Skip to Content

John Lennon’s Glasses > First Sol Brigade

THE FIRST SOL BRIGADE

The novel, John Lennon’s Glasses, is populated with many beloved figures from rock ‘n’ roll history. In addition to the familiar historical figures who serve as main characters, there is a group of 100 comprised of protagonist Jimmy Drake’s musical heroes who he meets at the center of the sun. They are known as the First Sol Brigade.

An introduction to the First Sol Brigade as told to main character, Jimmy Drake by Richie Havens and George Harrison

Havens explained the Black Chord’s nefarious intentions to Jimmy Drake. “The Black Chord has ripped through the fabric of space-time near Proxima Centauri, devouring music and stealing light as it spreads. All dead musicians still residing in Near and Nearer Heaven are gathering at the center of the sun for one last concert.

Like I said, the First Sol Brigade—the group you just played for without knowing it—consists of the remaining musicians who influenced you and with whom you are karmically connected.”

Jimmy raised both eyebrows and opened his mouth, but Harrison cut him off and continued. “Yes, yes. You are part of all this too. They will be the lead battalion for the big push against the Black Chord. Other battalions of dead musicians—famous and not—are also forming, as are multitudes of musician regiments from other stars. But the First Sol Brigade will be the point of the spear. You’ll meet them all at the center of the sun.”

Note that the chart below is searchable and sortable

NameBirth-Death YearCause of DeathBand NameHitsNotes
Bill Graham1931–1991Helicopter crashConcert producerNoneGraham’s helicopter burst into flames, crashing into a high voltage tower in severe weather near Vallejo, CA, off Highway 37 after a Huey Lewis concert at the Concord Pavilion to benefit the Oakland Hills fire victims. The helicopter hung in the tower for over a month. Three hundred thousand people attended his memorial in Golden Gate Park.
Bob Marley1945–1981MelanomaBob Marley and the Wailers“Get Up, Stand Up,” “Redemption Song,” “One Love”Marley refused to have his toe amputated to treat a melanoma under his toenail and instead only had the nail bed removed. He collapsed jogging in New York’s Central Park in 1980 and was taken to a hospital, where it was found the cancer had spread to his brain, liver, and lungs.
Buck Owens1929–2006Heart attackBuck Owens and the Buckeroos“Tiger by the Tail,” “Act Naturally”Owens died in his sleep only hours after his last performance at his club the Crystal Palace in Bakersfield, CA.
Buddy Holly1936–1959Plane crashBuddy Holly and the Crickets“Peggy Sue,” “That’ll Be the Day”After touring in unheated tour buses that gave them frostbite, Holly rented a small plane, which crashed into a frozen cornfield in Iowa in 1959. He was twenty-two years old.
Chuck Berry1926–2017Cardiac arrestSolo artist“Johnny B. Goode,” “Maybellene”Berry was buried with his cherry-red guitar bolted to the inside lid. “Johnny B. Goode” was included on the Voyager Golden Records that are aboard the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecrafts and predicted to outlast planet Earth.
Dan Fogelberg1951–2007Prostate cancerSolo artist“Leader of the Band,” “Illinois”Fogelberg died peacefully at his home in Maine three years after being diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. His ashes were spread in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Maine.
Dan Hicks1941–2016Liver cancerDan Hicks and His Hot Licks“I Scare Myself,” “How Can I Miss You When You Won’t Go Away”Hicks died at his home in Mill Valley, CA, at the age of seventy-four. “I will always be humble to my dying day,” said Hicks in an interview. “On my dying day, I will explain to the world how lucky they have been to be alive the same time as me.”
David Bowie1947–2016Liver cancerSolo artist“Fame,” “Space Oddity,” “Heroes”Not wanting a funeral, David Robert Jones, a.k.a. David Bowie, was cremated, and his ashes were spread in Bali, Indonesia. He kept his illness secret and released his final album, Blackstar, including the song “Lazarus,” shortly before his death. Scientists theorize there is a large planet orbiting past Pluto, and many want it named Planet Bowie.
Denny Doherty1940–2007Complications following abdominal aortic aneurysmThe Mamas & the Papas“California Dreamin’”Doherty died at his home in Mississauga, Ontario. The cause was not immediately known, but he had suffered from kidney failure following surgery for an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Dr. John1941–2019Heart attackThe Night Tripper“Right Place, Wrong Time,” “Such a Night”Malcolm John Rebennack Jr., a.k.a. Dr. John, died at sunrise. He won six Grammys and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2011.
Duane Allman1946–1971Motorcycle crashThe Allman Brothers Band“Ramblin’ Man,” “Midnight Rider”Allman hit a flatbed truck in an intersection near Macon, Georgia, on his Harley Davidson Sportster. In 2003, he was ranked number 2 in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the one hundred greatest guitarists of all time, second only to Jimi Hendrix. Brothers Duane and Gregg are buried within feet of one another.
Dusty Springfield1939–1999Breast cancerSolo artist“Wishin’ and Hopin’,” “I Only Want to Be with You”Mary Isobel Bernadette O’Brien, a.k.a. Dusty Springfield, was inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. At her memorial, Elton John called her the greatest white singer there has ever been.
Eddie Money1949–2019Esophageal cancerSolo artist“Two Tickets to Paradise,” “Baby Hold On to Me”Money died of complications from esophageal cancer at Keck Hospital of USC in Los Angeles. A year later, his family filed a lawsuit alleging wrongful death against the hospital, with an additional allegation of medical malpractice.
Eric Woolfson1945–2009Kidney cancerThe Alan Parsons Project“Eye in the Sky,” “Time,” “Prime Time”Woolfson was a partner of Alan Parsons. He cowrote and sang on some of their most popular songs. They sold fifty million albums worldwide.
Erik Brann1950–2003Cardiac arrestIron Butterfly“In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida,” “Unconscious Power”Brann joined Iron Butterfly as a violinist at the age of seventeen. Swapping the violin for electric guitar, he learned to play on the road and was the first to use a bow on electric guitar, creating much of the band’s psychedelic sounds. He died at age fifty-three from cardiac arrest related to a birth defect that he had struggled with for years.
Fats Domino1928–2017Natural causesFats Domino Band“Blueberry Hill,” “Ain’t That a Shame”Antoine Domino, Jr., a.k.a. Fats Domino, had the first million selling rock ’n’ roll record, The Fat Man. His masters were destroyed in the 2008 Universal Studios fire.
Frank Sinatra1915–1998Heart attackSolo artist“New York, New York,” “My Way”Sinatra was buried in a blue business suit with mementos from family members including cherry-flavored Life Savers, Tootsie Rolls, a bottle of Jack Daniels, a pack of Camel cigarettes, a Zippo lighter, stuffed toys, a dog biscuit, and a roll of dimes that he always carried.
Frank Zappa1940–1993Prostate cancerMothers of Invention“G-Spot Tornado,” “Bowtie Daddy,” “Montana”Zappa’s cancer had been developing unnoticed for years and was considered inoperable once diagnosed. During one horrendous week in 1971, a fire at a venue in Switzerland destroyed all the band’s gear; days later, in England, a jealous boyfriend pushed Zappa off the stage, where he suffered major injuries. He is buried in an unmarked grave in Los Angeles.
Freddie Mercury1946–1991AidsQueen“Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Are the Champions”Farrokh Bulsara, a.k.a. Freddie Mercury, died twenty-four hours after issuing a statement that he had AIDS. His good friend Dave Clark of The Dave Clark Five was at his side.
Gene Pitney1940–2006Heart attackSolo artist“Liberty Valence,” “Town without Pity,” “It Hurts to Be in Love”Pitney was touring the UK in the spring of 2006 when his manager found him dead in his hotel room following a concert in Cardiff, Wales, on April 5.
George Harrison1943–2001Multiple cancers exacerbated by a knife attackThe Beatles“My Sweet Lord,” “Something,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”Harrison struggled with cancer but was on the mend when he and his wife were attacked by an assailant in their home and Harrison was stabbed several times. Eric Idle described him as one of the few morally good people that rock ’n’ roll has produced. Passing away at Paul McCartney’s American home, his final words were: “Everything else can wait, but the search for God cannot wait, and love one another.”
George Martin1926–2016Not disclosedThe Beatles ProducerConsidered by some to be the “Fifth Beatle”Martin died peacefully in his sleep on March 8, 2016, in Wiltshire, England. Ringo Starr announced Martin’s death on his Twitter feed. Paul McCartney considered him a “second father.”
Gerry Rafferty1947–2011Liver failureStealer’s Wheel“Baker Street,” “Right Down the Line,” “Stuck in the Middle with You”Rafferty struggled with depression and alcoholism his whole life. He disdained the music business and the celebrity machine. His masters were destroyed along with hundreds of others in the 2008 Universal Studios fire.
Gil Scott-Heron1949–2011Undisclosed illness following a trip to EuropeSoul and jazz poet“The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” “Whitey on the Moon”A music pioneer and poet, Scott-Heron, the “Godfather of Rap,” was HIV positive and battled severe drug and alcohol addiction for years.
Glen Campbell1936–2017Alzheimer’s diseaseThe Wrecking Crew“Wichita Lineman,” “Gentle on My Mind”As his Alzheimer’s progressed, Campbell embarked on a final national tour with his kids and made a documentary. He used a teleprompter to remember lyrics, but his playing and singing were flawless.
Glenn Frey1948–2016Rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerated colitis, pneumoniaThe Eagles“Desperado,” “Hotel California”Frey was prescribed drugs to keep his arthritis and colitis in check. These drugs lowered his immune system, and then he contracted pneumonia. His wife filed suit against the doctor and the hospital.
Greg Lake1947–2016Pancreatic cancerEmerson, Lake & Palmer; King Crimson“The Court of the Crimson King,” “From the Beginning”Lake, one of the early innovators of progressive rock, died at age sixty-nine after what his manager called a “long and stubborn” battle with cancer.
Harry Chapin1942–1981Car accidentHarry Chapin Band“Cats in the Cradle,” “Taxi”Chapin was hit from behind by a grocery semitruck. His widow received a twelve-million-dollar settlement from the company.
Harry Nilsson1941–1994Heart failureSolo artist“Jump into the Fire,” “Everybody’s Talkin’”Four years prior to his death, Nilsson’s financial advisor embezzled all the money he’d earned as a recording artist, leaving him with three hundred dollars. Born with congenital heart problems, Nilsson suffered a heart attack on February 14, 1993, and began recording a final album titled Papa’s Got a Brown New Robe that the producer shelved after Nilsson’s death on January 15, 1994. In 2019, this album was finally released as Losst and Founnd.
Isaac Hayes1942–2008StrokeSolo artistTheme from the movie ShaftHayes won an Oscar, several Grammys and a Golden Globe award for the theme from the movie Shaft. The Tennessee General Assembly named a section of Interstate 40 as the Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway in 2010.
James Brown1933–2006Congestive heart failureThe Famous Flames“Papa’s Got a Brand-New Band,” “I Feel Good”Brown, the “Godfather of Soul,” died on Christmas day supposedly from congestive heart failure due to complications from pneumonia. However, many in his circles contend he was murdered. A significant display of Brown’s memorabilia can be viewed at the Augusta History Museum in Augusta, GA.
Janis Joplin1943–1970Accidental drug overdoseBig Brother and the Holding Company“Little Piece of My Heart,” “Ball and Chain”Joplin died of a heroin overdose possibly compounded by alcohol sixteen days after Jimi Hendrix. Her ashes were scattered from a plane over the Pacific Ocean.
Jerry Garcia1942–1995Heart attackGrateful Dead“Casey Jones,” “Morning Dew”Garcia’s health was in decline following long-standing struggles with drug addiction, weight problems, sleep apnea, heavy smoking, and diabetes. He died in his room at the rehabilitation clinic he’d checked himself into. Half of Garcia’s ashes were spread on the Ganges River in Rishikesh, India, and the other half in the San Francisco Bay.
Jerry Lieber1933–2011Cardiopulmonary failureSongwriter“Hound Dog,” “Jailhouse Rock,” “Yakety Yak,” “Stand by Me,” “Kansas City,” “On Broadway”Leiber and Mike Stoller wrote over seventy chart hits for many artists including twenty songs for Elvis Presley. Both were entered into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1985.
Jesse Winchester1944–2014Bladder cancerSolo artist“Yankee Lady,” “Say What”A tribute to Winchester titled Quiet About It was recorded in 2012 by many artists including James Taylor, Rosanne Cash, Jimmy Buffet, Lyle Lovett, and others.
Jim Croce1943–1973Plane crashJim Croce Band“Time in a Bottle,” “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown”The plane crash that claimed the life of Jim Croce and five others was deemed solely due to pilot error. Shortly before his death, Croce had written his wife saying he was going to quit music and stick to writing short stories and movie scripts and retire from public life.
Jim Morrison1943–1971Heart failureThe Doors“Light My Fire,” “Touch Me”Morrison died in his bathtub in Paris at the age of twenty-seven. He’s a member of the “27 Club,” joining Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Brian Jones, and Kurt Cobain, all of whom died at age twenty-seven. The official cause of death was heart failure, though there was no autopsy and questions remain unanswered.
Jimi Hendrix1942–1970Barbiturate overdoseThe Jimi Hendrix Experience“Purple Haze,” “Foxy Lady,” “Fire”Fatigued, in poor health, and disillusioned about the music business, Hendrix aspirated on his vomit and died of asphyxia after having taken nine sleeping pills, eighteen times the recommended dose. His death was ruled accidental.
Joe Cocker1944–2014Lung cancerJoe Cocker Band“With a Little Help from My Friends,” “You Are So Beautiful”Cocker smoked two packs of cigarettes a day until he quit in 1991. He is buried in the town cemetery in Crawford, CO.
John Denver1943–1997Plane crashSolo artist“Rocky Mountain High,” “Take Me Home, Country Roads”Denver, an accomplished pilot, died on impact when his experimental Rutan Long-EZ plane crashed into Monterey Bay near Pacific Grove, CA.
John Entwistle1944–2002Heart attackThe Who“Tommy,” “Behind Blue Eyes”Entwistle died in Room 658 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Paradise, Nevada, one day before the first show of their 2002 tour. The coroner concluded that the moderate amount of cocaine in his system combined with an undiagnosed heart condition brought on the fatal heart attack.
John Hartford1937–2001Non-Hodgkin’s lymphomaJohn Hartford Band“Gentle On My Mind,” “This Eve of Parting”Hartford was given a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame and a posthumous President’s Award by the Americana Music Association. A festival in his name is held annually near Bean Blossom, Indiana.
John Lennon1940–1980Murder by gunshotThe Beatles“I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “Day in the Life,” “Imagine”Lennon was murdered in 1980 by Mark David Chapman, who remained on the scene reading Catcher in the Rye until he was arrested. Lennon’s ashes were spread in Central Park, NYC.
John Phillips1935–2001Heart failureThe Mamas & the Papas“California Dreamin’,” “Monday, Monday”In addition to being the primary songwriter for the Mamas & the Papas, Phillips was one of the main organizers of the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival.
Johnny Cash1932–2003Complications of diabetesJohnny Cash Band“Folsom Prison Blues,” “I Walk the Line”When Cash’s health began to decline in 1997, his diagnosis was changed several times before it was finally altered to autonomic neuropathy associated with diabetes. The “Man in Black” died less than four months after his wife, June Carter Cash, who encouraged Johnny to keep working after she passed. He wrote sixty songs in the last four months of his life.
Karen Carpenter1950–1983Heart failure due to anorexia nervosaThe Carpenters“Close to You,” “We’ve Only Just Begun”The coroner told colleagues that Carpenter’s routine use of ipecac syrup to induce vomiting had weakened her heart.
Kate Wolf1942–1986LeukemiaKate Wolf Band“Across the Great Divide,” “Give Yourself to Love”Kate Wolf, who died at age fourty-four following a long struggle with leukemia, made a significant and ongoing impact on the folk music scene. The World Folk Music Association established the annual Kate Wolf Memorial Award in 1987, and the Kate Wolf Memorial Festival in Northern California ran for twenty-five years before it ended in 2022.
Keith Emerson1944–2016Suicide by gunshotThe Nice; Emerson, Lake & Palmer“From the Beginning,” “Trilogy”Emerson became depressed after nerve damage to his hand made it difficult to play up to his own standards. He shot himself in the head at his home in Santa Monica, CA.
Keith Moon1946–1978Accidental overdoseThe Who“Pinball Wizard,” “Behind Blue Eyes”Moon succumbed to an accidental overdose of clomethiazole, a drug intended to treat or prevent symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. He died in Harry Nilsson’s flat, as did Mama Cass Elliott, leading some to believe the flat is haunted.
Kurt Cobain1967–1994Suicide by gunshotNirvana“Smells Like Teen Spirit”After climbing a fence to leave a drug rehab center in Los Angeles, Cobain flew back to Seattle. An electrician found his body a few days later. Cobain is another member of “The 27s.”
Leon Russell1942–2016UndisclosedLeon Russell Band“Young Blood,” “Tightwire”Russell died in his sleep at his home in Mt. Juliet, TN. He had suffered a heart attack and undergone bypass surgery three months prior.
Leonard Cohen1934–2016Accidental fallSolo artist“Hallelujah,” “Everybody Knows”Cohen died in his sleep following a fall in the middle of the night, not long after releasing his fourteenth album, which he considered one of his best. As was his wish, Cohen was laid to rest with a Jewish rite, in a simple pine casket, in a family plot.
Levon Helm1940–2012Throat cancerThe Band“Up on Cripple Creek,” “The Weight”Helm struggled with throat cancer for many years, losing and then regaining his voice. He performed right up to the end.
Lonnie Donegan1931–2002Heart attackLonnie Donegan’s Skiffle Group and Others“Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor,” “Rock Island Line”Donegan, known as the King of Skiffle, died midway through a tour that was to include his appearance at a memorial concert for George Harrison at the Royal Albert Hall.
Lou Rawls1933–2006Lung cancerSolo artist“You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine,” “Dead End Street”Rawls died following a year-long battle with lung cancer that had metastasized to his brain. In a previous brush with death in 1958, Rawls was pronounced dead at the scene following a car crash.
Lou Reed1942–2013Liver diseaseVelvet Underground“Walk on the Wild Side,” “Rock ’n’ Roll Animal”Reed died of terminal liver disease not long after having received a liver transplant. An outpouring of memorial concerts were held in his honor. A type of velvet spider discovered in Spain called Loureedia was named after him.
Louie Armstrong1901–1971Heart attackThe Louie Armstrong Band“Hello Dolly,” “What a Wonderful World”Against his doctor’s advice, Armstrong kept playing and touring. He died in his sleep one month before his seventieth birthday.
Mama Cass Elliot1941–1974Heart attackThe Mamas & the Papas“California Dreamin’,” “Monday, Monday”Ellen Naomi Cohen, a.k.a. Mama Cass, died of a sudden heart attack in Harry Nilsson’s flat in London. There were no drugs in her system, and the rumor of her “choking on a ham sandwich” was a fat-shaming myth. Much of her material was destroyed in the 2008 Universal Studios fire.
Marvin Gaye1939–1984Murder by gunshotThe Funk Brothers“I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” “What’s Going On”Following a series of violent altercations between father and son, Gaye’s father shot him in the heart with the gun Gaye had purchased for him.
Mary Travers1936–2009LeukemiaPeter, Paul and Mary“Puff the Magic Dragon,” “Lemon Tree”Folk diva Travers was diagnosed with leukemia in 2004 and received a bone marrow transplant the following year. She died four years later due to complications from the transplant and other treatments.
Mary Wells1943–1992Laryngeal cancerSolo artist“My Guy,” “You Beat Me to the Punch,” “Two Lovers”Wells, a.k.a. the Queen of Motown, is buried in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, CA, about 850 feet from family friend Sam Cooke. Smokey Robinson gave the eulogy at her funeral.
Maurice Gibb1949–2003Bowel obstruction complicationsThe Bee Gees“Massachusetts,” “Saturday Night Fever”Gibb was the fraternal twin brother of Robin Gibb. His death was caused by a volvulus, a twisted section of small intestine that causes a blockage and cuts off the blood supply.
Michael Hedges1953–1997Car accidentSolo artist“Aerial Boundaries,” “Rickover’s Dream”Hedges lost control of his car on a rain-slicked S-curve on Highway 128 in Northern California, falling down a 120-foot cliff. He was thrown from his car and died instantly.
Michael Jackson1958–2009Drug overdoseJackson Five“Beat It,” “Billie Jean,” “Thriller”Jackson died from cardiac arrest caused by an overdose of propofol and benzodiazepine administered to him by his personal physician who was subsequently sentenced to four years in prison following a conviction for involuntary manslaughter.
Mimi Fariña1945–2001Neuroendocrine cancerDuo with Richard Fariña“In the Quiet Morning,” “Celebration for a Grey Day”Fariña, Joan Baez’s sister, founded and ran Bread and Roses, (now known as Bread and Roses Presents) a San Francisco Bay Area nonprofit that brings free live music to the sick, impoverished and imprisoned. Over 1200 people attended her funeral at Grace Cathedral.
Nat King Cole1919–1965Lung cancerSolo artist“Unforgettable,” “Mona Lisa”Nathaniel Adams Coles, a.k.a. Nat King Cole, was a heavy smoker, diagnosed with an advanced malignancy in his left lung in 1964 after friends and family convinced him to seek medical attention for weight loss and back pain. Despite knowledge of Cole’s terminal diagnosis, his publicists promoted the idea that he would soon be well and working.
Nick Drake1948–1974OverdoseSolo artist“River Man,” “Pink Moon”Drake, who reached critical acclaim only after his death, suffered from debilitating depression most of his life. He died of a self-administered overdose of the antidepressant amitriptyline. Suicide was suspected, though never confirmed. A lyric from the final song of his final album, Pink Moon, are inscribed on his headstone: “Now we rise, and we are everywhere.”
Nicolette Larsen1952–1997Cerebral edema and liver failureSolo artist and session singer for Neil Young and others“Lotta Love,” “Rhumba Girl”Larsen, Neil Young’s half sister, was only forty-five years old when she died from complications of a cerebral hemorrhage due to liver disease, exacerbated by chronic use of Valium and Tylenol PM. She is buried at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills Cemetery in L.A.
Norma Tanega1939–2019Colon cancerSolo artist“Walkin’ My Cat Named Dog,” “No Stranger Am I”Tanega, in addition to her hit “Walkin’ My Cat Named Dog” wrote songs for her romantic partner, Dusty Springfield. She was known for her inventive chords and melodic structures.
Norton Buffalo1951–2009Lung cancerSteve Miller Band; Norton Buffalo and the Knock Outs; Roy Rogers & Norton Buffalo“King of the Highway,” “Lovin’ in the Valley of the Moon”Phillip Jackson, a.k.a. Norton Buffalo, was a singer-songwriter and master harmonica player who was a member of the Steve Miller Band for thirty-two years. Some industry insiders believe that he developed lung cancer due to a lifetime of using Chinese-made harmonicas.
Patsy Cline1932–1963Plane crashPatsy Cline Band“Crazy,” “I Fall to Pieces”Cline was killed in a plane crash along with country performers Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins and manager Randy Hughes. The airfield manager at Dyersburg Municipal Airport in Tennessee, where the plane had stopped to refuel, offered the band dinner and free rooms for the night due to high winds and inclement weather, but the pilot refused.
Paul Kantner1941–2016Septic shockThe Jefferson Airplane“Somebody to Love,” “White Rabbit”Kantner died in San Francisco from multiple organ failure and septic shock after he suffered a heart attack days earlier. A notorious smoker of unfiltered Camels, Kantner once quipped, “I might as well die of something I like.” He died the same day as Signe Toly Anderson, a cofounder of Jefferson Airplane.
Pete Ham1947–1975Suicide by hangingBadfinger“No Matter What,” “Day after Day”Badfinger’s manager was sued by their record label after he took off with an advance. Left penniless, Ham lost hope and hung himself. Tom Evans, colead singer and songwriter for Badfinger, also hung himself in 1983 after a dispute with a former bandmate.
Phil Everly1939–2014Pulmonary heart diseaseEverly Brothers“Wake Up Little Susie,” “Bye Bye Love”Everly was one of the pallbearers at Buddy Holly’s funeral. Despite the brothers’ extended rifts and until his own death in 2022, Don Everly kept a small container of his brother Phil’s ashes and said “Good morning” to them every day.
Prince1958–2016Accidental overdosePrince“Purple Rain,” “Little Red Corvette”Prince Rogers Nelson, a.k.a. Prince, died in the elevator of his Paisley Park home. According to investigators, he thought he was taking Vicodin for pain, but the pills contained counterfeit opioids laced with Fentanyl. Prince died without a will setting off a six-year battle over his estate.
Ravi Shankar1920–2012Respiratory insufficiencyMostly remembered in the West for his work with George HarrisonMany RagasRobindro Shaunkor Chowdhury, a.k.a. Ravi Shankar, the master sitarist who influenced many musicians throughout the world, died at the age of ninety-two following heart valve replacement surgery in San Diego, CA.
Ray Charles1930–2004Complications from liver diseaseRay Charles Band“Georgia on My Mind,” “Hit the Road Jack”Ray Charles Robinson Sr., a.k.a. Ray Charles, was planning a new tour when he died age seventy-three at his home in Beverly Hills five days after Ronald Reagan. He’s quoted as saying a few months prior to his death, “Until the good Lord calls my number, that’s what I’m going to do.”
Ray Manzarek1939–2013Bile duct cancerThe Doors“Light My Fire,” “Touch Me”Manzarek died in Germany of cholangiocarcinoma, a rare cancer of the bile ducts. He performed a private concert for his doctors and nurses and believed up to his death that Doors front man Jim Morrison may have faked his own death to escape the pressures of fame.
Ray Thomas1941–2018Prostate cancerThe Moody Blues“Legend of a Mind,” “Dr. Livingston I Presume,” “Eternity Road”Thomas, the Moody Blues flutist, vocalist, and songwriter, died in his sleep six days after his seventy-sixth birthday in Surrey, England.
Ric Ocasek1944–2019Cardiovascular diseaseThe Cars“Let the Good Times Roll,” “You’re All I’ve Got Tonight”Ocasek was found dead in his townhouse two weeks after surgery. He disinherited his third wife, supermodel Paulina Porizkova, and two of his six sons.
Richard Manuel1943–1986Suicide by hangingThe Band“Tears of Rage,” “Orange Juice Blues (Blues for Breakfast)”Throughout years of drug abuse and disillusioned by the promises and betrayals of the music business, the Band’s pianist and singer had attempted suicide twice, once by self-immolation and once by shooting himself in the head with a BB gun, before succeeding by hanging himself just shy of his forty-third birthday.
Richie Havens1941–2013Heart attackSolo artist“Freedom,” “Here Comes the Sun”Havens’s ashes are spread over the Woodstock concert site where he rose to fame in 1967 after playing a grueling three hours and improvising a finale that later became his signature song, “Freedom.” Havens performed several times for the Dalai Lama. His music masters were destroyed in the 2008 Universal Studios fire.
Ritchie Valens1941–1959Plane crashRitchie Valens Band“La Bamba,” “Donna”Valens was killed in the plane crash that also killed Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper. Valens “won” a seat on the ill-fated flight in a coin toss. The flight was supposed to be a respite from riding in the freezing tour bus during the twenty-four-day Winter Dance Party tour. Don McLean, in his song “American Pie,” coined the incident “the day the music died.”
Rick Danko1943–1999Congestive heart failureThe Band“The Weight,” “Up on Cripple Creek”Danko, the Band’s bassist, died in his sleep at his home in Marbletown, NY. He’s buried next to his son Eli who died at age eighteen of asphyxiation following heavy drinking.
Ricky Nelson1940–1985Plane crashRicky Nelson Band“Poor Little Fool,” “Hello Mary Lou”Nelson, his band, and his girlfriend all died in the crash landing of the band’s DC-3 en route from Alabama to Texas for a New Year’s Eve concert. It is suspected that a fire from a faulty heater engulfed the cabin. The two pilots survived.
Roy Orbison1936–1988Heart attackSolo artist“Pretty Woman,” “Only the Lonely”Orbison confessed to Johnny Cash that he was having chest pains, but he did nothing about it and continued a demanding schedule of appearances. A pathologist who reviewed medical records and interviewed friends and family after Orbison’s death believed his heart condition was due to his addiction to yo-yo dieting.
Sam Cooke1931–1964Gunshot woundSolo artist“You Send Me,” “Cupid,” “Twistin’ the Night Away”Cooke was shot by the manager of a motel where he was staying. She said he attacked her. The court ruled it as justifiable homicide, though members of his family dispute those findings. An estimated 200,000 fans lined up over four city blocks to view the body of the “King of Soul.”
Sandy Denny1947–1978Traumatic midbrain hemorrhageFairport Convention“Who Knows Where the Time Goes,” “Fotheringay”Denny, preeminent British folk-rock singer, suffered from depression, alcoholism, and self-harming behaviors that included many intentional as well as accidental falls. She went into a coma and died following a series of serious falls a couple of weeks prior.
Scott McKenzie1939–2012Guillain-BarrĂ© syndromeSolo artist“San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)”McKenzie was diagnosed with GBS, a rare disorder where the immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system, two years prior to his death.
Sonny Bono1935–1998Skiing accidentSonny & Cher“The Beat Goes On,” “I Got You Babe”Salvatore Phillip Bono, a.k.a. Sonny Bono, singer, songwriter, actor, and politician, died from a massive blunt trauma after hitting a tree while skiing at the Heavenly Valley Resort in South Lake Tahoe.
Tammi Terrell1945–1970Brain cancerSolo artist“You’re All I Need to Get By,” “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”Thomasina Winifred Montgomery, a.k.a. Tammi Terrell, underwent eight surgeries between 1968 and 1970, falling into a coma following the final operation on January 21. She died on March 16, one month before her 25th birthday. Terrell’s death severely affected her singing partner, Marvin Gaye, who never got over her death.
Terry Kath1946–1978Accidental gunshotChicago“25 or 6 to 4,” “Only the Beginning”As a joke, gun enthusiast Kath put what he thought was an unloaded pistol to his head and blew his brains out in front of Chicago roadie Don Johnson.
Tiny Tim1932–1996Cardiac arrestSolo artist“Tiptoe Through the Tulips”Herbert Butros Khaury, a.k.a. Tiny Tim, suffered a heart attack on stage while singing “Tiptoe Through the Tulips” at a gala benefit hosted by the Women’s Club of Minneapolis.
Tom Petty1950–2017Accidental overdoseTom Petty and the Heartbreakers“Refugee,” “Learning to Fly,” “Free Fallin’”Petty, who insisted on touring despite debilitating pain, died of multisystem organ failure due to an accidental drug overdose from a toxic mix of drugs he was taking for emphysema, knee problems, and, most significantly, a fractured hip.
Tommy Tedesco1930–1997Lung cancerThe Wrecking CrewSeveral Hundred Top 40 hitsThe Wrecking Crew were an A-list group of studio musicians who played on hundreds of Top 40 records and TV themes in the ’60s and ’70s. Tedesco’s guitar is on many of them, including the themes for Bonanza and The Twilight Zone.
Tony Clarke1941–2010EmphysemaMoody Blues Producer“Ride My Seesaw,” “Tuesday Afternoon”Sometimes called the “Sixth Moody,” Clarke was the “George Martin” of the Moody Blues and was hugely responsible for their signature studio sound.
Walter Becker1950–2017Esophageal cancerSteely Dan“Reelin’ In the Years,” “King of the World,” “Do It Again”Becker died from an aggressive and swift form of esophageal cancer while surrounded by his family, his music, and a blustery rainstorm—one of his favorite sounds. Donald Fagen, his longtime partner in Steely Dan, said he would do everything he could to keep their songs alive.
Warren Zevon1947–2003MesotheliomaSolo artist“Werewolves of London,” “Mohammed’s Radio”Zevon died of a disease most associated with exposure to asbestos. Family says he may have gotten it from playing in the attic of his father’s carpet store. Given a prognosis of three months, Zevon refused treatment and instead recorded a final album, The Wind, which was released twelve days before he died a year later. About dying, he said, “Enjoy every sandwich.”
Wilson Pickett1914–2006Heart attackWilson Pickett Band“Mustang Sally,” “In the Midnight Hour”Pickett, who had been in poor health and had spent much of the previous year in the hospital, died two months short of his sixty-fifth birthday. According to his sister, he died just after the midnight hour. Little Richard gave a eulogy at his funeral.
Woody Guthrie1912–1967Huntington’s diseaseSolo artist“This Land Is Your Land,” “Tear the Fascists Down,” “Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos)”Huntington’s disease is a rare degenerative, hereditary, and fatal disease that causes the progressive degeneration of nerve cells in the brain. Guthrie’s mother and two of his eight children also died from the disease. The second of his three wives, Marjorie Mazia, became a primary caregiver and later founded Huntington’s Disease Society of America, the largest nonprofit dedicated to HD support and research.