# Who have you seen live that is no longer with us? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** celebrity-death, music\ **Created:** [August 2, 2018, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-you-seen-live-that-is-no-longer-with-us/818968 "2018-08-02T10:28:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2018, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-you-seen-live-that-is-no-longer-with-us/818968/81 "2018-08-02T19:50:06Z")
One of the biggest thrills of my life was seeing George Carlin in Vegas in a small theater at the MGM Grand. I was only a few feet away from him. He didn’t do any new material and I didn’t care one bit. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_the\_Turtle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_the_turtle/32/2926_2.png) [@Fear\_the\_Turtle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_the_Turtle)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2018, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-you-seen-live-that-is-no-longer-with-us/818968/82 "2018-08-02T20:42:55Z")
I can’t be the only Doper who saw The Clash live, can I? Sadly Joe Strummer passed in '02. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2018, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-you-seen-live-that-is-no-longer-with-us/818968/83 "2018-08-02T20:52:13Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Gord Downie. Sigh. I saw The Tragically Hip play an amphitheater in the Toledo Zoo. Gord started the show by yelling “let’s wake up some animals!” ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2018, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-you-seen-live-that-is-no-longer-with-us/818968/84 "2018-08-02T20:57:46Z")
Blossom Dearie ---
**Author:** ![eunoia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eunoia/32/97_2.png) [@eunoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eunoia)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2018, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-you-seen-live-that-is-no-longer-with-us/818968/85 "2018-08-02T21:59:32Z")
Yikes bassists in bands… Benjamin Orr Paul Raven Peter Steele Lemmy ---
**Author:** ![betterlifethroughchemistry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/betterlifethroughchemistry/32/3094_2.png) [@betterlifethroughchemistry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betterlifethroughchemistry)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2018, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-you-seen-live-that-is-no-longer-with-us/818968/86 "2018-08-02T22:16:45Z")
Just some that I can think of: Jerry Garcia Keith Godchaux Brent Mydland Vince Welnick Merl Saunders BB King David Bowie Muddy Waters Levon Helm Rick Danko Gregg Allman Richard Nixon Johnny Unitas I saw my first concert at 14 in 1976, I’ve forgotten how many I’ve seen, so I’m sure I’m missing some, plus I saw the majority of the Baltimore Colts home games from 1970 to 1980, so probably a lot of late NFL players and coaches, and a whole lotta Baltimore Oriole games (my first was when I was 6, 1968, but I don’t really remember much beyond the cotton candy), so probably a lot of late MLB players… ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2018, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-you-seen-live-that-is-no-longer-with-us/818968/87 "2018-08-02T22:20:15Z")
Others’ lists have reminded me of a few more whom I’d seen: Mary Travers Lemmy Tommy Makem ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2018, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-you-seen-live-that-is-no-longer-with-us/818968/88 "2018-08-02T22:20:55Z")
George Carlin Saw Pantera twice with the then alive Dimebag Darryl and Vinnie Paul Saw Gwar nearly 20 times with Dave Brockie and a dozen or so times with Corey Smoot. RIP all of them. _tear_ ---
**Author:** ![Twoflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twoflower/32/22_2.png) [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2018, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-you-seen-live-that-is-no-longer-with-us/818968/89 "2018-08-02T22:24:34Z")
Mary Travers, Pete Seeger, Kate Wolf … I guess I’m more of a folkie than I realized … ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2018, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-you-seen-live-that-is-no-longer-with-us/818968/90 "2018-08-02T22:43:50Z")
I came in to post my list (Muddy Waters, John Entwistle, Clarence Clemons, and many others who have already been mentioned) and was very surprised to see this: > [@Crotalus](#): > > Jack Bruce… I had no freakin’ idea he had died. And I just watched the Cream reunion concert yesterday. mmm ---
**Author:** ![DrForrester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8edcca/32.png) [@DrForrester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrForrester)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2018, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-you-seen-live-that-is-no-longer-with-us/818968/91 "2018-08-02T23:04:11Z")
I saw George Carlin. It was wonderful hearing him tear into a heckler. I saw Rick Wright (of Pink Floyd) in his very last performance on stage… and several times before that as well. I recently had the opportunity to see [The Amazing Jonathan](https://www.facebook.com/AmazingJohnathan/). Although, as of this writing, still, technically alive, he hasn’t been well for a while. If you want to see him, you might want to hurry. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2018, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-you-seen-live-that-is-no-longer-with-us/818968/92 "2018-08-02T23:12:09Z")
Bob Marley Pete Tosh Joe Strummer Clarence Clemons (hey, let’s not forget Danny Federici) Laura Branigan Shit, this is depressing. I’m not going to think about if there are any others. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2018, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-you-seen-live-that-is-no-longer-with-us/818968/93 "2018-08-02T23:21:12Z")
> [@Fear\_the\_Turtle](#): > > I can’t be the only Doper who saw The Clash live, can I? Sadly Joe Strummer passed in '02. Post 23 (and now 92). ---
**Author:** ![Kimble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimble/32/19185_2.png) [@Kimble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimble)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2018, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-you-seen-live-that-is-no-longer-with-us/818968/94 "2018-08-02T23:21:36Z")
I saw all of them between ages 10 and 19: John Hartford Richie Havens Bo Diddley Tom Petty (and Howie Epstein) I’m sure there are others I don’t recall, like members of opening acts or backing bands (e.g. César Díaz, a guitarist for Bob Dylan in 1990). ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2018, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-you-seen-live-that-is-no-longer-with-us/818968/95 "2018-08-02T23:26:37Z")
The only ones I can think of off the top of my head is the classic lineup of the Ramones, John Entwistle with the Who and Adam Yauch with the Beastie Boys when they were a punk band. Saw them open for The Dead Kennedys in '83. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2018, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-you-seen-live-that-is-no-longer-with-us/818968/96 "2018-08-02T23:42:42Z")
I saw **B.B. King** when I was 15 years old (1992). It was in a small venue in Dayton, OH called Gilly’s Jazz. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2018, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-you-seen-live-that-is-no-longer-with-us/818968/97 "2018-08-03T00:20:35Z")
Alex Chilton! (twice). ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2018, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-you-seen-live-that-is-no-longer-with-us/818968/98 "2018-08-03T00:28:54Z")
Keith “Cheese Blotto” Stephenson, John Panozzo, Don Williams, Glenn Frey, Leon Wilkeson and Billy Powell (Lynyrd Skynyrd). If it counts I saw Robert Goulet play King Arthur in Camelot some years ago and Don Knotts starring in On Golden Pond. Got an autograph from Mr. Knotts and he let my wife take a picture of him with me. Oh, Chris Ledoux (oddly enough on the same bill with Kansas at a state fair), Porter Wagner, Grandpa Jones, Little Jimmy Dickins, Minnie Pearl, Jim Ed Brown. Tom Spanic of The Spanic Boys (maybe not so well known. I saw them open for Cheap Trick in the 90s) Possibly some other I can’t remember right now. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2018, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-you-seen-live-that-is-no-longer-with-us/818968/99 "2018-08-03T00:37:14Z")
I saw Tito Puente play just months before he died. Not bragging, but I think I win. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2018, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-you-seen-live-that-is-no-longer-with-us/818968/100 "2018-08-03T00:46:45Z")
Ray Charles Duane Allman and Berry Oakley with the Allman Brothers Terry Kath with Chicago Earl Scruggs Junior Wells Paul Kantner and Spencer Dryden with the Jefferson Airplane Richard Wright with Pink Floyd Mary Travers with Peter and Paul Deborah Coleman Wilson Pickett John Philips and Denny Doherty of the Mamas and the Papas. This was long after Cass Eliot died; they had two women (Lisa Brescia and Deb Lyons) singing the vocal parts. Johnny Winter (he came on stage with Edgar for a couple of songs). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-you-seen-live-that-is-no-longer-with-us/818968.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-you-seen-live-that-is-no-longer-with-us/818968.md?page=6)