Forever Young: Musicians Who Died in Their Late Twenties

Jimi Hendrix (November 27, 1942 – September 18, 1970)

Jimi Hendrix was an American guitarist, whose experimental style and use of special effects such as feedback and distortion revolutionized the use of the instrument in rock music and helped to inspire heavy metal music. A flamboyant showman, he would play the guitar with his teeth as part of his stage act. At age 27, during the height of his fame, he literally drowned in his own vomit after overdosing himself with drugs or sleeping pills.

Keith Green (October 21, 1953 – July 28, 1982)

Inspired by his strong devotion to Christ, singer-songwriter Keith Green wrote numerous contemporary gospel songs, most notable of which included “Your Love Broke Through,” “Create In Me A Clean Heart” and the popular modern hymn “There Is A Redeemer.” He died at age 28 when a small airplane leased by Last Days Ministries, which he founded, crashed on takeoff.

Kurt Cobain (February 20, 1967 – April 5, 1994)

Kurt Cobain was this lead singer-songwriter-guitarist of the Seattle grunge band Nirvana, whose hits include “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and the controversial “Rape Me.” In the last few years of his life, he battled with drug addiction and intense media attention that hounded him and his wife Courtney Love. He was found dead in his Lake Washington home in Seattle from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was 27.

Viktor Tsoi (June 21, 1962 – August 15, 1990)

[A rare concert video of Kino with lead singer Tsoi performing their breakthrough hit "Gruppa Krovi" ("Blood Type")]

Widely regarded as one of the pioneers of Russian rock, half Korean-half Russian Viktor Tsoi was the leader of Kino, a rock group that had created more impact than any other bands in the history of Russian rock music. Tsoi tragically died at 28 when his car collided with a bus just outside the capital city of Latvia, allegedly having fallen asleep while driving.

Janis Joplin (January 19, 1943 - October 4, 1970)

An American rock/soul lead singer of Big Brother and the Holding Company, Janis Joplin was known for her rebellious spirit and expressive searing voice on records as “Ball and Chain” and “Piece of My Heart” (both 1968). The single “Me and Bobby McGee” reached number one in America after she died of heroin overdose at only 27 years of age.

Ronnie Van Zant (January 15, 1948 – October 20, 1977)

Ronald Wayne “Ronnie” Van Zant was lead vocalist-lyricist of the Lynyrd Skynyrd, a rock band he formed with his friends and high schoolmates from Lee High School in Jacksonville, Florida in the summer of 1964. His signature songs are “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Free Bird.” While traveling between shows from South Carolina and Louisiana, the 29-year-old Van Zant perished along with his fellow band members Steve Gaines and Cassie Gaines and road manager Dean Kilpatrick when their private jet ran out of fuel and crash-landed in a wooded area outside Gillsburg, Mississippi. 

Luigi Tenco (March 21, 1938 – January 27, 1967)

Regarded as one of the most tragic figures in Italian pop music history, Luigi Tenco was an emerging international singer-songwriter, who became even more popular for being the lover and protégé of the Italian-French singer Dalida. Tenco was only 29 when he committed suicide by shooting himself in the head just a few days after the announcement of his and Dalida’s wedding plans.

Jim Morrison (December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971)

Best known as the charismatic lead vocalist and lyricist of the popular American rock band “The Doors,” Jim Morrison was also a published author of several poetry books, and director of a documentary, short film and an early music video (”The Unknown Soldier”). Though official report listed heart failure as the cause of his death at 27 in Paris, many speculated that it was due to drug overdose.

Forever Young Series:

• MUSICIANS Who Died in Their:

  • Early Twenties
  • Mid-Twenties
  • Late Twenties

• ACTORS Who Died in Their:

  • Early Twenties
  • Mid-twenties
  • Late Twenties

• SPORTS PERSONALITIES Who Died in Their:
  • Early Twenties
  • Mid-Twenties
  • Late Twenties

• HISTORICAL PEOPLE Who Died in Their:

  • Early Twenties
  • Mid-Twenties
  • Late Twenties

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• 10 Bizarre Deaths in History
• 10 (more) Bizarre Deaths in History
• 10 (ultimate) Bizarre Deaths in History
• Unusual Wills and Testaments