1962
Leon Chappelear: Age 53
aka Leon Chappel
despondent over a career gone sour. He shot himself in the face
with a shotgun
1967
Steve MacDonald: Age 31
Gorguts
eight years to the day that Meek's idol Buddy Holly perished in an
airplane crash--a crazed Joe took his shotgun and opened fire on
his landlady. After sending her lifeless body spiraling down a
flight of stairs (without last month's rent), he turned the weapon
around and, blasting his own face off, he became the only rock 'n'
roll suicide ever to take a hostage. Prior to his untidy demise,
Meek was a hotly contested suspect in another grisly murder, this
one involving a dismembered youth found in several suitcases left
strewn about the British countryside.
1971
Libby Holman:
carbon monoxide poisoning
Strong, daring, "dark" and impetuous, this feisty Jewish woman led
a rich public life touching a dizzying array of people, from
Montgomery Clift, to Alice B. Toklas, to close friends Jane and
Paul Bowles. From a deep sense of personal commitment to racial
justice, she later made contributions to the civil rights movement
as both an artist and a wealthy benefactor, helping to finance
Martin Luther King Jr.'s visit to India to meet Mahatma Ghandi.
Known as the "Statue of Libby," she carried one of the smokiest
torches of American music-hall society in the twenties and
thirties and was the inventor of the strapless evening dress.
Murder, millionaires, death and suicide were morbid recurrent
themes in Libby Holman's life, reaching tabloid proportions.
Scandal, however, was not only the operative mode of Holman's
personal life; she also produced scandal on the stage, combining
race, sound, and sexuality
1973
Paul Williams: Age 34
The Temptations
shot himself in 1973, after years of depression and drug abuse
1974
Nick Drake: Age 26
was found dead in his bedroom. Although the coroner's verdict was
suicide, relatives and acquaintances feel that his overdose of a
prescribed drug. A questionable suicide note was found on a napkin
in the studio. He overdosed on manic depressant medication.
1974
Pete Ham: Age 27
Badfinger
the next year when Pete Ham same band took his life
1974
Graham Bond: Age 36
Graham Bond Organization
He committed suicide by throwing himself into the path of a London
Underground train in 1974. -- Richie Unterberger, All-Music Guide
1976
Phil Ochs: Age 35
He was attacked during a tour of Africa and an attempted
strangulation permanently impaired his singing voice. Beset by a
chronic songwriting block, Phil sought solace in alcohol... he
later succumbed to schizophrenia
was found hanged at his sister's home
1977
Sonny Criss: Age 50
Sonny Criss was influenced by Charlie Parker but had his own
heavier sound.
due to the pain of cancer, he chose to commit suicide in 1977
1978
Mel Street: Age 45
played clubs and honky tonks, and he recorded his song, Borrowed
Angel, for a small label in 1970. Two years later it was reissued
and became a US country hit
he shot himself on his 45th birthday George Jones sang Amazing
Grace at his funeral
1978
Frank Rosolino:Age 52
One of the top trombonists of the 1950s, Rosolino's fluid and
often-humorous style put him near the top of his field for awhile
life ended (killing himself after shooting his two sons
1979
Donny Hathaway: Age 33
Originally schooled in the gospel tradition, this versatile artist
majored in musical theory before performing in a cocktail jazz
trio
compositions were recorded by such acts as Aretha Franklin and
Jerry Butler, but Hathaway is best remembered for his cool duets
with Roberta Flack. Their complementary voices were honed to
perfection on Where Is The Love (1972) and The Closer I Get To You
(1978), both of which reached the US Top 5.
Hathaway threw himself from the 15th floor of New York's Essex
House hotel
1980
Ian Curtis: Age 23
Joy Division
the eve of Joy Division's proposed visit to America, Ian Curtis
was found hanged
1980
Darby Crash: Age 22
Germs
punk band the Germs was formed in April 1977 and quickly became
one of the most popular and influential in that area of music. The
group disbanded in early 1980 but reformed later that year. A week
after their first reunion concert, however, singer Crash died of
an intentional heroin overdose
1981
Chuck Wagon, Age 24
The Dickies
He shot himself. He was a multi-instrumentalist.
1983
Tom Evans: Age 36
BadFinger
Tom Evans committed suicide [by hanging] at his Surrey home. Like
Pete Ham he had been suffering from depression and financial
worries
1983
Danny Rapp: Age 41
Danny & The Juniors
their song Do The Bop came to the attention of Dick Clark who
suggested it be changed to At The Hop
committed suicide by gunshot
1986
Richard Manuel: Age 42
The Band
hanged himself in a motel room
"Manuel apparently had been threatening suicide for quite some
time. His 'suicide attempts' were viewed by all as cries for help,
nothing more.
1988
Roy Buchanan: Age 48
The son of a preacher, Buchanan discovered gospel music through
the influence of traveling revivalists....
two of his finest (and longest) outings; the pulsating Green
Onions featured shared solos with the song's co-composer Steve
Cropper and the extraordinary Ramon's Blues (again with Cropper).
His trademark was a battered Fender Telecaster guitar. Buchanan
was never comfortable with the role of virtuoso. A shy, reticent
individual, he made several unsuccessful suicide attempts before
hanging himself in a police cell in 1988, following his arrest on
a drunk-driving charge
1990
Del Shannon: Age 55
From the plethora of clean, American, post doo-wop male vocalists
to find enormous success in the early '60s
severely depressed Shannon pointed a .22 calibre rifle to his head
and pulled the trigger
1993
Douglas Hopkins: Age 32
Gin Blossoms
After struggling for years against depression and alcoholism,
chief songwriter Hopkins' behaviour had became so unstable that it
was necessary to eject him from the band. His departure came in
April 1992, soon after recording sessions for the album were
completed
he left a detox unit in Phoenix, Arizona, and shot himself
1994
Kurt Cobain: Age 27
Nirvana
His descent into self-destruction accelerated in 1994 as he went
into a coma during dates in Italy (it was later confirmed that
this had all the markings of a failed suicide attempt), before
returning to Seattle to shoot himself
1994
Tommy Boyce: Age 55
Boyce recorded for RCA Records and had one self-written charting
single, "I'll Remember Carol" b/w "Too Late For Tears" peak at #80
Pop on Billboard's charts in fall 1962.He began writing with Bobby
Hart, with their first success being "Come A Little Bit Closer," a
1964 #3 Pop smash for Jay and the Americans.
1994
Danny Gatton: Age 49
Danny Gatton is Washington D.C.'s musical legend, described in the
Washington Post Magazine as"The Greatest Guitarist You've Never
Heard." Danny is well-known to the likes of Chet Atkins, Les Paul,
and Buddy Emmons. He was once on the cover of Guitar Player
magazine as part of a feature called "Unknown Greats
Danny died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
1995
Phyllis Hyman: Age 45
silky-voiced, jazz-influenced singer, and gradually moved into
slick, heavily produced Urban Contemporary ballads and light dance
numbers
Phyllis was diagnosed as being "bi-polar", a medical term for
someone who suffers from the dis-ease of manic-depression. As she
got older, her dis-ease became more and more difficult for her to
manage. She elected not to use pharmaceutical medication. She
elected to self medicate. Her self medication distorted her dis-ease
more and more, until she felt helpless about ever being able to
recover from it
1995
Philip Taylor Kramer: Age 42
Iron Butterfly
The bassist disappeared without a trace in 1995. Four years later
hikers in LA found his remains in a car at the bottom of a 200
foot ravine. Kramer was also working on guidance systems for the
MX missile for the US government. Prior to his discovery, many
theories abounded regarding his sudden and unexplained
disappearance.
1996
Jim Ellison: Age 31
Material Issue
Long before the Smashing Pumpkins became Chicago's most famous
export, Material Issue was doing its part to put the Windy City on
the musical map
suffocated himself in his garage with carbon monoxide fumes from
his moped
1996
Chris Acland: Age 30
Lush
(b. 7 September 1966, d. October 96)
Tragically, Chris committed suicide at his parents home in Cumbria
in October 1996.
1996
Jason Thirsk: Age 28
Pennywise
former bassist and co-founder of the California punk band
Pennywise
From the start of PENNYWISE Jason wanted to make it a positive
band with positive, uplifting lyrics and more melodic music...From
1988 to 1996 Jason...used his music and writing as a form of
therapy to help him get over his own problems and addictions
gunshot wound/suicide
Faron Young: Age 64
Faron Young had one of the longest-running and most popular
careers in country music history. Emerging in the early '50s,
Young was one of the most popular honky tonkers to appear in the
wake of Hank Williams' death, partially because he was able to
smooth out some of the grittiest elements his music
Young was stricken with a debilitating emphysema. Depressed by his
poor health, he shot himself on December 9, 1996 and passed away
the next day.
1997
Nick Traina: Age 19
Link 80, Knowledge
He was the subject of his mother Danielle Steel's book, His Bright
Light. "When Nick Traina died, he was 19 years old, just starting
up a new band, and dealing with the ills of manic depression
succumbed to a heroin addiction, and died of suicide
1997
Michael Hutchence: Age 37
INXS
INXS had been rehearsing for their 20th anniversary tour. All
those close to the singer report that he had been in high spirits
in the days prior to his suicide
hanged himself in Ritz-Carlton Hotel room with his leather belt.
1998
Oupa Mafokate "Makhendlas": Age 27
shot himself in the head. Mafokate -- known as Makhendlas -- was a
rising star of kwaito -- a rap-derived music seen as a symbol of
black empowerment.
1998
Brian O'Hara: Age 58
Fourmost
1998
Larry Troutman, 54
Zapp
Most recently, Roger Troutman was used by 2Pac and Dr. Dre for
their 1996 award-winning collaboration "California Love."
murderd his brother then hisself
1998
Carlos Vega: Age 41
James Taylor
Vega had recorded and/or performed with Freddy Hubbard, Boz Scaggs,
Lee Ritenour, Vince Gill, Reba McIntire, Olivia Newton-John
(including the "Grease" soundtrack), Larry Carlton, Linda Ronstadt,
Joni Mitchell, and Randy Newman
self-inflicted gunshot wound on the eve of a scheduled April 8
appearance with James Taylor on "The Oprah Winfrey Show,"
1998
Rozz Williams: 34
Christian Death
Shadow Project
hanged himself
1998
Wendy O. Williams: Age 48
Plasmatics
theatrical hardcore band which incorporated such violent acts as
blowing up Cadillacs and chain sawing guitars in half into its
performances.
shot herself in the woods by her home
1999
Kevin Wilkinson: Age 41
Squeeze / Waterboys
Squeeze and Waterboys drummer
hanged self at his home
1999
E. William Tucker: Age 38
Ministry, Pigface,
Initial reports indicate that he had taken pills and afterwards
slit his own throat. His body was discovered by his roommate,
along with a 10-page suicide note
1999
Screaming Lord Sutch: Age 58
(b. David Edward Sutch
Worked with Keith Moon, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Ritchie Blackmore,
Charlie Watts & Nicky Hopkins - Holds the record for running for
public office in the UK (Lost all 40 elections) - Founder of The
Monster Raving Loony Party
Hanged himself
2000
Andre Dede Fortin: Age 38
Les Colocs
known as Dede to his friends and fans, was a songwriter and the
lead singer of the group Les Colocs
Quebec singer Andre Dede Fortin died from a self-inflicted wound
2001
Susannah McCorkle: Age 55
sultry voiced pop-jazz singer who brought a rare literary
refinement to popular standards
She had left a suicide note, jumped to her death
2001
J.J. Johnson: Age 77
Considered as much a revelation on slide trombone as Charlie
Parker was on the saxophone, Johnson also was a top arranger and
composer
2001
Herman Brood: Age 55
a well known artist and a top musician on the Dutch rock scene for
30 years, jumped to his death from the roof of an Amsterdam hotel
2002
Johannes Kerkorrel: Age 42
Born: Ralph John Rabie
South African music icon Johannes Kerkorrel is dead. He hanged
himself
"I hope you can forgive me, Mom, I really do not have the strength
to carry on. I pray that the Lord will forgive me and that you
will be able to understand and accept as time goes by." This was
the last wish of Ralph Rabie, better known as Johannes Kerkorrel,
expressed in a letter written to his mother before he committed
suicide in a forested area... He told her there was no other way.
To his partner Demetrios Demetriou he wrote: "I do not have any
other option. I am in such a deep state of depression that I see
no future for myself."
2002
Jon Lee: Age 33
Feeder
hanged himself in his Miami home
2003
Elliott Smith: Age 34
singer-songwriter whose dark, introspective songs won him critical
acclaim and an Academy Award nomination
single stab wound to the chest ..... self-inflicted
2003
Gary Stewart: Age 58
One of country music's greatest honky-tonk singers ..
Ramblin' Man," the song by his idols the Allman Brothers
self-inflicted gunshot wound.
2004
Jason Raize, Age 28
Broadway singer
played the older Simba in the original
Broadway company of "The Lion King," death caused by suicide.
2004
James Lawrence, Age 26
Hope of the States
Musician found hanged at studio
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