Six of the Greatest and Deadliest Bands in Rock and Roll

These six bands have produced some of the biggest rock and roll hit songs ever recorded and will continue to live in the hearts of their fans for all time. Their fame, however, did not come easy or protect them from the pitfalls of stardom and the heartaches of life. They are among my all time favorite bands and I will always be one of their eternal fans.

The Byrds

The Byrds embodied the essence of the 1960’s and brought a spiritual and emotional depth to their music.  They were continually plagued with turmoil between the band members that eventually led to their break up. Five members have died.

• Gram Parson died of a drug overdose after taking a combination of morphine and heroin in 1973.
• Clarence White was killed by a drunk driver in 1975 while he and his brother were loading instruments into a car after a performance with the band called The Colonels.
• Gene Clark died of a heart attack at the age of 47.
• Michael Clarke died at the age of 47 from liver disease in 1995.
• John Guerin died of a heart attack in 2004.

The Temptations

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The Temptations formed in 1960 in Detroit, Michigan and achieved fame as the most successful Motown band in history.  Their polished choreography and precision when performing was their trademark. Of the original five man line up, four have died.

• Paul Williams was found dead on the ground next to his car in a parking lot from a self inflicted gunshot to the head.
• David Ruffin died of an accidental drug overdose in Philadelphia in 1992.
• Eddie Kendricks died of lung cancer in 1992.
• Melvin Franklin died in 1995 after suffering from a series of seizures.

The Grateful Dead

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The Grateful Dead was one of the most talented bands in the 1970’s and 1980’s whose distinctive style will always do more that just “get by.”  They even had a cult following called the Dead Heads.  These fans loved them so much that they would follow them around from city to city, camping out and grooving to the sound. 

I have to say that the Grateful Dead will always be one of my all time favorite bands.  In fact, I have to confess that I cried the day that Jerry Garcia died.  Four members of the Grateful Dead have died.

• Leader Jerry Garcia died of a heart attack in 1995.
• Ron “Pigpen” McKernan died of liver disease in 1973.
• Kieth Godchaux died in a car accident in 1980.
• Brent Mydland died of a drug overdose in 1990.

The New York Dolls

The New York Dolls were known for their over the edge style that is reminiscent of the Rolling Stones in their sound and performances.

Their gritty and exuberant style will always endure. Four members of the New York Dolls have died.

• Bill Murcia died of a drug overdose in 1972.
• Johnny Thunders died of a drug overdose in 1991.
• Jerry Nolan died of a stroke in 1992.
• Arthur Kane died of leukemia in 2004.

T Rex

This is another band that embodies the spirit of the flower child generation, capturing that mother earth kind of style that appealed to freed spirits. 

T Rex sends me back to the good old days with a funky down home sound that embodies the hippie collective soul. Every time I hear their music, it transports my heart back to my younger days. Four members of T Rex are dead.

• Marc Bolan died in a car crash in 1977.
• Steve Currie died in a car crash in 1981.
• Steve Peregrine Took choked to death on a cocktail cherry in 1990.
• Mickey Finn died of natural causes in 2003.

Lynard Skynard

Lynard Skynard has got to be THE all time best southern rock band, hands down.  This fantastic band will always be alive in my heart.   Four members of Lynard Skynard have died.

• Ronnie Van Zant and Steve Gaines died in an airplane crash in 1977 while on their way to a concert appearance.
• Allen Collins died of respiratory failure in 1990.
• Leon Wilkeson died of liver failure in 2001.

Other articles by Bren Parks include:

• Making Movies: Stars Who Died Undone
• Rock and Roll Suicides
• Artistic Eccentrics
• Strange Acts of Entertainment
• Strange Stories: Making Hollywood Movies
• The Playboy Centerfold Curse
• Making Movies: Stars Who Collide
• Making Movies: Beyond the Call of Duty