Huckleberries Online

They Died Too Young

Posted by Cindy

Dec. 24, 2009 8:30 a.m. • 21 comments

Kurt Cobain: Nirvana lead singer lived fast and died young, committing suicide at his Seattle home in April 1994. Associated Press photos

15 Music Legends who died in their prime. The list includes Cobain, Hendrix, Holly and Cline. Any others you’d include?

21 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

JohnA on December 24 at 8:54 a.m.
Stevie Ray Vaughn and Jim Croce are glaring ommissions to the list, both killed in crashes.

Also, Led’s John Bonham and certainly Otis Redding, who died only days after “Dock of the Bay” was recorded.
Cindy_H on December 24 at 8:56 a.m.
Well, I’m adding John Denver, and I’ll live with the scorn. 53 is too young, imo.
JohnA on December 24 at 9:01 a.m.
Ronnie Van Zant of Lynyrd Skynyrd and Richie Valens, who died with Buddy Holly, come to mind.

And, even though I can do without C&W, Hank Williams has to be up there with Patsy Clines as biggies in that genre.
Frum Helen Back on December 24 at 9:16 a.m.
You’re probably all sick of me mentioning Elvis, but to me he was in his prime.
Fixer on December 24 at 9:21 a.m.
Darrell Abbott, aka Dimebag Darrell, guitarist for Pantera and Damageplan, shot and killed whilst performing on stage in 2004.
OrangeTV on December 24 at 9:46 a.m.
Kind of a depressing topic for Christmas, but it’s always good to remember those who will retain eternal youth due to an untimely death…

Ricky Wilson (Guitarist/Songwriter, The B-52’s) - AIDS
Sylvester (Disco Diva) - AIDS
Michael Hutchence (Singer, INXS) - auto erotic asphyxiation
Brian Jones (Guitarist/Songwriter, The Rolling Stones) - drowned
Stiv Bators (Singer, Lords of the New Church) - car accident
Wendy O’Williams (Singer, Plasmatics) - suicide
Freddy Mercury (Singer, Queen) - AIDS
Divine (Singer/Actor) - heart failure
Jeff Buckley (Singer/Songwriter) - drowned
Marc Bolan (Singer/Guitarist, T. Rex) - car accident
Andy Gibb (Singer) - heart failure
Cindy_H on December 24 at 9:48 a.m.
Can’t believe I forgot Andy Gibb! I still blame VIctoria Principal.
Sisyphus on December 24 at 10:21 a.m.
Pretty much all these guys died way too young.

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/fallen/
Cindy_H on December 24 at 10:26 a.m.
Indeed.
JohnA on December 24 at 10:49 a.m.
You nailed it, Sys. Your list makes ours completely irrelevant.

As Deena’s son-in-law awaits deployment next month, I am really affected by the faces and names.

I randomly clicked on one, a young Captain from Boston killed in Afganistan last month. A couple of days later his grieving widow gave birth to their second son. The Marine’s mother said “we miss (Kyle) so much” but she “feels so blessed” with the new baby.

God bless her, but what a woman she must be.
JeanieSpokane on December 24 at 11:37 a.m.
Cass Elliot. Great voice.
poolman on December 24 at 11:42 a.m.
John Lennon
Freddy Mercury
Ronnie Vanzant
Randy Rhoads
Syd Barrett
John Denver

(Nice call Sys)
Liz on December 24 at 11:49 a.m.
I can’t believe nobody mentioned Michael Jackson.
And btw, those all were great picks. Not sure he counts as in his prime, but I’m also gonna add Waylon Jennings to that list.
Tony on December 24 at 12:04 p.m.
Bob Marly
Don_Sausser on December 24 at 12:54 p.m.
Orange, I’m glad that I googled “auto erotic asphyxiation” prior to asking you what it is.
spokelooneh on December 24 at 1:18 p.m.
Can’t believe no one mentioned Jerry Garcia.

This one’s a little obscure, but still, died tragically young.

Natasja Saad

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natasja_Saad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDnB1f9VOeI
Soaf on December 24 at 2:24 p.m.
Ricky Nelson
Escapee on December 24 at 10:13 p.m.
I keep thinking of John Lennon. True, he may not have been in his prime, but who knows what he would’ve done on down the line had he not been SHOT. He might’ve come back better than ever.
nic on December 25 at 12:08 p.m.
I’m glad they included Elliott Smith & Brad Nowell. I’ll also agree with OTV over Mercury & Buckley.

I’ll add in Hillel Slovak (RHCP)
James Dewitt Yancey aka J Dilla (Slum Village)
Layne Staley (Alice in Chains… although he was past his creative prime)
Chris Yeomen (Shaded Red)
Jam Master Jay (Run-DMC)
LeRoi Moore (Dave Matthews Band)
Stickman on December 26 at 3:36 p.m.
For me it’s the ones that died so young. Jimmy, Janis, Jim, my generation that threw a wrench in to the whole thing. There are many others, but for me, those made the biggest difference when I was young.

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D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.