# What early death of a musician most profoundly affedted you? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 29, 2011, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-early-death-of-a-musician-most-profoundly-affedted-you/590699 "2011-07-29T04:33:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-early-death-of-a-musician-most-profoundly-affedted-you/590699/21 "2011-07-29T09:44:05Z")
[Brad Delp](http://www.guitarworld.com/brad_delp_details_emerge_about_his_tragic_suicide) They day he died, Boston’s official site was replaced by the statement, “We’ve just lost the nicest guy in rock and roll.” ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-early-death-of-a-musician-most-profoundly-affedted-you/590699/22 "2011-07-29T10:26:53Z")
Øystein Aarseth. Murdered at twenty-five. God only knows what could have been…! ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-early-death-of-a-musician-most-profoundly-affedted-you/590699/23 "2011-07-29T10:32:54Z")
Kirsty McColl saddened me, and Jeff Buckley, but nothing floored me like John Lennon. I was thirteen and the news silenced my entire school. People took off their ties and put them round their heads like hippy hairbands, and the teachers allowed it - I think they were as upset as we were. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-early-death-of-a-musician-most-profoundly-affedted-you/590699/24 "2011-07-29T10:57:32Z")
Kurt Cobain, pissed me off more than anything, which I don’t normally react that way to suicide. But I was only 19 or so at the time, didn’t understand addiction and depression like I do now. Michael Jackson, didn’t hit me hard until I watched This Is It. Seeing him sing and dance like that, and knowing he would never make that tour is very sad. Then thinking of all the people who said terrible things to extort money from him upsets me even more. I don’t believe a tenderhearted soul like his would ever hurt anyone intentionally. Moreso than either of these musicians, the deaths of writers Hunter Thompson, Kurt Vonnegut, and Tristan Egolf affected me most profoundly. Cried and cried over all three. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-early-death-of-a-musician-most-profoundly-affedted-you/590699/25 "2011-07-29T11:11:45Z")
Either Z, Zappa or Zevon. Probably Zappa, based on his larger body of work. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-early-death-of-a-musician-most-profoundly-affedted-you/590699/26 "2011-07-29T11:29:12Z")
None. I enjoy music, but I’m not into cult worship of performers. ---
**Author:** ![Cumbrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@Cumbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumbrian)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-early-death-of-a-musician-most-profoundly-affedted-you/590699/27 "2011-07-29T11:41:47Z")
Clarence Clemons, just recently in fact. I imagine that they might replace him in the E Street Band - but it won’t be the same. Clemons is the only member to share the cover of a record with Bruce Springsteen. Clemons is the most identifiable part of many of Springsteen’s greatest songs. Sure, his playing had degraded a bit with his health but we’ll never see a real E Street Band performance again - which is a damn shame, as they’re great nights out.\* - I am aware that Danny Federici died prior to Clarence but Danny didn’t really have the visibility of Clarence. ---
**Author:** ![Ronald\_C.Semone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@Ronald\_C.Semone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ronald_C.Semone)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-early-death-of-a-musician-most-profoundly-affedted-you/590699/28 "2011-07-29T12:03:31Z")
Mario Lanza. Especially when the rumor started circulating that he was rubbed out by the Mafia because he hit on a Mafia don’s wife. ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-early-death-of-a-musician-most-profoundly-affedted-you/590699/29 "2011-07-29T12:06:46Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > None. > > I enjoy music, but I’m not into cult worship of performers. I saw nothing in the OP about cult worship. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-early-death-of-a-musician-most-profoundly-affedted-you/590699/30 "2011-07-29T12:27:50Z")
[Mitch Hedberg.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPu8453j1m8) And John Entwistle. (I had tickets to see the Who at what turned out to be the first show they played after his death.) ---
**Author:** ![Musky\_Moon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@Musky\_Moon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musky_Moon)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-early-death-of-a-musician-most-profoundly-affedted-you/590699/31 "2011-07-29T12:31:24Z")
I would have to go with Elliott Smith. I was deep into his music at the time of his death. Such a tragic waste of an amazing song writer. I would say Warren Zevon as well, but at least he had a chance to put out one more amazing heartbreaking album before he passed. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-early-death-of-a-musician-most-profoundly-affedted-you/590699/32 "2011-07-29T12:31:26Z")
Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper. I was getting ready for school, and my mom was listening to the radio. I remember her being shocked because she loved the song Chantilly Lace. It affected me because it was a plane crash, and it was shocking that someone I had actually heard of had died in it. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-early-death-of-a-musician-most-profoundly-affedted-you/590699/33 "2011-07-29T12:44:39Z")
Gary Moore. Even though he was in his 50s he was still putting new stuff out. He’s the only performer that I really wanted to see live. I’ve been listening to his music since I was 15-16, so well over 20 years. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-early-death-of-a-musician-most-profoundly-affedted-you/590699/34 "2011-07-29T12:51:56Z")
Cobain. There was almost no new popular music that I had ever liked, until Nirvana came around. It was all pop and hair metal, neither of which I cared for. It was kind of big deal to me when he killed himself. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-early-death-of-a-musician-most-profoundly-affedted-you/590699/35 "2011-07-29T12:54:50Z")
Kurt for sure, and then Jeff Buckley. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-early-death-of-a-musician-most-profoundly-affedted-you/590699/36 "2011-07-29T13:07:20Z")
Leopold Stokowski. A mere youth at age 95 when he left us, he was only one year into a five year contract. He got to be parodied by Bugs Bunny in “Long-Haired Hare” and shook hands with Mickey Mouse… Also a year before his death, when interviewer Dan rather asked him if he still gave 100% in his work, Leopold replied “of course. Don’t you?”. When Rather replied not always, Stokowski walked out, said he couldn’t be bothered with anyone so unprofessional. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-early-death-of-a-musician-most-profoundly-affedted-you/590699/37 "2011-07-29T13:17:10Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > John Lennon. Not only for what he done but also because he appeared to be entering into a major new creative period. +1 (or is it about +7?) ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-early-death-of-a-musician-most-profoundly-affedted-you/590699/38 "2011-07-29T13:31:59Z")
John Denver. Loved his music from the first note I heard him sing. Huge shock, but at least he died doing what he loved. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-early-death-of-a-musician-most-profoundly-affedted-you/590699/39 "2011-07-29T13:36:12Z")
Definitely Lennon. Not drugs, not accident–definite murder. That is so sad. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-early-death-of-a-musician-most-profoundly-affedted-you/590699/40 "2011-07-29T13:54:53Z")
> [@Dahnlor](#): > > [Brad Delp](http://www.guitarworld.com/brad_delp_details_emerge_about_his_tragic_suicide) > > They day he died, Boston’s official site was replaced by the statement, “We’ve just lost the nicest guy in rock and roll.” Brad Delp is mine, too. I can’t listen to Boston now without thinking about it. How could such a magical talent ever have been so sad? I did not know much about Warren Zevon before he died, but hearing so much about him at the time made me want to hear more, and since then, I have really grown to love his voice and his music. I have a Zevon Pandora station that is helping me discover more. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-early-death-of-a-musician-most-profoundly-affedted-you/590699.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-early-death-of-a-musician-most-profoundly-affedted-you/590699.md?page=3)