Musical artists who died young; if they were around now, they'd be pumping out wonderful music. Who are they?

Jimi Hendrix
Jon Bonham
The whiskey voiced chick, I can’t think of her name. arrgh
Janis! Thanks. :)

Jeff Buckley

Janis Joplin

@Adirondackwannabe Amy Winehouse?

Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Karen Carpenter, Jim Morrison.

This is a good question.

Ian Curtis
Chuck Schuldiner
Jon Nödtveidt

Tim Buckley
JIm Croce
Phil Ochs
Buddy Holly
Patsy Cline
Mozart
Mamma Cass

I guess Mozart doesn’t make this list? Stan Rogers does.

@CWOTUS Mozart made it to 35. That wasn’t very young back then, but that’s a hell of a talent.

@CWOTUS ^^^

@CWOTUS That just inspired a question. I’ll have to see if it’s been asked.

@CWOTUS

Mozart made the list.

check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/27_Club
Robert Johnson
Brian Jones
Jimi Hendrix
Janis Joplin
Jim Morrison
Kurt Cobain
Amy Winehouse
they all died at the age of 27.

Duane Allman.

Mike Bloomfield. For those of you unfamiliar with Michael, he played the lead guitar on Bob Dylan’s Like a Rolling Stone.

John Lennon, Janice Joplin and Jimmy Hendricks to name a few. They were all very talented people.

I don’t know that they’d still be putting out “great music” but they certainly had more to contribute than they had time to.

Buddy Holly (22)
Cliff Burton (24)
Randy Rhoads (25)
Tupac Shakur (25)
Hillel Slovak (26)
Robert Johnson (27)
Miika Tenkula (34)
Dimebag Darrell (38)

@wonderingwhy Robert Johnson, wow that’s amazing.
And showing my redneck side
Ronnie van Zant
Steve Gaines
Cassie Gaines
Also Keith Moon
Bon Scott

Karen Carpenter (Rainy Day and Mondays, etc)
George Gershwin

Initially, I was going to second and third members of the 27 Club and those who died even younger (like my muse, Nick Drake who certainly had music left in his bones), but in terms of musical power… I think the person who would have continued their prolific impact on music would be Freddie Mercury (45). He may not have died as young as many of the talented artists listed earlier, but goddamn, he is one of the greatest performers to have ever graced the stage.

And I consider 45 to still be painfully young for someone to go.

@muppetish GA. Freddy was a true original. And oh man, could he strut!

@muppetish

“I think the person who would have continued their prolific impact on music would be Freddie Mercury (45). He may not have died as young as many of the talented artists listed earlier, but goddamn, he is one of the greatest performers to have ever graced the stage.”

I agree. Hell, the Stones did Love is Strong when they were about 50.

Mark Linkous.

Stevie Ray Vaughn
John Coltrane
Bob Marley
Elliott Smith
Sid Vicious

SRV, hadn’t thought of that one. Friggin helicoptors

Mr. Marc Bolan
Minnie Riperton
Marvin Gaye
...and a second for Elliott Smith

I second @muppetish’ response and say loud and clear: Nick Drake.
But then again, he already left us with wonderful albums that have enough pearls on them to to give us joy for, I dare say, at least a hundred years more.

I’ll add another vote for Kurt Cobain and Jeff Buckley. And I’ll add Eva Cassidy to the list.
Ten years from now I’ll probably be saying the same about Amy Winehouse.

Mia Zapata Another one gone at 27. She was just getting started and with her incredible power and style range, she would have been a prominent voice today.

John Lennon. I still ache thinking about it.
Jim Morrison.
Jim Croce.
Buddy Holly
George Gershwin
Mozart

I think most of the 27 club have been mentioned.