This thread covered the deaths pretty well.
Plus:
Ayrton Senna
Dan Wheldon
As far as quitting, Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel walked away from the business shortly after the release/success of In The Aeroplane Over The Sea, and has not put out an album since then.
Hank Williams’ recording career began in 1947; he died Jan. 1, 1953, at the age of 29.
Marcel Duchamp’s first really important artwork, Nude Descending a Staircase, was produced in 1912. By 1923, at the age of 36, he had essentially retired from art and devoted the rest of his life primarily to chess; he died in 1968.
Remy Shand’s recording career was one and done. His first and only album, “The Way I Feel,” was released when he was 23 and was certified platinum in Canada and sold a half million copies in the US as well, earning him a Juno award in Canada for best R&B/Soul recording and four Grammy nominations.
He has basically fallen off the face of the earth since then.
Steve Prefontaine. Once held American distance records from the 2,000 to 10,000 meters.
Fourth in the 1972 Olympic 5,000 meters.
6025
River Phoenix was one of the top young stars before his drug overdose at 23 years old.
Yeah, but it didn’t take.
J. R. Richard of the Houston Astros. Well on his way to being possibly better than Nolan Ryan, he had a stroke that ended his major league career. He wound up destitute and living under a bridge and then became a minister.
Tom Lehrer walked away from performing and recording over 40 years ago and has shown no interest in returning.
Died:
Ritchie Valens
Alexander Pushkin
Lou Gehrig
Ralph Ellison didn’t exactly quit after The Invisible Man was published - he just never quite finished his second novel.
You are a master of understatement.
Roger Bannister broke the four minute mile, then retired at the end of the season at age 26. After a long, distinguished career as a physician, he is still alive at age 83.
E.M. Forster wrote 6 classic novels between 1905 and 1924, and never wrote another, although he lived until 1970. He did do some miscellaneous writing, criticism, a film script, etc.
Matt Blunt, elected to the Missouri legislature at 27, Attorney General at 29 and Governor at age 33. Served one term, didn’t run for re-election and now works as a lobbyist for the auto industry. He’s still just 41, so it’s too early to say he’s quit politics, but he hasn’t expressed any interest in running for another office.
Dying young can be a great career move. Or in case like Harper Lee, leaving on a high note instead of dying. If you do your best work early in life, continued efforts that never reach previous heights may tarnish a reputation. Just ask child actors and athletes.
Bjorn Borg, tennis player, won a crapload of titles and retired at 26.
Paul Charles Morphy (1837 - 1884) was a chess prodigy, the best chess player of his time and considered to be the unofficial world champion. He retired from the game in 1861, never to play competitively again.
German biathlete Magdalena Neuner ( Magdalena Neuner - Wikipedia ) turned 25 this year and is retiring from the sport.
She is a multiple Olympic gold medalist, world champion, and winner of the world cup.
John Kennedy Toole committed suicide as a young man, had one novel (A Confederacy Of Dunces) published posthumously, and won the Pulitzer Prize.
The original Charlie Bucket walked away from acting after the Chocolate Factory and became a veterinarian.