Top Ten Rock and Rollers to Die Before 30

10. Sid Vicious

Date of Birth: 05/10/1957

Date of Death: 02/02/1979 Age at Death: 21

Bass player for the punk band The Sex Pistols.

The Sex Pistols were a very influential punk band from the UK. They only made one album but it put them on the map. In 1978 Sid and his girlfriend were found in a New York hotel room on the bathroom floor. The woman was dead from a single stab wound. Vicious claimed he had no memory of what happened because of the drugs he had taken. He was charged with murder and later released on bail. 10 days later he attempted suicide. After leaving the hospital he was arrested for assaulting a man and spent 55 days in Rikers Island Jail in New York. Shortly after being released he died of a Heroin overdose.

9. Janis Joplin

Date of Birth: 01/19/1943

Date of Death: 10/04/1970

Age at Death: 27

Influential female rock and roll singer.

She has inspired many female artists in the generations to come. She sang hits such as “Piece of My Heart”, and “Me and Bobby McGee.” She performed at many famous concerts including The Woodstock Music festival. Recently Rolling Stone has rated her the 28th best singer of all time. Her early death was the result of a heroin overdose.

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8. Ronnie van Zant

Date of Birth: 01/15/1948

Date of Death: 10/20/1977

Age at Death: 29

Lead singer for the band Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Lynyrd Skynyrd was a very influential and popular southern rock band. They produced hits such as “Free Bird” and “Sweet Home Alabama”, “Free Bird” is considered by some one of the greatest rock and roll songs of all time. Van Zant is the older brother of the current lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd. He died in a plane crash that took the lives of several other band members and seriously injured the rest. In 2000 his grave was vandalized and his coffin removed.

7. Gram Parsons

Date of Birth: 11/05/1946

Date of Death: 09/19/1973

Age at Death: 26

American singer and songwriter.

Member of the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers. Known for pioneering the blend of country music and rock and roll. Influential and inspiration to many artists to come. His song writing has been compared to Bob Dylan and many other famous song writers. He also had a very successful solo career. He was good friends with Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones. The Rolling Stones song “Wild Horses” is a cover of a song Parsons wrote. He died of a lethal combination of morphine and alcohol. His body was later stolen from the Los Angeles International Airport where his body was scheduled to fly to New Orleans for his burial. He always told his friends he wanted to be cremated and two of his friends stole his body and drove it out to the desert. They poured 5 gallons of gasoline on his open coffin and set it on fire causing a giant fire ball. 60% of Parsons body was burned leaving only 35 pounds of his remains to be buried.

6. Brian Jones

Date of Birth: 02/28/1942

Date of Death: 07/03/1969

Age at Death: 27

Founding member of the Rolling Stones.He played a unique array of instruments which later inspired the Beach Boys and the Beatles during their Indian style phase. He was good friends with Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and many others current in the music scene. He was the writer and played most of the guitar for all the Rolling Stones songs up until 1968. He was responsible for finding Mick Jagger to sing for the band. Before his death he was asked to leave the band because of drug problems and poor health made it difficult for him to play. He was found dead in his swimming pool. His cause of death was due to drowning and his liver and heart were seriously damaged from alcohol and drug abuse. There are conspiracy theories that he was murdered because many items from his home were stolen and witnesses came forward but were unreliable. The man who is said to have murdered him as been accused of making a death bed confession to the crime. Nothing has ever been proved. Bob Dylan paid for an elaborate coffin for Jones.

5. Duane Allman

Date of Birth: 11/20/1946

Date of Death: 10/29/1971

Age at Death: 24

Member of the Allman Brothers Band and Derek and the Dominoes.

Considered one of the greatest guitar players of all time. His younger brother and co-founder of the Allman Brothers is still the lead singer of the band. He had a habit of dropping in on recording sessions for many different artists and playing whatever was being recorded that day. He never received credits for his work so it is un-known how many songs he can be heard on. His work with the Allman Brothers is most famous and by some is considered the best American rock and roll band of all time. They are known for their famous concert at the Fillmore East in New York which is regarded as one of the top live albums of all time. He died in a motor cycle accident in Macon, Georgia. 13 months later Berry Oakley the bassist for the Allman brothers would die in a similar motorcycle crash 3 blocks away from wear Duane died.

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4. Buddy Holly

Date of Birth:09/07/1936

Date of Death: 02/03/1959

Age at Death: 22

American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll.

Regarded as the single most influential creative force in early rock and roll. Directly influenced many later artists such as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Helped break racial barriers in music by being accepted by African Americans after playing the Apollo Theater in New York. Members of his band included the Bib Bopper and Ritchie Valens. These 3 are attributed to starting Rock and Roll. Country Super Star Waylon Jennings was a backup member of the band. Holly Died in plane crash along with Bopper and Valens on their way to a show. Jennings was scheduled to be on the plane but gave up his seat at the last minute.

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3. Kurt Cobain

Date of Birth: 02/20/1967

Date of Death: 04/05/1994

Age at Death: 27

Lead singer and guitarist for the influential grunge band Nirvana.

Influenced an entire generation of music in the 1990s that still continues on today. He gave a sense of rebellion and fueled the fire alternative rock needed. Alternative rock was the biggest genre of music in the mid 90s. The popularity is attributed directly to Nirvana who inspired many other grunge bands. He died of a self inflicted gunshot wound. His suicide was due to growing media pressure and drug addiction. 

2. Jim Morrison

Date of Birth: 12/08/1943

Date of Death: 07/03/1971

Age at Death: 27

Lead singer of the Doors.

Well known for his poetry and his on stage performances. The doors are one of the most popular American bands of all time. He was also famous for his self destructive lifestyle. His vocals are one of a kind and he is well respected as one of the greatest lead singers ever. He died in a bathtub of his Paris hotel room. His death was due to heart failure from excessive drug and alcohol abuse.

1. Jimi Hendrix

Date of Birth: 11/27/1942

Date of Death: 09/18/1970

Age at Death: 27

American born guitar master.

Self taught guitar player who grew famous for amazing solos and his work with the Jimi Hendrix Experience. His band produced such hits as “Purple haze.” He was a good friend of Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and many more in the music scene. Considered by many critics as the greatest guitar player of all time. His was famous for his skills as wells as his fashion and drug use. He played at Woodstock were he recorded his famous version of the National Anthem. He died in London from downing in his own vomit. His death is linked to a drug overdose.

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