TO TESTIFY

40 musicians who died before 40:

(p = probable)

1 Gram Parsons – country singer/songwriter (26 – p drug-related heat failure)
2 Sandy Denny – folk singer (31 – fell down stairs)
3 Jimi Hendrix – guitarist (27 – p overdose)
4 Tammi Terrell – soul singer (23 – brain tumour)
5 Tupac Shakur - soul / rap singer (25 – p murder)
6 John Bonham – Led Zeppelin drummer (32 – p alcohol poisoning)
7 Patsy Cline – country singer (30 – plane crash)
8 Duane Allman – guitarist (24 - road accident)
9 Karen Carpenter – singer (32 – eating disorder)
10 Kurt Cobain – Nirvana singer/songwriter (27 – p suicide)
11 Jim Reeves – country singer (39 – plane crash)
12 Bob Marley – singer/songwriter (36 - cancer)
13 Buddy Holly – songwriter (22 – plane crash)
14 Minnie Riperton – soul singer (31 - cancer)
15 Brian Jones – Rolling Stones founder (27 - drowned, p murder)
16 Sam Cooke – soul singer (29 – shot dead)
17 Blind Lemon Jefferson – blues guitarist (33 - heart attack)
18 Ian Curtis – Joy Division singer/songwriter (23 - suicide)
19 Gene Vincent – rock singer/guitarist (36 - haemhorrage)
20 Nick Drake - singer/songwriter (26 - overdose)
21 Clyde McPhatter - Drifters singer (38 – heart problems)
22 Phil Lynott – Thin Lizzy singer (34 – heart problems)
23 Dennis Wilson – Beach Boys member (39 - drowning)
24 Hank Williams – country singer (29 – heart attack)
25 Elliott Smith – singer/songwriter (34 - p suicide)
26 Keith Moon – The Who drummer (32 - overdose)
27 Eddie Cochran – rock singer (21 – road accident)
28 Lowell George – Little Feat guitarist (34 – heart attack)
29 Tim Buckley – singer/songwriter (28 - overdose)
30 Janis Joplin - singer (27 – heroin overdose)
31 Billy Mackenzie – The Associates singer/songwriter (39 - suicide)
32 Bobby Fuller – rock singer/guitarist (22 – p. murder)
33 Bobby Darin - pop singer - (37 – heart disease)
34 Chris Bell – Big Star guitarist/songwriter (27 - road accident)
35 Mama Cass - singer (32 – heart attack)
36 Bon Scott – AC/DC rock singer (33 - intoxication)
37 Tim Hardin – singer/songwriter (39 – heroin overdose)
38 Otis Redding – soul singer (26 - plane crash)
39 Mary Hansen – Stereolab singer/guitarist (36 – road accident)
40 Jim Morrison – Doors singer (27 – p overdose)