Steve's Dead Rock Stars

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*** 1999 ***

Date
Age
Name
Claim to Fame
Cause of Death
Location
12/26/199957Curtis MayfieldThe ImpressionsRoswell, Georgia
12/18/199959Joe Higgsreggae musicianCancerLos Angeles
12/17/199956Grover Washington Jr.smooth jazz saxophonistHeart AttackNew York City
12/14/199949Dave ShogrenThe Doobie Brothers, bassist?San Jose, CA
12/10/199956Rick DankoThe BandHeart FailureWoodstock, NY

Rest in Peace
Rick Danko
December 29, 1942 - December 10, 1999

Rick Danko was a founding member of the Band.

His professional musical career began in 1960 at age 17 when he booked himself as the opening act for The Hawks, led by Ronnie Hawkins. Impressed by the young guitarist, Hawkins invited Danko to join his group. He switched from guitar to bass after the original bassist was fired. Soon, pianist Richard Manuel and organist Garth Hudson joined the group. Levon Helms, a long-time collaborator with Hawkins, completed the band as their drummer.

The Hawks became Bob Dylan's backing band in 1965. The Hawks (without Levon Helm, who left the tour early) toured around the world with Dylan through May, 1966. After the tour, Dylan retreated to his new home in Woodstock, New York.

The Hawks followed Dylan to Woodstock. Danko found a pink house located on Parnassus Lane, just off Stoll Road, in Woodstock, New York. The band set up a rehearsal space in the basement and dubbed the place "Big Pink".

Working over the next few months, the five-piece band (Levon returned) churned out what would become their debut album, Music From Big Pink. Before the band could tour, however, Danko was severely injured in a car accident, breaking his neck and back in six places, which put him in traction for months. In April 1969 the group finally debuted in concert as The Band, playing at Bill Graham's Winterland in San Francisco.

The Band performed its farewell concert at Winterland in November 1976. The concert was recorded and released on audio and film as the rock classic The Last Waltz. After The Band, Danko embarked on a solo career. He also occasionally toured with a reformed Band and worked with a few other short-lived collaborations. In 1989, Danko toured with Levon Helm and Garth Hudson as part of Ringo Starr's first All-Star Band.

Danko recorded demos and made a number of appearances on albums by other artists throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and in 1997, he released Rick Danko in Concert. Two years later, a third solo album (Live on Breeze Hill) was released, and Danko was busy at work on a fourth (Times Like These) at the time of his death.

Rick Danko died in his sleep of heart failure at his home near Woodstock, New York. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; stepson Justin; and daughter, Lisa, by his first marriage.

11/13/199937R. J. VealeyAtlanta Rhythm Section, drummerHeart AttackOrlando, Florida
10/27/199928Wes BerggrenTripping DaisyDrug OverdoseDallas, Texas
10/26/199961Hoyt Axtoncountry singer/songwriter/actorHeart AttackVictor, Montana
10/19/199961Ed_CobbsongwriterLeukemiaHonolulu, Hawaii

Ed Cobb
1928 - October 19, 1999

Edward C. Cobb was a songwriter and a member of The Four Preps vocal quartet from 1956 until he left them in 1966. He is remembered for writing the Standell's Boston-themed hit "Dirty Water" and, in 1964, "Tainted Love", which became a smash hit for the band Soft Cell in the 1980s.

He later worked as a music producer and sound engineer. This work helped earn him 32 Gold and Platinum records and three Grammy Award nominations.

10/13/1999 Lord UlliThe Lords, lead vocalsFell off stageGermany
09/25/1999 Stephen CanadayOzark Mountain Daredevils, drummerPlane CrashNashville, TN
08/28/199963Wee Willie WilliamsGene Vincent & The Blue Caps, guitaristGun AccidentBradenton, Florida
08/20/199931Bobby SheehanBlues Traveler, bassDrug related?New Orleans
07/22/199941Gar SamuelsonMegadeth, drummerLiver FailureOrange City, Florida
07/03/199947Mark SandmanMorphineHeart AttackRome
06/16/199958Screaming Lord SutchBritish musicianSuicide (hanging)West Harrow, London, UK
06/02/199950Junior BraithwaiteThe Wailers, lead vocalistMurderedKingston, Jamaica
05/14/199937E William TuckerMinistrySuicide
05/08/199961Leon ThomasSantanaHeart Attack
04/30/199951Darrell SweetNazareth, drumsHeart FailureNew Albany, Indiana
04/27/199976Al Hirtjazz trumpeterMedicalNew Orleans
04/25/199954Larry TroutmanZappSuicideDayton, Ohio
04/25/199947Roger TroutmanZappMurderedDayton, Ohio
04/16/199952Skip SpenceJefferson Airplane, Moby GrapeMedicalSan Francisco
04/12/199967Boxcar Willieborn Lecil Travis MartinLeukemiaBranson, MO
04/01/199997Jesse StoneR&B singer/songwriterAltamonte Springs, FL
03/07/199960Marv IngramThe Four PrepsHeart Failure
03/02/199959Dusty Springfieldpopular singerBreast CancerLondon
02/14/199972Doug WestonThe Troubadour, founder Los Angeles
02/07/199980Bobby Troupsinger/songwriter/actorHeart AttackLos Angeles
02/03/199948Gwen Guthriesinger/songwriterUterine Cancer
02/01/199963Julius WechterHerb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, percussionistLung CancerCalifornia
01/21/199976Charles Brownblues pianist/singerHeart FailureOakland, CA
01/15/199944John Baker SaundersMad Season, guitaristHeroin OverdoseSeattle, WA
01/11/199954Barry PritchardThe Fortunes, guitaristHeart Failure


*** 1998 ***

12/30/199864Johnny MooreThe Drifters, tenor vocalistRespiratory Failure
12/25/199852Bryan MacLeanLove, guitaristHeart Attack
12/11/199830Lynn StraitSnot, guitaristCar AccidentCalifornia

Snot - Get Some
Lynn Strait

August 7, 1968 - December 11, 1998

Lynn Strait (born James Lynn Strait) was rock musician and lead singer for the band Snot. He died in a car crash which also killed his dog Dobbs, Snot's mascot who graced the cover of the band's 1997 Geffen debut album, Get Some. The group disbanded after the death of Strait.

Lynn was also the bassist for band Lethal Dose.

11/29/199852Butch McDadeAmazing Rhythm AcesCancerMaryville, Tennessee
11/27/199855Barbara AcklinPneumonia Nebraska
11/16/199873J.D. Sumnergospel singerMyrtle Beach, South Carolina

Rest in Peace
J.D. Sumner

November 19, 1924 - November 16, 1998

John Daniel ("J.D.") Sumner was gospel music's best known bass singer. The Guinness Book of World Records recognized him as having recorded the lowest note ever produced by a human being - a double low C note.

J.D. is better known as Elvis Presley's backup singer and as the group leader of J.D. Sumner and the Stamps, a quartet from 1973-1977. He was also a very close personal friend to Elvis, beginning when Elvis was 14 yrs. old. J.D. sang at Elvis's funeral and that of his mother, Gladys.

10/02/199891Gene Autrycountry music singer/actorLos Angeles
09/21/199859Paul "Oz" Bach Spanky and Our Gang, bassistCancerAsheville, NC
09/14/199866Johnny Adamsblues singerStomach CancerBaton Rouge
09/04/199855Lal WatersonThe WatersonsCancerRobin's Hood Bay, UK
08/29/199866Charlie Feathersrockabilly pioneerStrokeMemphis, TN
07/26/199850Dave "Chico" RyanSha Na Na?Boston, MA
05/14/199882Frank Sinatrapopular singerHeart FailureLos Angeles
05/10/199838Lester ButlerRed Devils, blues harmonicaHeroin Overdose/MurderLos Angeles
05/07/199856Eddie Rabbittcountry singer/songwriterLung CancerNashville
04/17/199856Linda McCartneyPhotographer & MusicianBreast CancerTucson, AZ
04/07/199848Wendy O. WilliamsThe PlasmaticsSuicide (Gunshot)Storrs, CT
04/06/199855Tammy Wynettecountry music singerPulmonary blood clotNashville
04/05/199850Cozy PowellBlack Sabbath, MSGCar AccidentBristol, UK
04/02/199832Rob PilatusMilli VanilliAlcohol / PillsFrankfurt, Germany
03/13/199852Judge Dreadreggae/ska artistHeart FailureCanterbury, UK
03/11/199833Stacey GuessSquirrel Nut ZippersHeroin OverdoseToronto
02/20/199851Bob McBrideLighthouseToronto
02/15/199844Fleming WilliamsThe Hues CorporationFlint, Michigan

Rest in Peace
Fleming Williams

December 26, 1943 - February 15, 1998

Fleming Williams was a founding member of the Hues Corporation, remembered for their 1974 #1 hit "Rock the Boat."

Fleming left the group soon after recording "Rock The Boat". He died in 1998 (some sources say 1992) after years of drug abuse.

02/06/199840Falco"Rock Me Amadeus"Car AccidentPuerto Plata, Dominican Republic
02/06/199851Carl WilsonBeach BoysCancerLos Angeles
02/05/199835Tim KellySlaughterCar AccidentBagdad, AZ
02/05/199855Joe StubbsThe Falcons/The CountoursHeart Failure
01/19/199865Carl PerkinssongwriterStrokeJackson, TN
01/15/199863Junior Wellsblues artistCancer
01/10/199854Ken ForssiThe Surfaris / Love, bassistBrain TumorTallahassee, FL
01/05/199862Sonny BonoSonny & CherSkiing AccidentLake Tahoe


*** 1997 ***

12/31/199764Floyd CramerpianistLung Cancer
12/16/199745Nicolette Larsonsinger Los Angeles

Rest in Peace
Nicolette Larson

July 17, 1952 - December 16, 1997

Nicolette Larson was a talented singer best known for her 1978 cover of Neil Young's "Lotta Love". She also sang on Young's American Stars 'n Bars and Comes a Time albums. and contributed vocals to the Doobie Brothers album Minute by Minute.

Larson's worked with Commander Cody led to her being signed to Warner Bros. Records. Her debut album, Nicolette, released September 29, 1978, was produced by Ted Templeman. The album reached #15 on the strength of the single "Lotta Love."

Larson was featured on 1979's No Nukes album; the Doobie Brothers back her in her performance of "Lotta Love." Larson can be seen in the No Nukes film but her performance was not shown in the film.

Larson died as a result of a cerebral edema triggered by liver failure and is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) in Los Angeles.

12/14/199751Kurt WinterThe Guess WhoKidney Failure
11/28/199743Michael HedgesguitaristCar AccidentMendocino County, CA
11/22/199737Michael HutchenceINXSSuicide (hanging)Sydney, Australia
11/10/199767Tommy Tedescosession guitaristNorthridge, CA
11/05/199737Epic SoundtracksSwell MapsWest Hampstead, London
10/31/199736John DoughertyFlipper, bassistHeroin Overdose
10/21/199752Henry "Sunflower" VestineCanned HeatHeart FailureParis, France

Rest in Peace
Henry "Sunflower" Vestine

December 25, 1944 - October 21, 1997

10/19/199749Glen BuxtonAlice Cooper band, guitaristPneumoniaMason City, Iowa
10/12/199753John Denversinger/songwriterPlane CrashPacific Grove, CA
09/21/199719Nick TrainaLink 80, vocalistSuicide (Morphine Overdose)
08/02/199783William S. BurroughsauthorHeart Attack
07/10/1997Wanda Day4 Non- Blondes, drummerUtah
06/20/199759Lawrence PaytonThe Four TopsLiver CancerSouthfield, MI
06/15/199752John WoltersDr. Hook and the Medicine Show, drummerLiver CancerSan Francisco, CA
06/05/199751Ronnie LaneSmall FacesMultiple SclerosisTrinidad, Colorado

Rest in Peace
Ronnie Lane

April 1, 1946 - June 4, 1997

Ronald Frederick "Ronnie" Lane was an English singer, songwriter and bassist best known for his membership in the Small Faces.

Lane met Kenney Jones at a London pub and they decided to form a group they named "The Outcasts". While visiting the J60 Music Bar in Manor Park, London with his father in order to buy a bass guitar, Lane met Steve Marriott who was working there. Lane formed Small Faces with Steve Marriott and Kenney Jones in 1965, who were soon joined by Ian McLagan. This lineup lasted until 1969, when Marriott left the group. Lane formed a new group, Faces, with McLagan, Jones, Ronnie Wood and Rod Stewart in 1969. He was the primary songwriter of Faces, composing many of their best loved pieces including "Ooh La La" and "Debris." Lane quit the Faces in 1973, in part because of the increasing popularity of Rod Stewart.

Pete Townshend recorded an album with Lane Rough Mix, released in 1977. During the recording of Rough Mix, Lane was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (his mother died from the disease in 1990). Nonetheless, he toured, wrote, and recorded (with Eric Clapton, among many others) and managed to release yet another album, See Me, which features several songs written by Lane and Clapton.

05/29/199730Jeff Buckleysinger/songwriterDrowned in Mississippi RiverMemphis, TN
04/09/199787James "Yank" Rachellblues musicianIndianapolis, IN
04/08/199749Laura Nyrosinger/songwriterOvarian Cancer
04/05/199770Allen Ginsbergbeat poetLiver Cancer
03/24/199757Harold MelvinHarold Melvin and the Blue Notes
02/09/199751Brian ConnollySweetAlcohol relatedSlough, UK

Rest in Peace
Brian Connolly

October 5, 1945 - February 9, 1997

01/22/199739Billy MackenzieAssociates, singerSuicideAuchterhouse, Dundee, Scotland
01/21/199787Colonel Tom ParkerElvis's managerStrokeLas Vegas, NV
01/10/199754Kenny PickettThe CreationLondon
01/02/199745Randy CaliforniaSpiritDrownedMolokai, Hawaii

Rest in Peace
Randy California

February 20, 1951 - January 2, 1997

01/01/199745Townes Van Zandtsinger/songwriterPulmonary EmbolismNashville, Tennessee

Townes Van Zandt
March 7, 1944 - January 1, 1997

Townes Van Zandt is remembered as a great Singer/Songwriter widely admired by other songwriters, but one who was never able to reach a wide commercial audience. He authored classic songs such as "Pancho and Lefty" (recorded by Willie Nelson) and "If I Needed You" (recorded by EmmyLou Harris).

A live version of Van Zandt's cover of The Rolling Stones' Dead Flowers was used during the final scene of the 1998 film "The Big Lewboski".

Townes Van Zandt died on New Year's Day in Nashville of a pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lungs) following hip surgery.



*** 1996 ***

12/09/199640Patty DonahueThe WaitressesLung CancerNew York
11/30/199666Herbert KhauryTiny TimHeart FailureMinneapolis
11/02/199633Eva Cassidyfolk singerCancerBowie, Maryland
09/10/199652Chris AclandLush, drummerSuicideUK
09/10/199652Lee BakerMud Boy and the NeutronsMurderedHorseshoe Lake, Arkansas
09/09/199684Bill Monroe"The father of Bluegrass"Stroke
08/11/199662Mel TaylorThe Ventures, DrummerLung CancerLos Angeles
07/29/199628Jason ThirskPennywise, bassistSuicide (gunshot)
07/28/199648Margie Ganser DorsteThe Shangri-LasBreast CancerNew York City
07/22/199641Rob CollinsThe Charlatans, keyboardistCar AccidentWales, UK
07/17/199657Bryan "Chas" ChandlerAnimals, bassistHeart FailureNewcastle, UK
07/16/199647John PanozzoStyxAlcoholChicago
07/11/199634Jonathan MelvoinSmashing PumpkinsHeroin OverdoseNew York City
06/15/199679Ella Fitzgeraldjazz singerDiabetesHollywood
06/10/1996 Alan BlakelyThe TremeloesCancer
05/31/199659Elsbeary Hobbs, Jr.The Drifters, bass vocalistLung CancerNew York City
05/31/199675Dr. Timothy LearyLSD GuruCancerHollywood
05/30/199648John KahnJerry Garcia Band, bassistDrug OverdoseMill Valley, CA
05/25/199628Bradley NowellSublimeDrug OverdoseSan Francisco
05/17/199661Johnny "Guitar" Watsonblues guitaristHeart AttackYokohama, Japan
05/17/199629Kevin GilbertAutoerotic AsphyxiationPasadena

Kevin Gilbert
Kevin Gilbert

Kevin Gilbert, who shared a Grammy nomination for the hit Sheryl Crow song "All I Wanna Do," was found dead in his bed on May 18, 1996 at his home in Pasadena, California. The coroner listed the cause of death as "asphyxia due to partial suspension hanging." MTV more bluntly reported the cause of death as autoerotic asphyxiation.

Kevin may be best remembered for discovering Sheryl Crow. Crow was an unknown when she auditioned to be a keyboardist with Gilbert's band Toy Matinee, which released a self-titled CD in 1989. Crow and Gilbert dated for about two years. During that time Gilbert joined in a weekly jam session known as the "Tuesday Music Club." Crow named her album after the group and described it in the disc's liner notes. Gilbert did not tour with Crow, and the two parted on less than cordial terms.

Gilbert was a big fan of the rock group Genesis, and wowed crowds with his performance of Genesis covers. According to friends, he was scheduled to fly to London the week after his death to audition to replace Phil Collins.

While never capturing the spotlight for himself, Kevin Gilbert worked with many music giants: playing keys on Eddie Money's Nothing to Lose album in 1988, engineering a single for Michael Jackson, and writing songs for Madonna's Dick Tracy soundtrack.

05/11/199646Walter HyattUncle Walt's BandPlane CrashEverglades, Florida

Rest in Peace
Walter Hyatt
1949 - May 11, 1996

Walter Hyatt was a singer/songwriter who formed Uncle Walt's Band in 1972. Popular in the Austin, Texas music scene, the band had a cult following around the world and a fan in musician Lyle Lovett, who produced their album King Tears, Lovett's first work as a producer.

Tragically, Walter Hyatt was one of the 110 killed when ValuJet Flight 592 caught fire after take-off from Miami and crashed into a remote and swampy area of the Florida Everglades.

Hyatt's Some Unfinished Business (Volume One) was released in January 2008 to rave reviews. The album contains songs Hyatt was working on at the time of his death.

04/18/199643Bernard EdwardsChicPneumoniaTokyo, Japan
03/31/199680Jeffrey Lee PierceThe Gun ClubStrokeUtah
03/22/199650Don MurrayThe Turtles, drummercomplications from ulcer surgery
03/17/199654Terry Staffordsinger/songwriterLiver ProblemsAmarillo, Texas

Terry Stafford
November 22, 1941 - March 17, 1996

One-hit wonder Terry Stafford was known for his 1964 Elvis sound-alike single "Suspicion."

03/16/199680Joe PopeThe TamsHeart Failure
02/16/199680Brownie McGheeStomach CancerCalifornia

Rest in Peace
Brownie McGhee
November 30, 1915 - February 16, 1996

Brownie McGhee was a folk-blues singer and guitarist best known for his collaboration with Sonny Terry.

01/31/1996 Rick CurtisCrazy Horse, vocalistVentura, CA

Richard Curtis

Rick Curtis and his brothers and sisters formed the psych-folk band These Vizitors in 1965. They recorded with Phil Ramone in 1967.

In 1972, Rick was a guitarist and vocalist for Crazy Horse, appearing on their 1972 album At Crooked Lake along with his brother Michael. He co-wrote "Southern Cross" for Crosby, Stills & Nash and "Blue Letter" for Fleetwood Mac. Both songs were originally demos recorded with Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.

01/16/199649Richard KermodeJanis Joplin's Kosmic Blues BandDenver, CO

Rest in Peace
Richard Kermode
October 5, 1946 - January 16, 1996

Richard Kermode was a respected jazz keyboardist in Buffalo, New York. In 1969, he moved to California and joined Janis Joplin's band. He joined her on the stage at Woodstock. He later played with Carlos Santana, Patti LaBelle and Malo.



*** 1995 ***

12/30/199555Clarence "Satch" SatchellThe Ohio Players, saxophonistAneurysmDayton, Ohio
12/25/199578Dean Martinpop singer and actorRespiratory FailureBeverly Hills
12/21/199546Charlie TumahaiBe-Bop Deluxe, bassistHeart FailureAuckland, New Zealand
11/23/199564Junior WalkersaxophonistCancerBattle Creek, MI

Junior Walker
June 14, 1931 - November 23, 1995

Junior Walker (born Autry DeWalt Mixon, Jr. in Blytheville, Arkansas) was the leader of the Motown group Junior Walker and the All Stars. His saxophone style was the anchor for the band's overall sound. Their first and signature hit was "Shotgun", written by Junior Walker and produced by Berry Gordy.

Walker contributed to Rock 'n' Roll by playing saxophone on Foreigner's smash radio hit "Urgent" in 1981.

11/21/199560Peter GrantLed Zeppelin, managerHeart FailureSussex, England
11/21/199535Matthew James AshmanAdam Ant / Bow Wow Wow, guitaristDiabetesLondon
11/08/199540Country Dick MontanaBeat Farmers, drummerHeart AttackWhistler, British Columbia
10/21/199528Shannon HoonBlind MelonDrug OverdoseNew Orleans
09/08/199521Jack Vigliatura IVFor Squirrels, vocalistCar AccidentGeorgia
09/08/199523Bill WhiteFor Squirrels, bassistCar AccidentGeorgia
09/08/199523Tim BenderFor Squirrels, tour managerCar AccidentGeorgia
08/30/199553Sterling MorrisonVelvet UndergroundCancer
08/26/199556Ronald WhiteThe MiraclesLeukemiaDetroit, MI
08/23/199531Dwayne GoettelSkinny PuppyHeroin OverdoseEdmonton, Alberta
08/16/199539Bobby DeBargeSwitch / DeBargeAIDSGrand Rapids, MI
08/09/199553Jerry GarciaGrateful DeadHeart FailureSan Francisco

Rest in Peace
Jerry Garcia

August 1, 1942 - August 9, 1995

Jerome John "Jerry" Garcia gained fame as co-founder of the band the Grateful Dead, a band he lead from 1965 until death his death. Garcia also founded and participated in a variety of side projects, including the Saunders-Garcia Band with longtime friend Merl Saunders, Jerry Garcia Band, the bluegrass combo Old and in the Way, the Jerry Garcia/David Grisman acoustic duo, and Legion of Mary.

Jerry Garcia was born August 1, 1942 in San Francisco, California; he was named after showtune composer Jerome Kern. Jerry's Father, Jose, a retired jazz musician turned tavern owner, drowned while fishing when Jerry was five.

At age four, much of Jerry's right middle finger had to be amputated after an accident when chopping wood.

Raised by his mother and grandparents, Jerry displayed an early interest in music, first learning piano in early childhood. His mother bought him an accordion for his 15th birthday, but Jerry didn't like the instrument and persuaded her to exchange it for an electric guitar. Garcia became an avid student of folk, old-time country, and bluegrass music, playing both the acoustic guitar and banjo.

He dropped out of high school in 1960 and joined the army, but was dishonorably discharged a few months later. In February 1961, Garcia was a passenger in a car involved in a fatal accident that killed his friend Paul Speegle. He was thrown from the car and escaped with a broken collarbone.

In 1962 Garcia met Phil Lesh, the eventual bassist of the Grateful Dead, during a party in Palo Alto's bohemian Perry Lane neighborhood (where Ken Kesey lived).

During 1964, he began playing in a jug band, Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions, that also featured guitarist/singer Bob Weir and singer/harmonica player/keyboardist Ron McKernan (aka Pigpen). At the turn of 1965, the group took up electric instruments and became a rock & roll band, adding drummer Bill Kreutzmann and renaming themselves the Warlocks. Phil Lesh, a friend of Garcia's since 1962, joined them on bass by June 1965, and in December the quintet first performed under its new name, the Grateful Dead.

Garcia was lead guitarist, a principal vocalist and a songwriter for the Grateful Dead for their entire career. The band toured relentlessly.

On July 10, 1986, following a strenuous Grateful Dead tour, Garcia fell into a diabetic coma lasting three days and nearly died. Garcia's coma had a profound effect on him: it forced him to have to relearn how to play the guitar, as well as other, more basic skills.

Garcia was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Grateful Dead in 1994.

Early on the morning of August 9, 1995, Garcia's unconscious body was discovered on the floor of his room at the Serenity Knolls treatment center in Forest Knolls, California. The cause of death was a heart attack.

07/25/199562Charlie Rich"The Silver Fox"country singerHammond, Louisiana

Rest in Peace
Charlie Rich

December 14, 1932 - July 25, 1995

Charlie Rich (nicknamed "The Silver Fox" in the latter part of his life) was a Grammy-award winning country and popular music singer. He is perhaps best remembered for a pair of 1973 hits, "Behind Closed Doors" and "The Most Beautiful Girl". "The Most Beautiful Girl" topped the U.S. country singles charts, as well as the pop singles charts.

Charlie Rich was traveling with his wife to Florida from Natchez, Mississippi, where he watched his son perform with Freddy Fender at a local casino, when he experienced a bout of severe coughing. After visiting a doctor in St. Francisville, Louisiana, and receiving antibiotics, he continued traveling until he stopped to rest for the night. Charlie Rich died in his sleep on July 25, 1995, in a Hammond, Louisiana, motel. He was 62 years old. The cause of death was a blood clot in his lung. He was buried in the Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee.

07/01/199545Ian ParkinBe-Bop Deluxe, guitaristCancer?
07/01/199556Wolfman JackDisc JockeyHeart AttackBelvidere, NC
06/14/199547Rory GallagherTasteAlcohol, Liver TransplantLondon
04/14/199585Burl IvesFolk RevivalistAnacortes, WA
03/31/199523SelenaTejano singerMurderedCorpus Christi, Texas
03/30/199559Paul A. RothchildproducerLung Cancer
03/23/199541Alan BartonBlack LaceCar AccidentCologne, Germany
03/08/199529Ingo SchwichtenbergHelloweenSuicide by TrainGermany
03/07/199534David LoucksRacer / Tin EarMurderedSeattle
03/05/199551Vivian StanshallBonzo Dog Doo-Dah BandHouse Fire
02/26/199544Frank O'KeefeThe Outlaws, bassistDrug OverdoseClearwater, Florida

Frank O'Keefe
March 18, 1950 - February 26, 1995

Frank O'Keefe was the original bassist for southern rock band, the Outlaws. Although the band was riding high on a string of what would eventually become classic rock staples, O'Keefe decided to leave the band after suffering a broken neck from a fall in July, 1976. The trials of a hectic life on the road also helped in that decision. That neck injury lead to his reliance on pain medication for the rest of his life. On February 26, 1995, O'Keefe's lifeless body was found by his roommate in his Clearwater, Florida home. He apparently died as a result of drug and alcohol abuse.

02/23/199552Melvin FranklinTemptationsMedicalLos Angeles
02/18/199535Bob StinsonThe Replacements Minneapolis
02/12/199542Philip Taylor KramerIron ButterflyCar AccidentMalibu, California

Philip Taylor Kramer
July 12, 1952 - February 12, 1995

Philip Taylor Kramer was the bass guitar player for the rock group Iron Butterfly during the 1970s. He joined the band in 1974. He later obtained a degree in aerospace engineering and worked on missile guidance systems for a contractor of the US Department of Defense. With his father, Kramer had also been working on a data compression and transmission project which he believed could result in faster-than-light speed communications (their work also involved a long-running family effort to discredit Albert Einstein's theories).

On February 12, 1995 he drove to Los Angeles International Airport to pick up an investor. After waiting an hour for the business contact who never arrived, Kramer called both his wife and Iron Butterfly drummer and co-founder Ron Bushy from the cell phone in his car, leaving Bushy a cryptic message about seeing him "...on the other side." Kramer also called the police and said, "I’m going to kill myself. And I want everyone to know O.J. Simpson is innocent. They did it."

Kramer was never heard from again. This led to a massive search and many news reports, talk show segments (including an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show) and even an episode on Unsolved Mysteries some years later. There was wild speculation, fueled by his longtime friend Ron Bushy, that agents from the United States government had abducted Kramer. Bushy, who had been talking with Kramer about a reunion tour for the band, said "I honestly believe that he has been abducted by our government or an agency that is part of it or maybe a foreign government or a company." Ohio Democrat Rep. James Traficant is reported to have said, "Someone may have grabbed him," suggesting he might have been brainwashed by terrorists for "nefarious purposes."

On Saturday, May 29, 1999, Kramer's 1993 green Ford Aerostar minivan, driver's license and skeletal remains were found by photographers looking for old car wrecks to shoot at the bottom of Decker Canyon near Malibu, California. Based on forensic evidence and Kramer's emergency call to the police, his death was ruled as a probable suicide committed on the day on which he was last heard.

02/07/199545Billy JonesThe OutlawsSuicideSpring Hill, FL
02/01/199527Richey EdwardsManic Street PreachersDisappeared Mysteriously
01/29/1995 Ken JensenDOAHouse FireVancouver, BC
01/24/199532David ColeC+C Music FactorySpinal MeningitisNew York City


*** 1994 ***

11/18/199486Cab Callowayjazz singerStrokeHockessin, Delaware
11/16/199457Dino ValentiQuicksilver Messenger Service Santa Rosa, CA
11/04/199445Fred "Sonic" SmithMC5Heart FailureDetroit, MI
10/27/199457Robert WhiteThe Funk Brothers, guitaristHeart FailureLos Angeles, CA
10/26/199465Wilbert Harrisonrecorded "Kansas City"Spencer, North Carolina
09/06/199450Nicky HopkinsRolling Stones, etc.Intestinal complicationsNashville
07/27/1994 Ken MontgomeryDOAHeroin Overdose
06/26/1994Mick WayneguitaristFireMichigan

Mick Wayne

Mick Wayne was a talented guitarist who played on Bowie's Space Oddity. He was in Bowie's live band and recorded some sessions for the BBC in 1969 under the name David Bowie & Junior's Eyes. Mick died in a tragic house fire.

06/16/199427Kristen PfaffHole, bassistHeroin OverdoseSeattle
06/04/199451Derek LeckenbyHerman's Hermitsnon-Hodgkins lymphomaManchester, UK
04/07/199427Lee BrilleauxDr. FeelgoodThroat Cancer
04/05/199427Kurt CobainNirvanaSuicide (Shotgun)Seattle

Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain
February 20, 1967 - April 5, 1994

On April 5, 1994, Kurt Cobain wrote a suicide note in which he said he couldn't stand to think of his daughter becoming "the miserable self-destructive, death rocker that I've become." He went into the greenhouse of his Seattle mansion and injected himself with a massive dose of heroin (an estimated 225mg). He put a 20-gauge shotgun against the roof of his mouth, and fired.

There are some strange circumstances and many unanswered questions surrounding the death of Kurt Cobain. Was Cobain murdered? This has been the subject of books, television shows, radio shows, quite a few magazine and newspaper stories, and the film "Kurt and Courtney"

Read more about the controversy:

Cobain Was Killed

Private Detective Tom Grant's web site

Kurt Cobain is also a member of the "Forever 27" Club of musicians that have all mysteriously passed away at age 27. Other members include Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Brian Jones.

03/22/199443Dan HartmanEdgar Winter GroupBrain CancerWestport, CT
02/22/199476Papa John CreachJefferson AirplanePneumoniaLos Angeles
01/22/199437Rhett ForresterRiot, singerMurderedAtlanta, GA
01/15/199452Harry Nilssonsinger/songwriterHeart AttackLos Angeles

Everybody's Talkin'
Harry Nilsson
June 15, 1941 - January 15, 1994

Harry Edward Nilsson III, credited on most of his recordings simply as Nilsson, was known for being a witty and idiosyncratic songwriter.

After having some of his songs recorded by Glen Campbell, Fred Astaire, the Shangri-Las, and the Yardbirds, Nilsson signed with RCA in 1966 and the following year released Pandemonium Shadow Show.

Nilsson's second RCA album, Aerial Ballet, included his recording of Fred Neil's song "Everybody's Talkin'". Director John Schlesinger used this recording in the movie Midnight Cowboy and the song became a hit - reaching number 6 on Billboard's Hot 100 and earning Nilsson a Grammy. Nilsson's success continued as Three Dog Night's recording of his song "One" reached number 5 on the charts and went on to sell more than a million copies.

Nilsson's 1969 album Harry included a song written by Randy Newman. In 1970, Nilsson recorded an entire album of songs by Newman, Nilsson Sings Newman.

In early 1971, The Point!, the first 90-minute, "made-for-television," animated film debuted on ABC. Based on a story by Nilsson, The Point! featured several songs by Nilsson including "Me And My Arrow".

Nilsson's 1971 album, Nilsson Schmilsson, became his best-selling album and "Without You", the album's first single, became a world-wide hit in 1972.

In 1974, Nilsson and John Lennon generated newspaper headlines by being thrown out of the Troubadour for heckling a Smothers Brothers performance. The same year, Lennon produced Nilsson's Pussy Cats album.



*** 1993 ***

12/19/199347Michael ClarkeThe ByrdsLiver FailureTreasure Island, FL
12/05/199332Doug HopkinsGin BlossomsSuicideTempe, Arizona
12/04/199352Frank ZappaMothers of InventionStomach CancerLos Angeles
12/03/199332Ray GillenBlack SabbathAIDSNew York City
11/28/199347Jerry EdmontonSteppenwolfCar AccidentSanta Ynez, CA
11/24/199361Albert Collinsblues legendCancerLas Vegas, NV
10/31/199323River PhoenixactorDrug OverdoseLos Angeles

River Phoenix
August 23, 1970 - October 31, 1993

Although River Phoenix is best remembered as an actor, his true passion may have been music. Phoenix was a singer, songwriter and an accomplished guitarist.

On Halloween morning, 1993, Phoenix died of a drug overdose on the sidewalk outside the West Hollywood nightclub the Viper Room.

10/13/199353Wade FlemonsEarth Wind & FireCancer
08/05/199345Randy Jo HobbsJohnny Winter, MontroseDrug Overdose?Dayton, Ohio
07/30/199353Don MyrickEarth Wind & FireMurdered by LAPDLos Angeles
07/07/199327Mia ZapataThe GitsMurderedSeattle
07/01/199329Dave InsurgentReagan YouthSuicide (Heroin Overdose)New York City

Dave Insurgent
September 5, 1964 - July 1, 1993

David Rubinstein founded New York punk-rock Band Reagan Youth with guitarist Paul Bakija while both were in high school. Changing their names to Dave Insurgent and Paul Cripple, they played in the Manhattan scene in clubs like CBGB's. The band often used Nazi and Ku Klux Klan imagery to express their left-wing politics and to point out the perceived parallels between the policies of Ronald Reagan and the Christian Right and the beliefs of the hate groups. Their songs included "Jesus Was a Communist," a stab at the Christian fundamentalists in the United States, and "New Aryans," an anti-conservative/yuppie and also anti-racist anthem. It should be noted that both of Dave Rubinstein's parents were Holocaust survivors.

The group disbanded at the end of President Reagan's term of office. Dave became addicted to Heroin, and his girlfriend, Tiffany Bresciani became a prostitute to fund her own addiction.

The Evening of June 24, 1993, David and Tiffany were waiting on the street when a familiar customer pulled up in a Mazda pick-up truck. Tiffany got in, telling David that she would return in twenty minutes. She never came back. David called the police with a description of the truck and went to all the hospital emergency rooms in the city searching for Tiffany. Four days later, New York state troopers spotted the truck and gave chase. After the truck hit a utility pole, police found Tiffany's body in the back, covered with a sheet. They arrested the driver, Joel Rifkin, one of Long Island's most famous serial killers, who was later linked to killing 17 prostitutes.

Distraught over Tiffany's death and that of his mother a month earlier in a car accident, David intentionally overdosed himself on Heroin.

06/28/199336GG Allinpunk rock singerHeroin OverdoseNew York City
06/18/199357Luther Tuckerblues guitaristHeart AttackGreenbrae, CA
06/05/199359Conway Twittycountry music singerAbdominal AneurysmSpringfield, MO
05/12/1993 Randy DelayThe Georgia Satellites
04/29/199346Mick RonsonDavid BowieLiver CancerLondon
03/19/199330Jeff WardNine Inch Nails / MinistrySuicide (carbon monoxide poisoning)
02/25/199345Toy CaldwellMarshall Tucker BandHeart DiseaseSpartanburg, SC
01/06/199375Dizzy Gillespiejazz trumpeterPancreatic CancerEnglewood, NJ

Rest in Peace
Dizzy Gillespie
October 21, 1917 - January 6, 1993

Considered one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time, John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz.

Born in Cheraw, South Carolina, the youngest of nine children. His father, James, was a bricklayer, pianist and band leader. His mother’s name was Lottie. Dizzy’s father stored the band’s instruments at the family home and the young maestro was never far from a trumpet, saxophone, guitar or his father’s upright piano.

Dizzy's wife, Lorraine, was a chorus dancer at the famed Apollo Theatre. They married in 1940 and remained together until his death.

Gillespie was known for his trademark "bent" trumpet, in which the horn was bent upwards in a 45 degree angle. According to Gillespie's autobiography, the bent trumpet was originally the result of accidental damage caused by someone sitting on his instrument. Gillespie liked the altered the tone of the damaged instrument and commissioned a professionally made trumpet of the bent design.



*** 1992 ***

12/24/199247Bobby LaKindThe Doobie Brothers, drummerColon Cancer
12/23/199242Eddie HazelParliment / FunkadelicLiver FailurePlainfield, NJ
12/21/199269Albert Kingblues artistHeart FailureMemphis, TN

The Velvet Bulldozer
Albert King
April 25, 1923 - December 21, 1992

Albert King was born Albert Nelson, on April 25, 1923, in Indianola, Mississippi (also the birthplace of B.B. King, no relation).

King was a large man, standing over 6-foot-4-inches and weighing about 250 pounds. He was left-handed and taught himself to play the guitar upside-down while keeping the strings strung for a right-handed player. He made several recordings for small labels, but didn't experience real success until moving to Memphis and recording for the Stax label. Backed by the label's house band, Booker T and The MGs, he recorded a number of songs such as "Laundromat Blues", "Crosscut Saw", and "Born under a Bad Sign". These were released on the landmark 1967 album Born under a Bad Sign.

On February 1, 1968, Albert King, John Mayall and Jimi Hendrix headlined a show for the opening night of the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco. Later in 1968, King released a live album Live Wire / Blues Power

In 2010, a two-disc CD/DVD set entitled In Session was released. It contains a December 6, 1983 concert of Albert King with Stevie Ray Vaughan, recorded for Canadian television.

11/21/1992 Ricky WilliamsFlipper, vocalistRespiratory Failure
11/14/199245John CascellaJohn Mellencamp, keyboardistCar Accident
11/13/199249Ronnie BondThe Troggs, drummer
10/25/199256Roger MillerKing of the RoadThroat CancerLos Angeles
10/05/199252Eddie KendricksTemptationsLung CancerBirmingham, AL
09/29/1992 Bud CowsillThe Cowsills, managerLeukemiaMexico
09/18/199262Earl Van DykeThe Funk Brothers, keyboardistProstate CanerDetroit
08/14/199264Tony WilliamsThe PlattersEmphysemaNew York
08/05/199238Jeff PorcaroToto / Steely DanHeart AttackLos Angeles
07/26/199249Mary Wellssoul singerCancerLos Angeles
06/27/199224Stefanie Sargent7 Year BitchHeroin OverdoseSeattle
05/15/199244Barbara LeeThe ChiffonsHeart Attack
04/25/1992 Brian "Too Loud" MacLeodChilliwack / The HeadpinsCancer
01/29/199276Willie Dixonblues pioneerHeart FailureBurbank, CA

The Original Wang Dang Doodle
Willie Dixon
July 1, 1915 - January 29, 1992

William James "Willie" Dixon was a American blues double-bassist, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. He is credited with writing more than 500 songs including blues classic "Little Red Rooster", "Hoochie Coochie Man", "Evil", "Spoonful", "Back Door Man", "I Just Want to Make Love to You", "I Ain't Superstitious", "My Babe", "Wang Dang Doodle", and "Bring It On Home".

Dixon died of heart failure in Burbank, California on January 29, 1992, and is buried in the Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois.

Actor and comedian Cedric the Entertainer portrayed Dixon in Cadillac Records, a 2008 film based on the early history of Chess Records. Willie Dixon was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

01/21/199245Champion Jack Dupreeblues pianistCancerHannover, Germany
01/15/199245Dee MurrayElton JohnStrokeNashville

Dee Murray
Dee Murray
April 3, 1946 - January 15, 1992

Dee Murray (born David Murray Oates) was a rock bassist most famous for his tenure with Elton John. He was a member of the Spencer Davis Group from 1969-1970 and also worked with Procol Harum, Alice Cooper, Yvonne Elliman, England Dan & John Ford Coley, John Prine, Rick Springfield and even Barry Manilow.

He died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville of a stroke after a long bout with skin cancer.

01/14/199245Jerry NolanNew York DollsStrokeNew York City


*** 1991 ***

11/24/199141Eric CarrKiss, drummerCancerNew York City
11/23/199145Freddie MercuryQueenAIDSLondon
10/25/199160Bill Grahamconcert promoterHelicopter CrashConcord, CA
10/17/199172Tennessee Ernie Fordcountry singerLiver FailureLos Angeles
09/28/199165Miles Davisjazz trumpeterPneumonia, StrokeSanta Monica
09/17/199146Rob TynerMC5Heart FailureRoyal Oak, MI
09/04/199158Dottie Westcountry singerCar AccidentNashville
06/01/199150David RuffinTemptationsCocaine OverdosePhiladelphia
05/24/199146Gene ClarkThe ByrdsHeart FailureSherman Oaks, CA
04/23/199138Johnny ThundersNew York DollsDrug OverdoseNew Orleans
04/20/199144Steve MarriottHumble PieFireArkesden, Essex, UK

Rest in Peace
Steve Marriott
January 30, 1947 - April 20, 1991

Steve Marriott was an English rock musician and member of the bands the Small Faces and Humble Pie.

Born Stephen Peter Marriott at East Ham Hospital, Manor Park, London, England, he showed an early interest in singing and performing and became a huge fan of singer Buddy Holly. He formed his first band at age 12. At the age of thirteen, Marriott landed a role in the popular musical Oliver!, based on the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. Marriott stayed with the show for a total of twelve months. The next year he was accepted as a student at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London. Soon, however, he lost interest in acting and returned to his first love, music.

In 1963, Marriott wrote "Imaginary Love" and used the song to secure a record deal with Decca Records. The single was released in July 1963 and promptly vanished. Other early projects did not fare much better. On July 28, 1964, Marriott first met Ronnie Lane and 16-year-old drummer Kenney Jones. With their shared love of R&B the trio were soon firm friends and their musical endeavors evolved into the Small Faces. They were signed by Don Arden and quickly became a successful mod band in the London scene. Marriott wrote or co-wrote most of Small Faces' hit singles.

After the success of the group's number one hit concept album Ogdens Nut Gone Flake Marriott was keen for the group to evolve and wanted to bring in ex-Herd frontman Peter Frampton, but the other members refused. Marriott quit the group, storming off stage during a disastrous live performance on New Year's Eve, 1968.

Shortly after leaving Small Faces, Marriott joined the newly formed rock band Humble Pie with Frampton, drummer Jerry Shirley and bassist Greg Ridley. Their debut album As Safe As Yesterday Is was released on Immediate Records. Humble Pie toured constantly over the next three years. The band's next album releases, on A&M Records, were Humble Pie and Rock On. Their live album Rockin' the Fillmore (1971) became the band's most successful release to date.

Humble Pie disbanded in 1975. Marriott released his first solo album, Marriott, in 1976.

In 1991 Marriott flew to Los Angeles to record some tracks in Peter Frampton's studio for a reformed Humble Pie. The project was never completed, as Marriott had a change of heart and returned home.

Marriott died on the morning of Saturday, April 20, 1991 when a fire, thought to have been caused by a cigarette, swept through his home in Arkesden, Essex. The 16th-century cottage was also used for location shots for the home of the title character in the BBC's long-running television series Lovejoy, starring Ian McShane

03/22/199156Dave GuardThe Kingston TrioLymphomaConcord, NH
03/21/199181Leo Fenderguitar designer
03/17/199153Max LipscombGene Vincent & the Bluecaps, pianistHeart Attack
03/16/199165Bill Gazzarrinightclub owner
03/16/199127Chris AustinReba McEntire, guitaristPlane CrashSan Diego, CA
03/16/199128Kirk CapelloReba McEntire, keyboardistPlane CrashSan Diego, CA
03/16/199127Joey CigaineroReba McEntire, synthesizer playerPlane CrashSan Diego, CA
03/16/199133Paula Kaye EvansReba McEntire, backup vocalistPlane CrashSan Diego, CA
03/16/199140Jim HammonReba McEntire, road managerPlane CrashSan Diego, CA
03/16/199128Terry JacksonReba McEntire, bass guitaristPlane CrashSan Diego, CA
03/16/199134Tony SaputoReba McEntire, drummerPlane CrashSan Diego, CA
03/16/199134Michael ThomasReba McEntire, guitaristPlane CrashSan Diego, CA

Reba McEntire's Band
March 16, 1991

After completing a Friday evening corporate gig for IBM'S "top performers" at San Diego's Sheraton Harbor Island Hotel, members of Reba McEntire's band boarded a twin-engine Hawker Siddeley jet bound for their next gig in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

On board where seven members of Reba's band, her tour manager, and a pilot and copilot. The flight took off from Brown Field, south of San Diego, at 1:40 AM on Saturday, March 16. Northeast of the airfield the jet's wing clipped an outcropping of rock near the 3,572-foot peak of Otay Mountain. All on boards were killed. McEntire was devastated.

McEntire had skipped the flight to stay at hotel and rest, planning to take a later commercial flight. Also spared were band members Joe McGlohon and Pete Finney, who had left from Brown Field in a different plane, minutes behind the doomed jet.

McEntire dedicated her 1991 album For My Broken Heart to her lost bandmates.

03/14/199165Doc Pomussinger/songwriterLung Cancer
03/01/199142Frank Esler-SmithAir Supply, keyboardistPneumoniaAustralia
01/21/1991 Rob GravesThe Gun ClubHeroin OverdoseNew York
01/20/199148Stan SzelestThe BandHeart AttackNew York
01/08/199130Steve ClarkDef LeppardAlcohol & DrugsLondon


*** 1990 ***

10/08/199043B. J. WilsonProcol Harem, drummer Eugene, OR
09/06/199048Tom FogertyCCRTuberculosisScottsdale, AZ
09/05/199045Charlie CharlesIan Dury and the BlockheadsCancerLondon
08/27/199035Stevie Ray VaughanguitaristHelicopter CrashEast Troy, WI

Rest in Peace
Stevie Ray Vaughan
October 3, 1954 - August 27, 1990

08/17/199072Pearl Baileysinger/actressHeart DiseasePhiladelphia, PA
08/08/199045Joel RundellBetter Than Ezra, guitaristSuicide
07/27/199062Bobby DayHollywood FlamesCancer
07/26/199037Brent MydlandGrateful DeadDrug OverdoseLafayette, CA
07/23/199041Bert SommerfolksingerRespiratory IllnessTroy, NY
06/05/199045Isaac Payton SweatJohnny Winter, bassistSuicide
06/05/199042Richard SohlPatti Smith, keyboardistHeart Attack
06/05/199042Jim HodderSteely Dan, drummerDrowned
06/02/199040Stiv BatorsDead BoysCar AccidentParis
05/16/199064Sammy Davis Jr.pop singer/dancer/comedianThroat CancerBeverly Hills, CA
03/19/199024Andrew WoodMother Love BoneHeroin OverdoseSeattle
03/17/199043Rick GrechTrafficBrain Hemorrhage
02/27/1990 Dave PritchardArmored SaintLeukemia
02/26/199053Cornell GunterThe CoastersMurderedLa Vegas, NV
02/08/199055Charles WestoverDel ShannonSuicide (gunshot)Santa Clarita, CA
01/23/199037Allen CollinsLynyrd SkynyrdPneumoniaJacksonville, Florida
Allen Collins
Rest in Peace
July 19, 1952 - January 23, 1990

Allen Collins (Born Larkin Allen Collins Jr.) was a founding member and guitarist for the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. He co-wrote many of the bands most famous songs.

Allen survived the October 20, 1977 plane crash that killed several of his fellow band members. He was seriously injured in the crash; suffering two broken vertebrae in his neck and a mangled right arm.

After Skynyrd, Allen's next major project was Rossington-Collins Band's 1980 debut album Anytime Anyplace Anywhere, an under-rated Southern rock classic. Allen began a downward spiral, using drugs and alcohol after his wife Kathy suddenly died of a hemorrhage following a miscarriage in 1980. Missed concerts and conflicts within the band resulted in the disbanding of Rossington-Collins in 1982 shortly after the release of their second album, This is the Way. Next, Allen teamed with Skynyrd keyboardist Billy Powell and bassist Leon Wilkeson, along with lead singer Jimmy Dougherty, drummer Derek Hess, and guitarists Barry Lee Harwood and Randall Hall forming a new band, the Allen Collins Band. They issued a single album Here There in Back in 1983. This album is now very difficult to find.

In 1986 a car accident killed Collins' girlfriend and left the guitarist paralyzed from the waist down, with limited use of his arms and hands. Collins plead no contest to vehicular manslaughter as well as driving under the influence of alcohol.

All remaining members of Lynyrd Skynyrd reunited to perform in 1987, but due to his injury Collins was only able to participate as musical director. As part of his plea bargain for the 1986 accident, Collins addressed fans at every Skynyrd concert with an explanation of why he could not perform, citing the dangers of drinking and driving, as well as drugs and alcohol.

Allen Collins died January 23, 1990 from chronic pneumonia, a complication of the paralysis. He is buried beside his wife in Riverside Memorial Park Cemetery, Jacksonville, Florida.


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