From Wikipedi

Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 - December 6, 1988), nicknamed "The Big O", was an influential American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll, whose recording career spanned more than four decades. By the mid-1960s Orbison was internationally recognized for his ballads of lost love, rhythmically advanced melodies, three-octave vocal range, characteristic dark sunglasses, and sometimes distinctive usage of falsetto, typified in songs such as "Only The Lonely", "Oh, Pretty Woman", and "Crying". In 1989, he was inducted posthumously into the National Academy of Popular Music/Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Two common misconceptions about his appearance stubbornly continue to surface about Orbison: one, that he was an albino, and two, that he wore his trademark dark glasses because he was blind or nearly so. Neither is correct, although his poor vision required him to wear thick corrective lenses (He suffered from childhood from a combination of hyperopia, severe astigmatism, presbyopia, anisometropia, and strabismus). Orbison's trademark sunglasses were a fashion statement arising from an accident early in his career. Due to go onstage in a few minutes, Orbison left his regular glasses in an airplane. Unable to see without corrective lenses, the only other pair of glasses he had available were darkly tinted prescription sunglasses. "I had to see to get onstage," so he wore the glasses throughout his tour with the Beatles, and he carried on with it for the rest of his professional career. "I'll just do this and look cool."

Maybe obscure to most, but he was an amazing guitar player.

Lenny Breau

Karen Carpenter was a drummer, which makes her more of a musician than several on the list, although I think it's interesting that people question Belushi but not other singers.

I'll add Tommy Dorsey, if only to fill out the "Musicians who Choked on their own Puke" list.

Others worthy of mention:

Keith Relf
Blind Lemon Jefferson
Felix Pappalardi
James Honeyman-Scott and Pete Farndon of The Pretenders

I am amazed that nobody has yet mentioned Danny Gatton.

I don't agree with Proof, but I can see 2Pac and Biggie. I think maybe we should call this list, "54 Musicians who's death was Premature"

In any event, as a music lover, almost all of the names you all have mentioned strike a chord of some type with me. It's just really a shame, with everything we loved about them all.

Joe Strummer -- after stinkin' it up with CTC and skipping most of the 90's, put out 3 really fine records as Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros (one posthumous).

Bob Stinson.

the musicians listed get older I would presume as the author of said article got older.

/get with the times grandpa :)

Chicken George....RIP funny man

E-Brake

Amen to Bill Hicks... way too soon

awfulperson

Jeff and Elliott - the two I was gonna mention - WTF!?
Also Shannon Hoon and the guy from Sublime... and Nick Drake.

/Used to worship Elliott Smith's music, now I hate him for what he did - farking pussy!

E-Brake:

Bill Hicks WAS a musician, my friend! RE: Marblehead Johnson and Stress; see Arizona Bay thats all Hicks on guitar, he wanted to be a rock star more than a comedian. Lets all give thanks that he picked comedy!

This list sucks. I would consider 'died too young' to be at a max of 40 years old. Maybe 35? That and no Layne.

PacManDreaming: Johnny Horton-1960
Age: 35

noone cares but im gunna tell ya what happen to Johnny cus its crazy

he was always paranoid hed be killed by a drunk driver. so given my half awake brain at the moment i believe he was driving across a bridge when a big truck was coming at him..(can you guess what the driver was..if you said drunk..you win) anyhow the truck his Johnnys car headon the rod from the sun visor pierced his skull and he died

/big fan of country music history
//wanna know about Hank Williams or George Jones?

How about:

Chuck Schuldiner (metal band Death)- age 35
Y'know only since he's one of the most influencial guitarists in metal.

Oh wait, we're talking POPULAR music. It'd be nice for one of these 'music lists' to be made by someone who knows about underground music.


Everyone over 50 shouldn't be on this list.

Bill Hicks was a musician, just not a professional one.

RANDY RHODES

HARRY CHAPIN

James "Buddy" Richman
Age: 16

How is John Belushi any less of a singer than anyone else? Just because he was more famous for acting? Either you got soul or you don't, and he did.

Ingram Cecil Connor III, aka Gram "Graham" Parsons
Age: 26

Gene Vincent
Age: 36
Eddie Cochran
Age: 21
Dennis Wilson
Age: 39
Johnny Thunders
Age: 38

/I got more
//popping the slashy cherry

Mercury
Croce
Hoon

No one over 60 should have been on the list. Especially not Buck Owens at 74. They did not die young. Too many to mention were omitted.

Buddy Bolden.

List sucks. Why all the no name worthles asses and no Bradley Nowell?

Mark Sandman (1952-1999) - Morphine
I would have loved to see what Morphine could have done in the '00's.

\on 9/9/99, ill be sittin on the back porch drinkin red wine
\\oh, french fries with pepper
\\\didn't make it (sad)

1. Belushi was part of a road show that showcased musicians. Big kudos to him and Akroyd for making it happen, but musician he wasn't, and he sorta screwed any musical credibility he had by insulting Joe Cocker on SNL.

2. Rick James, Michael Hutchence, et. al. Was a musician once. Died. People only cared because of Chapelle and some damn reality show.

3. Cobain was an over-rated whiny big girl's blouse. Grohl was the talented one in that band. Flame on.

4. Dead rappers are sad, as well as more quiet and therefore less offensive. The fact they continue to release albums of b-sides and outtakes ten years after they die and somebody buys them is sadder.

5. No Bonn Scott? No Harry Chapin? No Lowell George? No Randy Rhodes? Mmmmkay. Whatever.

WHAT??!??!!?

No Flebjiptv Krimstredgisdf???

OUTRAGE!

Jeff Mangum?

/i know, i know