Musicians Gone Too Soon: Nomination Thread (2 Viewers)

[RowdyRawhide]

Hendrix and Keith Whitley are the first 2 that come to mind

Gotta add Otis Redding

Always wondered what Ritchie Valens would've done too

 

[BGinGA]

So many to choose from, so I'm going to drop a name that many may not recognize - Jaco Pastorius.

Pastorius was an utterly amazing jazz bassist, played for Weather Report and had a strong solo career. He also suffered from severe mental health problems which led to drug use, homelessness and self-destructive behaviors. One of these was a tendency to provoke bar fights, and this was what eventually killed him in his mid-30s.

To this day, Pastorius is still a huge influence on bass players worldwide, and many of you have likely heard him play and didn't realize it.

Weather Report was one of the best bands many have never heard of.

 

[inca911]

Pastorius is still a huge influence on bass players worldwide, and many of you have likely heard him play and didn't realize it.

He's on my playlist, along with many of the others mentioned here.

 

[Lemonzest]

For me the biggest impact was Kurt Cobain and it isn't close.

 

[JMC9389]

That's not cool. Not in my thread @Coyote

I know you're from the other side of the world, but I don't by any means condone the use of the n-word.

 

[Jambine]

He's on my playlist, along with many of the others mentioned here.

Jaco is on my top 5 bass players of all time

 

[Mr Winberg]

Before this gets moved to the politics forum, along side other great threads like the corona thread which I miss, perhaps just edit the post? Quotation marks was a good idea, and perhaps replace some letters with a well placed asterisk? That way evil has been named and is up for eradication, AND @JMC9389 can have a thread without that word spelled out. Win win!

 

[Lemonzest]

I probably should have use quotation marks, but it should still be clear that's how the person who shot him felt.
I wrote this exactly to denounce that attitude.

Seems like America has decided not to ever use that word regardless of context. Go figure. It doesn't make any sense to me. I think what you posted is fine and makes the point.

 

[pltrgyst]

....Pastorius was an utterly amazing jazz bassist....many of you have likely heard him play and didn't realize it.

I did see him play live once, for sure -- in a concert with Herbie Hancock and Joni Mitchell -- one of the best shows I ever saw.

And I think it was he (and not Dave Holland) who played on the TV special they did together...

What a shame he was such a mess outside of his music.

 

[mtl mile end]

Sam Cooke was shot by a black motel manager (Bertha Franklin) under suspicious circumstances. It seems he had taken a woman to the motel (possibly a prostitute) who allegedly robbed him.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Cooke

 

[Phish1321]

A bunch already mentioned above and Layne Stayle, Amy Winehouse

Lanye was the man. Got to see him once in 1991 and was supposed to again at Woodstock but he had to cancel.

 

[alittlemessi]

Man, Avicii was truly amazing. His music reminds me of college when he was really coming up.

For me, it has to be biggie smalls. Wasn’t old enough to appreciate when he was alive but man did the man know how to spit some smooth rhymes.

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

This. Way too many. And ummm, 1960 on? But "the day the music died" was in 1959 -- what are we old folks, chopped liver?

Anyway, for me, very tough to choose among John Lennon, Sam Cooke, Jim Croce, Phil Ochs, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, and Marvin Gaye. Every one a giant, and every one contributed significantly to my life. In the end, I'll go with Lennon, over Cooke and Croce. His death and JFK's are the only ones that gave me that sick feeling, like losing a parent, in the pit of my stomach for days.

For 1990 to the present, easy for me -- George Harrison. But not as much impact as those three from the earlier era, simply because he (and I) are older.

100% agree. Either we need another category for pre 1960, or need to extend the starting date back to the 50s. Can't exclude Holly, Valens and Big Bopper.

Also, while I love George Harrison, I wonder if someone who dies at age 58 after a pretty amazing run qualifies as a career cut short?

 

[Coyote]

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

Almost forgot - Duane Allman was mentioned in a post. Was that an official nomination? If not, then I'll nominate him for the 60s to 80s category.

 

[Klobberer]

John Bonham, Keith Moon and Stevie Ray Vaughan

 

[pltrgyst]

....Also, while I love George Harrison, I wonder if someone who dies at age 58 after a pretty amazing run qualifies as a career cut short?

I guess it's a matter of perspective. Miles Davis's death at 65 seemed "gone too soon" to me.

 

[Sunshine]

Ian Curtis, lead singer of Joy Division. Suffered from epilepsy and depression and committed suicide in 1980.

If you judge a band by the standard they uphold in their studio albums, then they're one of the best bands in the history of rock. Two albums, both absolute five-star classics by any measure. The first, Unknown Pleasures, must be mentioned in any credible discussion of the best albums of the 70s. Similarly, the second, Closer, has to be considered one of the best of the 80s. Pitchfork puts them at 9 and 12 respectively and, to show how highly I regard those records, I only think they have arguments for higher rankings in the cases of Dylan, the Clash, Sonic Youth, Public Enemy and Prince. Their best-known song, Love Will Tear Us Apart, was released as a single. While not as absolutely iron-clad great as the records, there's plenty of interest to be found in the singles and EPs.

Had he not died, there's no doubt that more greatness would've followed. Other members went on to form New Order which, by being merely excellent, illustrates the extent of the loss.

 

[Mike Wells]

 

[Thisfiendis138]

Layne Staley

Forever27

 

[abby99]

60s-80s: John Bonham in '1980 at the age of 32. We not only lost a talented and innovative drummer, but we lost Led Zeppelin and their extraordinary influence on rock music.

Honorable mention: Janis Joplin.

90s+: Can't think of anyone offhand but will post again if I do.

 

[ovo]

john lennon

 

[Coyote]

Off-topic: survivors' reconciliation
Nice to see Mick Jagger singing a Beatles' song (admittedly the most rock'n'rollish and Rolling Stone-ish song of the Beatles, who anyway started a different kind of music)

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

I guess it's a matter of perspective. Miles Davis's death at 65 seemed "gone too soon" to me.

I don't disagree. Just wondering where we draw the line? Johnny Cash recorded one of the most amazing songs of his career, his remake of Hurt about 6 months before he died at age 71. Same age that my own father died. Both definitely gone too soon.

 

[Thisfiendis138]

Honorable mention

Syd Barrett was Pink Floyd in the early years, was then ousted (excessive drug use mixed with schizophrenia) after just two albums (Piper at the Gates of Dawn/ A Saucerful of Secrets) and two Solo albums (Madcap Laughs/ Barrett) and while he didn’t pass until 2006, he was outta the music in a blink of an eye. Gone too soon imo

 

[Coyote]

Billie Holliday.
She died prematurely too.
This recording took place while she was slowly dying.
If you get the whole record/CD you can also get the attempts at recording this. It's heart-breaking. You can tell she 's sick.
I 've only listened to the whole thing while drunk.

 

[Coyote]

Bessie Smith. Died in 1937 at the age of 43.

Death certificate

She rested in an unmarked grave from 1937 to 1970 (Janis Joplin played a role in giving her a marked gravestone).

 

[Schmendr1ck]

Jaco is on my top 1 bass players of all time

FTFY

 

[Indyscammer]

Haven't seen him in this thread yet and he did not go early early but way too early for me. Felt he had 10 years or more left. Tom Petty.

 

[Perthmike]

@JMC9389 definitely was a sad story about Avicii, especially when you watch the documentary, but personally I prefered his very earliest releases and felt that he got progressively worse as he got more mainstream.

Oh and how has nobody said Jeff Buckley yet

His dad died way too young also, and the story of the both of them is all around sad really. Both were supremely talented