Rock In Peace

I had the FM radio on the other day - I don't remember what station - and they were playing Bob Marley's Could You Be Loved from 1980. Now there's a song that has not only aged well, it could have been released in 1990 or 2000 or even today and it would be hailed a a classic. And that is so true of so many of Marley's records; Redemption Song, One Love, No Woman No Cry just to name a few.

That the reggae giant was only 36 years old when he died got me to thinking of all the music he might have made had cancer not taken him and if he was able to avoid assassination.

But is he the #1 musical artist whose potential was barely reached before a life cut short? I started thinking of others who would have to be in contention for the title of biggest musical loss. Here are some my other candidates:

Hank Williams, only 29 when he died. Even non-country music fans know his remarkable contributions to America's permanent songbook; songs like I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry, Hey Good Lookin', Your Cheatin' Heart, and dozens more. The Devil and the liquor took Hank.

Buddy Holly, plane crash, 22. Think about that - only 22! Yet 50 years later we still song along with That'll Be The Day, Peggy Sue, Everyday and more. Honorable mention on the same plane was Ritchie Valens of La Bamba fame, just 17 years old. Who knows what his future held?

Jimi Hendrix, another drinker so he only made it to 27. An A-level songwriter, A+ guitar player who brought fuzz and fire to his instrument. You can't help but think of Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin and Kurt Cobain among other 27 year-olds who burned out rather than faded away.

Your turn. I want to know who you'd put at Number One on this chart: the musical artist who had the most to still contribute to the world before his death. Michael Hutchence? John Lennon? Selena? Jeff Buckley? Luther Vandross?  Ian Curtis? Biggie? 

Comments

[brother john]

Patsy Cline who died at age 30 had one of the purest voices ever recorded. I think she still had a lot of good music in her.

[LiLa]

What about John Bonham of Led Zep? Cliff Burton of Metallica? Randy Rhoades? Steve Clark? Bon Scott? Stevie Ray Vaughan? Hillel Slovak? Ian Curtis?

[Stacey]

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Otis Redding both make my list.

Of course, you've already mentioned Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix.

Obviously John Lennon for his songwriting, but I think some of his recording collaborations with Yoko Ono are horrible, and I'm almost glad that I never had to hear any more of that.

[bruin]

1. Buddy Holly
2. G.G. Allen

[Raul]

Lennon I think was past his prime...

Would have to go with Biggie...maybe Aalyiah (sorry for the misspell)

[jojo]

Michael Hutchence? Probably not but second nomination for Otis Redding

[Phil]

I'd have to go with Hendrix, and to an extent, Lennon. Think about this- in today's world of reunions, how cool would it have been to see the Beatles get back together??!!
Honorable Mention: Lynyrd Skynyrd(not my kind of music, but decent songwriters in their prime)...Or WHAM! Oh- what was that? George Michael isn't dead??

[Edmund F]

Bradley Nowell.

[Diane]

Of the artists mentioned, the ones in heaviest rotation on my iPod are Marley, Redding, Lennon, and Ian Curtis.

I'd add Marvin Gaye to the list as well.

[Ralph]

Bradley James Nowell, of Sublime was only 28 years old. Awsome song writer and singer.

[Casey]

The person that comes to mind for me is Brad Nowell of Sublime.

[Eric Leckey]

I agree with your first choice Bob Marley. All the others were great, but Bob was more than music. You could make an argument that politically he was more important than musically. His music was inspirational and conveyed his passions, to think where he would have taken his music and his politics and humanity... it is a shame to think that we lost him. It also has to make a difference in your choice that what killed him wasn't his own fault, Cancer wasn't brought on by a hard lifestyle or carelessness. While as the others, except for Marvin Gaye, were brought on by their own failures, well i guess he could have ducked or something so maybe it was his fault. Which allows me to end with this joke,
"Knock Knock"
"Who's there"
"Its you Dad"
"It's your Dad w..... BANG!

[Lynne_T]

Hi Bean, BTW, appropriate subject during the "summer of death."

My contribution is Keith Moon, crazy drummer of the Who. 32 yrs old. OD'd on medication he was taking to combat alcoholism in 1978.

[Dierdre Jean]

I would have to say Eva Cassidy. Not many people know about this young woman, who was taken from us from melanoma cancer at age 33. Eva was still unsigned by any music agency at the time of her death, mainly because her music could not be "pegged" into any of the usual genres. Most of the CD's out with Eva's music were done posthumously. Her version of "Over the Rainbow" was very popular in England. Your readers can check out the sites for Eva at evacassidy.com and evacassidy.org. The first one is a site dedicated to her art and the second one is mostly about her music.

[db]

Too early for Amy Winehouse?

[maltese parakeet]

sam cooke.

[Larry Algaze]

Brad Nowell is nearest to my heart, but you are all forgetting one the biggies: Kurt Cobain. Although one has to wonder if the Foo Fighters would have ever happened if Kurt was still around.

[Kawinki]

Yeah, Kurt Cobain is actually mentioned in the post.

[Vic Rattler]

I was only going to post to mention Cliff Burton because no one ever does, and find LiLa already has, as well as many other great choices. Hooray for LiLa.

[Rochelle Parry]

Jeff Buckley and maybe his dad. Never before have I heard a musician only post-humous and become obsessed with needing to know every detail of his life I could get my hands on.

[your daughter]

jeff buckley all the way.

[Wag]

How about Bobby Darin, Jim Croce, Robert Johnson, Gram Parsons, Elvis Presley and Jeff Healey

[alisa]

I still get very sad when i think about the loss of Freddy Mercury.

[Jamiemcd]

Jeff Buckley
Freddy Mercury
Bob Marley
Patsy Cline

I could probably add more, but these folks are all on my ipod heavy playlists.

Jamie

[Monica W.]

Eddie Cochran 21 car accident, a legend in early rock n' roll
same with Gene Vincent 36 alcohol, he may have done it to himself but still sad. yet they both left a mark and made an impact in rock n' roll.

[Kelly]

How ironic that an INXS song came onto my Ipod as I started reading this and thought, "Where's Michael Hutchence on this list?" Glad to see the honorable mention.

Even though he's not dead yet, can we add Michael Jackson... before he went crazy?

[Rose]

Kirsty MacColl. A career of solid songwriting and ingenious covers (plus a ton of backup singing) led up to the freakin' brilliant "Tropical Brainstorm" album. Unfortunately, it was her last.

[Grey]

I don't like rap, but I'm surprised Tupac Shakur isn't on the list.

I miss Marvin Gaye, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Jeff Buckley.
Marvin Gaye's music was to making love as Prince's music was to sex.
Stevie Ray Vaughan had just kicked drugs and drinking and looked more excited about music than ever.
And Jeff Buckley made too many sad songs. At least Bob Marley died after making a ton of "happy" songs.

But what if Michael Jackson had died young? He'd be at the top of the list for sure, right? And now he's a mess. I don't know if Kurt Cobain wouldn't have done the same thing.

[Edmund F]

Shannon Hoon? Anyone, anyone?
How about Layne Staley? Kind of wasn't producing music when he passed.

[Fred G.]

Not at number 1, but I wonder if the Pretenders would still be a great rock band instead of a forgettable pop band, if Pete Fardon (bass) and James Honeyman Scott (guitar) hadn't died after just two albums.

[Lynne_T]

Will probably get a lot of flack here but...

here goes....

John Denver

[Kenny Montana]

No one has mentioned Brian Jones. One of the founders and the person that named the band "The Rolling Stones". He is also part of the 27 club.

[Jerkface]

Elliot Smith

[Irene]

You guys mentioned pretty much everybody, but here's my vote for Jeff Buckley. And Shannon Hoon.

[misty]

Elliott Smith...died at 34.

[John E]

I'll go with two names already mentioned but who I think were significant losses:

Sam Cooke

Jim Croce

I'll add another one that probably nobody here knows: Mark Reynolds, of the synthpop/darkwave band Red Flag. The electronic music community was very saddened to hear of his passing.

[Trish]

Okay, Bessie Smith is going wayyyyyyyy back, but so worth checking her out.

[casey]

Brad aka the man!

[Danny (aka the biker hater)]

Mama Cass Elliot surely shouldn't be forgotten as well as Ronnie Van Zant.

[Janel]

What about Bobby Darin. I think he was or could've been classic

[Peter]

Some great ones are mentioned....but #1 has to be Kurt Cobain.

[Mambo King]

Shanon Hoon...credit to the man who imortalized the 'Bee Girl'.

[goo]

Robert Johnson and Nick Drake come to mind. I would love to have more from those two. Franz Schubert and Mozart died far too young as well.