# Who would have been awesome if they'd lived longer(music artists)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-have-been-awesome-if-theyd-lived-longer-music-artists/816518>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [June 21, 2018, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-have-been-awesome-if-theyd-lived-longer-music-artists/816518 "2018-06-21T16:46:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-have-been-awesome-if-theyd-lived-longer-music-artists/816518/81 "2018-06-23T19:23:03Z")

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SRV and Clifford Brown, certainly. Also Duane Allman.

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**Author:** ![LLCoolL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/llcooll/32/3596_2.png) [@LLCoolL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LLCoolL)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-have-been-awesome-if-theyd-lived-longer-music-artists/816518/82 "2018-06-24T00:54:11Z")

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> [@harmonicamoon](#):
>
> I would have liked to hear more from John Denver.

I apologize in advance if this comes across as snarky. But at the time of his death at the age of 53, he’d already had a 30+ year recording career (1966 onward), and ~30 studio albums (according to Wikipedia). Seems like the definition of “pretty much already done” according to the OP’s original formulation of the question.

P.S. Love his song “Fly Away” with backing vocals by Olivia Newton John.

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**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-have-been-awesome-if-theyd-lived-longer-music-artists/816518/83 "2018-06-24T01:12:51Z")

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Jim Croce. He wrote, recorded, and released three albums in just over two years.

He finished the third album just weeks before the plane crash.

Maury Muehleisen died with him and his guitar parts were largely responsible for the unique Croce sound. People that have heard Maury’s only album, Gingerbreadd will hear the similarities.

I think both men would have gone on to very successful solo careers.

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**Author:** ![LLCoolL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/llcooll/32/3596_2.png) [@LLCoolL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LLCoolL)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-have-been-awesome-if-theyd-lived-longer-music-artists/816518/84 "2018-06-24T01:14:43Z")

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> [@Isamu](#):
>
> Amy Winehouse

Yes!

Marvin Gaye had had a long career already at the time of his death, but I surmise he still had plenty of gas left in the tank.

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**Author:** ![tuesdayweld](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@tuesdayweld](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tuesdayweld)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-have-been-awesome-if-theyd-lived-longer-music-artists/816518/85 "2018-06-24T04:19:13Z")

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Sam Cooke. A voice like butter.

+1 for Otis Redding

- 1 for D. Boon

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