddy Holly. Badfinger could have been so much more. |
Layne Staley. He was a brilliant vocalist in an amazing band.
Also, Aaliyah & Left Eye's lives were cut way too short. |
Originally posted by MJKTool Layne Staley. He was a brilliant vocalist in an amazing band. |
Originally posted by Buttmunker Wasn't it all over for Alice in Chains by the time of Staley's demise? Grunge was a bit long in the tooth by that point. |
Let us not forget the gifted Marvin Gaye, murdered by his father in a senseless tragedy. His music still inspires.
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Originally posted by Rypro PG-13 John Bonnahm (led zeppelin) drowned in pool |
Those who touched me most musically are as follows
Stevie Ray Vaughan - so sad, having just recovered from serious drug addiction, only to die in a helicopter crash. Jimi Hendrix - paved the way for guitar players everywhere Cliff Burton - such energy and conviction, great vibe, great person Layne Staley - AIC may have been "stalled" but that doesn't change how great of a singer he was, I think Alice could have one day been reborn. we will never know. 2Pac, amazing talent, I don't care what kind of music it was. he was great. the rap business is messed up, so much hatin' goin' on. too bad. Kurt Cobain - wow, i don't think he is as talented as some people credit him, but his impact can't be denied, he defined a generation and i'm curious to see what he might be doing today. |
Rick Nelson died in a plane crash in the late 1980's, but his career was already wrapped up in 1972 when Garden Party became his final top 10 hit.
Roy Orbison scored a top 10 hit in 1989 with You Got It, then promptly dropped dead. It is needless to mention John Lennon, but I will because his death was really tragic. I can only sit here and imagine what great music he would have created for us throughout the '80's if he had lived - (Just Like) Starting Over, Woman, and Watching The Wheels were fantastic songs. Just as he was beginning to fall in love with rock and roll again, he gets shot to death by a crazed fan. He even scored a posthumous hit with Nobody Told Me in 1984. If he had lived, I feel he would have outshined the rest of the Beatles, despite his slow start in the '70's. Remember: he retired in 1975, so there was five years of nothing until 1980. But then he was killed, so there you go. :( |
Originally posted by Jepthah Let us not forget the gifted Marvin Gaye, murdered by his father in a senseless tragedy. His music still inspires. |
Heat, forgot Jim Morrisson also died at 27.
Anyone that questions Layne Staley's talent, hasn't listened to the Mad Season cd all the way through. Much more powerful than any AIC album. |
2PAC/MAKAVELI the DON
KURT COBAIN JIM MORISSON LAYNE STALEY |
It is needless to mention John Lennon, but I will because his death was really tragic. I can only sit here and imagine what great music he would have created for us throughout the '80's if he had lived - (Just Like) Starting Over, Woman, and Watching The Wheels were fantastic songs. Just as he was beginning to fall in love with rock and roll again, he gets shot to death by a crazed fan. He even scored a posthumous hit with Nobody Told Me in 1984.
If he had lived, I feel he would have outshined the rest of the Beatles, despite his slow start in the '70's. Remember: he retired in 1975, so there was five years of nothing until 1980. But then he was killed, so there you go. No freaking way. I love the Beatles, but Lennon was way washed up. While I agree Woman and Starting Over were good hits, they paled in coparison to what McCartney was putting out, and Lennon's solo carrer was trash. Yoko was controling him, and I feel besides Imagine, his song writing days were well behind him. Hell, he stunk from the White Album to Abbey Road besides Come Together. He was past his prime, and had he lived he would have been a nostaglia act. |
I agree with many of the names already mentioned, although I am a little surprised by the harshness used to discount John Denver's career.
One name that has not been mentioned is Sam Cooke. Shot dead by a motel manager in bizarre circumstances when he was in his early thirties. http://charliegoose.homestead.com/files/goose.jpg Honk! |
Keith Moon
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The ones that I grieve the most:
Jimi Hendrix John Lennon Jim Morrison Bon Scott (can't believe I mentioned him first - the guy was great) John Bonham Duane Allman Keith Moon all of Spinal Tap's drummers I hope we won't lose Bowie, Elton John, Mark Knopfler, Peter Gabriel and Lou Reed anytime soon. |
Originally posted by Michael Corvin Anyone that questions Layne Staley's talent, hasn't listened to the Mad Season cd all the way through. Much more powerful than any AIC album. |
Originally posted by dgmayor Amen Amen Amen. As much as I loved Alice in Chains, I was more upset that there would never be any more music from Mad Season. :( |
Originally posted by MJKTool AIC was in no way grunge. They never even had a "grunge" sound to them. Personally I always thought they kinda definded "grunge" and the "grunge" sound..but thats just me... |
Originally posted by Icculus Actually, John Bonham drowned on his own vomit... It was Brian Jones from the Rolling Stones who was found in the swimming pool. |
Originally posted by KevinSmithIsGod ..but thats just me... |
Originally posted by KevinSmithIsGod Personally I always thought they kinda definded "grunge" and the "grunge" sound..but thats just me... Hell, maybe I'm wrong and someone else started it all, but Nirvana sure as hell made it all cool and Top 40. |
Stevie Ray Vaughan is the one that always gets to me. Such an incredible, soulful musician, who had just got his life back on track and was poised to be huge. And then he was gone. While few blues artists really "break new ground" anymore, he didn't need to. He would have simply played a lot of really incredible music. I am sorry I never got to experience him live.
As for John Lennon, his death is probably the saddest death I can think of outside of a friend or family member. I was just starting to get into music when he was killed, and really didn't know who he was. I remember when it happened, but didn't know why is was so tragic. I wanted to see the Lennon exhibit at the R&R HoF, but I don't think I could have made it past the bloodied glasses. :( |
Along with Layne and Kurt (rock gods, both), let's not forget Brad Nowell from Sublime and Shannon Hoon from Blind Melon.
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I am gonna mention mostly people that all you guys have mentioned, but anyways here it goes:
Jim Morrison Kurt Cobain Tupac Shakur Layne Staley Joey Ramone |
Originally posted by BJacks let's not forget Brad Nowell from Sublime I can't believe you were the first to mention this. Such a talent. That band was the greatest in a "Beatnick" sort of way. They aren't on many people's greatest ever lists (they're on mine), but they surely paved away for a lot of bands to come. Going to go and listen to some Sublime. :( ----------- Others already mentioned: Jim Morrison Jimi Hendrix John Lennon |
I can't believe I didn't mention Brad! I'm a huge huge Sublime fan ><.
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Metallica's Cliff Burton.
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Otis Redding was just beginning to become a big R&B star after his Monterey performance and he dies 6 months later
I also have to agree with Buddy Holy he was a big influence on early Beatles stuff |
Originally posted by Tyler_Durden all of Spinal Tap's drummers |
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