The Death of Rock: The Alphabetical Archive
D
Musicians are listed individually. Search by the artist's last name. Artists commonly referred to by a stage or street name (such as "The Big
Bopper," Freddie Mercury, and Jam Master Jay) are listed under those names. Musicians who performed under a single name (like Aaliyah,
Nico, and Selena) will be found under those single names. There are a few instances where two or more members of the same band perished in a
single incident; you will find those artists listed under the group's name. (Examples are Banda Fugaz, The Bar-Kays,
Chase, Passion Fruit, and The Reba McEntire Band.) One notable exception to this rule is Lynyrd Skynyrd. Members of Skynyrd are listed
individually; although three perished in the 1977 plane crash, others have since died in unrelated incidents. (The three who died in the
crash are grouped as "Lynyrd Skynyrd" on the Causes of Death and Chronology pages.)
Key
Some entries have special notations prior to their names. They represent induction into one of the following Halls of Fame:
- * denotes induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
- # indicates induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
- ^ symbolizes induction into the Blues Hall of Fame.
D
Ricardo da Force
(Jervis Ricardo Alfonso Lyte), cause of death unknown. He was 45. Da Force died in 2013 while in Barbados. A vocalist and DJ, he appeared on hits including The KLF's "3 a.m. Eternal" and "Justified & Ancient", the latter of which also featured Country icon, Tammy Wynette (see 1998).
Vernon Dalhart and photo I took at his grave.
#Vernon Dalhart
(Marion Try Slaughter, Sr.), succumbed to his second heart attack in 1948; he was 65. Dalhart was a pioneering country
musician. In the
1920's he released "Wreck of the Old 97", which was the best-selling single in its time, and was the biggest-selling
non-holiday record in the first seventy years of recorded music. "The Prisoner's Song" was estimated to be a #1 hit
for 12 weeks in 1925-26. His lifetime recording sales is estimated at 70 million copies. In 1998, "The Prisoner's
Song" was honored with a Grammy Hall of Fame Award and the Recording Industry Association of America named it one of
the Songs of the Century. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970, into the Country Music
Hall of Fame in 1981 and into the Gennett Records Walk of Fame in 2007. (Technically, Dalhart is too old for
inclusion in The Archive, but he has an entry because of his status as a Country pioneer and because he worked and
was buried in my hometown.)
Denis D'Amour
a.k.a. "Piggy" - colon cancer, 2005. He was 45. D'Amour was the guitarist for Canadian thrash band, Voivod. Voivod
gained additional notoriety when they were joined by former Metallica bassist, Jason Newsted. "War and Pain,"
"Forgotten in Space," "Rebel Robot"
Dennis Danell
Danell was the guitarist and co-founding member of the punk rock band, Social Distortion.
Danell suddenly dropped dead in his driveway while moving into a new home in 2000. The Orange County Coroner’s Office lists his death
as “idiopathic dialated cardiomyopathy.” Fellow band member, Mike Ness, stated on the DVD commentary of Another State of Mind
that Danell succumbed to a heart condition. Danell was 38. "Let It Be Me," "Ball and Chain,"
"I Was Wrong"
*Rick Danko
heart failure; 1999. He was 56. Danko was the bassist and vocalist for The Band (with keyboardist Richard Manuel, see
1986), who were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. The group started its career as Bob Dylan's back-up
band. "Up On Cripple Creek," "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," "This Wheel's On Fire"
Bobby Darin
*Bobby Darin
(Walden Robert Cassotto), complications during heart surgery to repair a faulty valve; 1973. As a child, Darin had
rheumatic fever, which left him with a weakened heart. He was one of the original bubblegum crooners, and was married to
America's sweetheart, Sandra Dee. (Dee died in 2005.) When Darin was 32, he found out that his older sister was actually
his mother; the woman he believed to be his mother was actually his grandmother. Darin won a Grammy for "Mack the Knife,"
which spent nine weeks at number one. He was 37 when he died. Darin was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in
1990. (Read about Darin's connection to the Curse of Buddy Holly.) "Splish Splash,"
"Dream Lover," "Beyond the Sea"
"Dimebag" Darrell
"Dimebag" Darrell
(Darrell Abbott), shot to death in 2004, while performing with Damageplan. He was 38. Darrell was co-founder and
guitarist of the metal groups Pantera and Damageplan (with his brother, Vinnie Paul, see 2018). The shooting occurred on the 24th anniverasry of John Lennon's
fatal shooting by Mark David Chapman (see 1980). You can read the report on Darrell's murder,
released 24 October 2005. With Pantera: "Planet Caravan" (Black Sabbath cover), "Revolution is My Name," "Becoming."
With Damageplan: "Explode," "Save Me," "Breathing New Life"
Jesse Ed Davis
(Jesse Edwin Davis), heroin overdose; 1988. Davis was a respected and popular session guitarist who appeared on
albums by Eric Clapton, John Lennon (see 1980), Keith Moon, Ringo Starr, Jackson Browne, Leonard Cohen, Harry Nilsson
and Steve Miller. Davis also participated in George Harrison's (see 2001) The Concert for Bangladesh. Davis
collapsed and was pronounced dead in a laundry room in Venice, California. He had various drugs in his system, but his
death is thought to have been caused by a heroin overdose. He was 43 years old.
Marlena Davis
lung cancer, 1993. She was 48. Davis was a member of girl group, The Orlons, who were popular in the 1960s. Fellow Orlon, Audrey Brickley, died of acute respiratory distress syndrome in 2005. She was 58. Shirley Brickley, Audrey's sister and another fellow Orlon, was shot to death in 1977 when an intruder invaded her home. She was 35. "The Wah Watusi," "Don't Hang Up," "South Street"
Paul Davis
heart attack in 2008 at the age of 60. His 1977 hit "I Go Crazy," stayed on the Hot 100 chart for 40 weeks - a record at
the time. His other hits include "Cool Night," "65 Love Affair," "Ride 'Em Cowboy, " and "You're Still New To Me" with Marie Osmond.
Bobby Day
(Robert James Byrd), succumbed to prostate cancer in 1990. He was 60. He is most popularly
known for the hit single, “Rockin’ Robin."
Bill Deal
heart attack in 2003. He was 59. Deal fronted Bill Deal & the Rhondels. "May I," "I've Been Hurt," "What Kind of Fool Do
You Think I Am?"
Bobby DeBarge
(Robert Louis DeBarge, Jr.), AIDS; he was 39. DeBarge was the lead singer of Motown vocal group, Switch, and he was mentor/producer (and later member) of his siblings' group, DeBarge. DeBarge had trouble with drugs later in life, and he was incarcerated on drug trafficking charges. While in prison, the musician (who was bisexual) contracted HIV. He died of AIDS in 1995. DeBarge (the group) had several pop hits in the '80s, inlcuding "Rhythm of the Night," "You Wear It Well," and "All This Love"
Echo and the Bunnymen.
Les Pattinson, Will Sergeant,
Ian McCulloch, Pete de Freitas (d. 1989).
Pete de Freitas
(Pete Louis Vincent de Freitas), motorcycle accident in Staffordshire, England (1989). He was 27. De Freitas was the drummer for
Echo and the Bunnymen. He was riding a 900cc Ducati on the A51,
traveling from Liverpool to London, when he collided with an elderly woman who had pulled out in front of him.
(Thanks to Southpaw for the information.) Jake Drake-Brockman, keyboardist for the band, would also be killed in a
motorcycle accident, in 2009 at the age of 53. "The Killing Moon," "Over the Wall, "All My Colours," "Lips Like Sugar"
Darryl DeLoach
liver cancer in 2002. He was 55. DeLoach founded Iron Butterfly, and was the original lead singer. He left the band
after their first album, Heavy, was recorded, before the success of "Inna-Gadda-Da-Vita." He survived bassist
Philip Taylor Kramer (see 1995) and died one year before guitarist Erik Brann (see 2003).
Brad Delp
Brad Delp
carbon monoxide poisoning in 2007. Delp was the lead singer and guitarist for '70s rock band, Boston. He was found on
his bathroom floor, his head on a pillow and a suicide note ("I am a lonely soul.... I have lost my desire to live.")
paper-clipped to the neck of his shirt. Delp had sealed himself inside the room with two charcoal grills. He was 55.
"More Than a Feeling," "Amanda," "Peace of Mind," "Don't Look Back"
Sandy Denny
Sandy Denny
head injuries sustained during a fall in 1978. Denny suffered postnatal drug/alcohol withdrawal and depression. Her husband
left a few months later with their daughter, and while intoxicated, she fell down a flight of stairs. Ignoring her headaches
and injuries, she died a few days later. Denny was 31. "No More Sad Refrains," co-vocalist on Led Zeppelin's "Battle of
Evermore"
John Denver
John Denver
(Henry John Deutschendorf Jr.), plane crash in California, 1997. Denver was piloting the plane; he was 53. Visit
John Denver's Tribute for artist information, photos, and a detailed account of the fatal
plane crash. "You Fill Up My Senses (Annie's Song)," "Rocky Mountain High," "Thank God I'm a Country Boy"
Tony Destra
car accident in 1987. Cinderella's founding drummer. He was asked to leave just prior to their mainstream breakthrough.
He then formed Britny Fox, but he was killed right before recording the Britny Fox debut. He was 33. Cinderella: "Don't
Know What You Got 'Til It's Gone" Britny Fox: "Girlschool," "Long Way to Love"
Renee Diggs
heart condition (2005); she was 50. Diggs was the lead singer of Starpoint, an R&B group that had several hits in the 1980s, including "Object of My Desire," "What You Been Missin'", and "Restless".
"Dino" Dines
(Peter Leslie Dines), heart attack in 2004; he was 59. Dines was a keyboardist who played with The Hollies, Beach Boys, and
later joined T-Rex. Unforunately for Dines, he joined after the band's heyday. He was one of five T-Rex members to die
prematurely, the others being singer Marc Bolan (see 1977), Steve Peregrin Took (see 1980), Steve Currie (see 1981), and
Mickey Finn (see 2003). T-Rex (minus Dines) was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2020.T-Rex's hits with Dines: "New York City," "I Love to Boogie"
"Razzle" Dingley
Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley
automobile accident in 1984; he was 24. Drummer for Eighties band Hanoi Rocks. Dingley accompanied a drunk Vince Neil
(singer for Motley Crue) on a beer run; Neil crashed his car and Razzle was killed. (Neil served 30 days in jail for
vehicular manslaughter.) "Up Around the Bend," "Underwater World," "I Can't Get It"
Mark Dinning
heart attack at the age of 52 in 1986. Dinning's "death disc," "Teen Angel," went to #1 in 1960, despite being banned by
numerous radio stations.
DJ AM
(Adam Michael Goldstein), overdose of OxyContin pain killers in 2009; drug paraphanelia (crack cocaine) was also
found near the body. It is widely speculated that the cause of death was suicide. He was 36. Goldstein had survived a fatal plane
crash less than a year before, sustaining third-degree burns. He often spoke about his survivor's guilt and
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. He had also recently broken up with his girlfriend. DJ AM was a popular club DJ and a member of Crazy Town, who scored a #1 hit with 2001's
"Butterfly".) Three members of Crazy Town have died prematurely - DJ AM, Rust Epique (heart attack, see 2004) and Shifty Shellshock (cause of death unknown, see 2024).
Patty Donahue
lung cancer, 1996. She was 40. Singer for the '80s band, The Waitresses. "I Know What Boys Like"
Ral Donner
(Ralph Stuart Donner), lung cancer at the age of 41 (in 1984). Donner built his singing career around his uncanny
ability to mimic Elvis' vocal style. He narrated the 1981 film "This Is Elvis." "You Don't Know What You've Got
(Until You Lose It)," "Girl of My Best Friend," "She's Everything (I Wanted You to Be)"
Jimmy Dorsey
Jimmy Dorsey
throat cancer (1957). He was 53. Formed the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra, which once included trombonist Glenn Miller
(see 1944), with brother Tommy (see 1956). The Dorsey Brothers had a live television series, "Stage Show," where Elvis
Presley (see 1977) made his first national TV appearance. "So Rare," "Ampola"
Tommy Dorsey
Tommy Dorsey
aspiration of vomit (1956). Formed the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra, which once included trombonist Glenn Miller
(see 1944), with brother Jimmy (see 1957). Tommy ingested a large dinner and was accustomed to using pills to
help him sleep. He was 50. The Dorsey Brothers had a live television series, "Stage Show," where Elvis Presley
(see 1977) made his first national TV appearance. "Opus One" (with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra)
Gordon Downie
brain cancer in 2017; he was 53. Downie sang lead for the Canadian band, The Tragically Hip. In 2002, the group was given a star on Canada's Walk of Fame and in 2005 they were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. The band has won over a dozen Juno Awards and was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2017.
"Courage," "Ahead by a Century," "Poets," "In View"
Peter Doyle
cancer in 2001. Doyle was a member of The New Seekers, who scored a hit in 1971 with "I'd Like To Teach The World To
Sing." He was 52. 1970's "Look What They've Done To My Song, Ma"
Nick Drake
Nick Drake
(Nicholas Rodney Drake), anti-depressant overdose in 1974; he was 26. Drake was an ethereal folk singer. In 1985, The
Dream Academy released the song, "Life in a Northern Town," about Drake. It reached #7 on The Billboard Hot 100. "Pink
Moon," "Fly," "Northern Sky," "Black-Eyed Dog"
Jake Drake-Brockmann
(James Ralph Drake-Brockman), motorcycle accident in 2009. He was 53. Drake-Brockman formed BOM, a dance band, and he toured with Echo &
the Bunnymen in the Eighties. He played on their single, "Seven Seas", and on their 1987 album, Echo & the Bunnymen.
He joined the group full-time as their keyboardist in 1989. Drake-Brockman died on the Isle of Man when his motorcycle collided
with a converted ambulance. (Echo & the Bunnymen's drummer, Pete de Freitas, was also killed in a motorcycle accident, in 1989. He
was 27.) Echo & the Bunnymen: "Over the Wall," "Heaven Up Here, "All My Colours," "The Killing Moon"
Willis Draffen
(Willis Lewis Draffen, Jr.), cause of death undisclosed (2002). Draffen was a known diabetic, but the specific cause of
death was not released. He was 56. He was a member of Bloodstone, with Roger Lee Durham (see 1973) and Melvin Webb (see 1982). "Natural High,"
"Never Let You Go," "Outside Woman," "My Little Lady"
Gary Driscoll
(John Gary Driscoll), murdered in 1987. He was 41. Driscoll was an American drummer who performed with Elf, Rainbow (briefly), Dakota, and Bible Black. Driscoll's death remains shrouded in mystery. He was found dead in a home in Ithaca, New York; it is speculated that there may have been more than one killer and the motives range from a drug dispute to a ritualistic satanic sacrifice. The main suspect fled the country and Driscoll's murder remains unsolved.
Hansi Droz
cause of death undisclosed (1999); he was 40. Droz was guitarist for Swiss metal band, Krokus, from 1975 to 1976 (with Remo Spadino, see 2010). Krokus: "Midnite Maniac," "Our Love," "Screaming in the Night"
Quiet Riot: Carlos Cavazo, Kevin DuBrow (d. 2007),
Rudy Sarzo, Frankie Banali (d. 2020).
Kevin DuBrow
accidental cocaine overdose (2007); age 52. DuBrow was the lead singer of '80s metal group, Quiet Riot. His fellow band members included guitarist Randy Rhoads (see 1982) and Frankie Banali (died in 2020 of pancreatic cancer, age 68). "Cum On Feel the Noize," "Bang Your Head (Metal Health)," "Slick Black Cadillac"
Roger Lee Durham
fall from a horse in 1973; he was 27. Durham was a member of Bloodstone, with Melvin Webb (see 1982) and Willis Draffen (see 2002). Durham was an airman
in Vietnam; he is buried in Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery (Kansas). "Natural High," "Never Let You Go," "Outside
Woman," "My Little Lady"
Ian Dury
colorectal cancer, 2000. Dury, 52, was lead for the English band, Ian Dury And The Blockheads. Dury turned to music after
the death of singer Gene Vincent (see 1971). The Blockheads scored five hit singles and two Top Ten albums between 1978
and 1980. "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll," "Sweet Gene Vincent," "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick"
Ronnie Dyson
heart failure (1990). He was 40. "(If You Let Me Make Love To You Then) Why Can't I Touch You?" "I Don't Wanna Cry,"
"When You Get Right Down To It"