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The Death of Rock: The Alphabetical Archive

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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

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Doug Sahm

heart attack (1999) at age 57. Sahm was the leader of the Sir Douglas Quintet. "She's About A Mover," "The Rains Came," "Mendocino"

Kyu Sakamoto

Kyu Sakamoto

(Hisashi Oshima), plane crash in 1985. He was 43. Sakamoto was the first Japanese artist to have a number one hit in the United States with "Sukiyaki" (1963). He was ranked number 18 in a list of Japan's top 100 influential musicians by HMV. Sakamoto was killed when JAL Flight 123 lost pieces of its tail sections, spiraled downward for 30 minutes, and crashed on a thickly wooded mountain about 60 miles northwest of Tokyo. Five hundred and twenty people were killed and four were injured in the worst single airplane disaster in aviation history. You can read a detailed account of the crash with photos of the aircraft - during breakup - and Sakamoto's final resting place.

Gar Samuelson

liver failure in 1999. He was 41. Samuelson was the drummer for thrash-metal band, Megadeth, from 1984-1987. He formed Fatal Opera in the mid-1990s. Albums with Megadeth: Killing is My Business...And Business is Good! and Peace Sells...But Who's Buying? With Fatal Opera: Fatal Opera and Eleventh Hour.

Mark Sandman

heart attack in 1999, at the age of 47. Sandman was lead of the Boston-based Morphine. He collapsed on stage in Rome, dead of a massive heart attack. "In Spite of Me," "Cure for Pain," "Honey White"

Pattie Santos

Pattie Santos

(Patricia Dora Santos), automobile accident in 1989. She was 40. Santos was the lead singer for psychedelic rock band, It's A Beautiful Day. The group's eponymous debut album reached number 47 on the US charts. It is speculated that Santos was drunk driving when she failed to negotiate a curve in the road and slammed into a tree (then a fence, followed by another tree). "White Bird," "Time Is," "Hot Summer Day," "Bombay Calling"

Stefanie Sargent

heroin overdose in 1992; she was 24. Sargent was the guitarist for 7 Year Bitch, an all-female band from Seattle's early-'90s grunge scene. Sargent abused alcohol and heroin, choking on her own vomit. A future guitarist for the group, Lisa Fay Beatty, would be killed in a motorcycle accident in 2011 at the age of 47. Read about their involvement with the Shadows of Seattle. From Sick 'Em: "Tired of Nothing," "You Smell Lonely," "Dead Men Don't Rape"

Clarence "Satch" Satchell

aneurysm (1995); he was 55. Satchell was the saxophonist and flautist for The Ohio Players, popular for their 1970s dance hits, such as "Love Rollercoaster," "Funky Worm," and "Fire." (Fellow Ohio Player Ralph "Pee Wee" Middlebrooks passed away in 1996.)

John Baker Saunders

heroin overdose in 1999. He was 44. Saunders was bassist for Mad Season, which featured Alice in Chains vocalist, Layne Staley (who would also die a heroin-related death in 2002.) Read about their involvement with the Shadows of Seattle. "River of Deceit," "Above," "Wake Up"

Mike Scaccia

heart attack in 2012 at the age of 47. Scaccia was performing as part of the 50th birthday celebration for Rigor Mortis frontman, Bruce Corbitt, when he collapsed on stage. He had suffered a heart attack brought on by heart disease. Scaccia was lead guitarist for Rigor Mortis, Ministry, and The Revolting Cocks. Ministry: "Jesus Built My Hotrod," "N.W.O." The Revolting Cocks: "Stainless Steel Providers," "Sergio Guitar"

Scatman John

(John Paul Larkin), lung cancer (1999). He was 57. Scatman John fused scat singing with dance music. He enjoyed much of his success in the 1990s and scored two hits in 1995 with "Scatman (Ski-Ba-Bop-Ba-Dop-Bop)" and "Scatman's World".

Joe Schermie

(Joseph Edward Schermetzler), heart attack in 2002. He was 56. Schermie was the original bassist for Three Dog Night. "Black and White," "Joy to the World," "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)," "One"

Adam Schlesinger

coronavirus in 2020; age 52. Schlesinger was a singer/songwriter ("That Thing You Do!" from the film of the same name) and co-founder of Fountains of Wayne ("Stacy's Mom"). Based on his songwriting skills, he earned three Emmys and was nominated for a Academy Award and a Golden Globe.

Chuck Schuldiner

(Charles Michael Schuldiner), brain cancer (2001). He was 34. Schuldiner was the founder, songwriter, vocalist, rhythm and lead guitarist for the metal group, Death. "The Father of Death Metal," his obituary in Kerrang! magazine called Schuldiner "one of the most significant figures in the history of metal." He placed at #20 on Guitar World's list of the 100 greatest metal guitarists. Death albums include: Human, Individual Thought Patterns, Symbolic and The Sound of Perseverance.

Bon Scott

*Bon Scott

(Ronald Belford Scott), aspiration of vomit after excessive alcohol consumption in 1980. He was 33. Scott performed lead for AC/DC. The band, including Scott, were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2003. "(You Shook Me) All Night Long," "Back in Black," "Dirty Deeds (Done Dirt Cheap)"

Walter Scott

(Walter Nothesis), murdered; he was 40. Lead singer of Bob Kuban & the In-Men, who scored a 1966 hit with "The Cheater". Scott was reported missing shortly after Christmas, 1983. It wasn't until 1987 that his body was found, floating in a cistern with a gunshot wound to the chest. Jim Williams, who was having an affair with Scott's wife, Joanne, murdered both Scott and his own wife, Sharon, with Joanne's cooperation. They married shortly after the murders, before their plan was uncovered. Jim Williams received life without parole; Joanne Scott was sentenced to five years for hindering the investigation but was released early on parole.

Selena

Selena

(Selena Quintanilla Perez), shot in 1995. The "Queen of Tejano Music" was just beginning to enjoy mainstream success; she was 23. Selena's family discovered that Yolanda Saldivar, the president of Selena's fan club, was embezzling money and fired her. Afterwards, Selena met Saldivar at a hotel in Corpus Christi, TX, to obtain missing financial documents. Saldivar took a gun from her purse, and as Selena turned to leave, shot her once in the back. Selena ran to the lobby and collapsed on the floor, dying at the hospital from extensive blood loss. Saldivar barricaded herself in her pickup truck with the gun and enetered into a stand-off with police for ten hours before surrendering. She was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. Selena won a Grammy and was nominated for another. Her birthday, 16 April, was declared "Selena Day" in Texas, and a film based on her life (with Jennifer Lopez as the slain singer) was released in 1997. In June 2006, a museum was dedicated to Selena and a life-size bronze statue were unveiled in Corpus Christi. "I'm Getting Used to You," "I Could Fall in Love," "Dreaming of You"

David Seville and the Chipmunks

David Seville

(Ross Bagdasarian), heart attack in 1972. He was 52. Bagdasarian co-wrote "Come on-a My House" (with cousin William Saroyan). As David Seville and The Chipmunks (Alvin, Simon, and Theodore), he had a #1 hit with "Witch Doctor." "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)"

Del Shannon

*Del Shannon

(Charles Weedon Westover), self-inflicted rifle wound. He was 55. On February 3, 1990, Shannon performed at the annual Buddy Holly (see 1959) concert in Clear Lake, Iowa. (Read about Shannon's connection to the Curse of Buddy Holly.) Five days after the concert, he unexpectedly killed himself (using a .22 calibre rifle) while on anti-depressants. Shannon's wife filed suit a year later against the makers of the prescription drug Prozac claiming that its use contributed to his death. Del Shannon was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1999 and he was also inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. "Runaway," "Hats Off to Larry," "Little Town Flirt," "So Long Baby"

Bobby Sheehan

(Robert Vaughan Sheehan), drug overdose in 1999; he was 31. Sheehan was the bassist for the popular '90s band, Blues Traveler. Valium, cocaine, and heroin were found in his system. "Run Around," "The Mountains Win Again," "Hook"

Adam Shellenberger

brain cancer (2009); he was 39. Shellenberger was the drummer for Lit. "My Own Worst Enemy," "Miserable," "Lipstick and Bruises"

Shifty Shellshock

(Seth Binzer), accidental overdose of prescription and street drugs (2024). He was 49. Shellshock was the lead singer of Crazy Town, who scored a #1 hit with 2001's "Butterfly". He very publicly battled drug addiction, appearing on Celebrity Rehab 1 and 2 and Sober House 1 and 2. Three members of Crazy Town have died prematurely - Shellshock, Rust Epique (heart attack, see 2004) and DJ AM (drug overdose, see 2009).

James "Shep" Sheppard

murdered in 1970. He was 34. Sheppard, lead singer for Shep and The Limelites, was found shot to death in his car on the Long Island Expressway. He had been robbed and beaten. The doo-wop trio had a hit with "Daddy's Home" (1961). Fellow group member, Charles Baskerville, died in 1995 at the age of 58. The cause of death is unknown. "A Thousand Miles Away," "Everybody's Somebody's Fool"

Allan Sherman

respiratory ailments; 1973. He was 48. Sherman recorded the novelty tune, "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh."

*Garry Shider

cancer of the brain and lungs (2010); he was 56. Shider was musical director, songwriter and guitarist for Parliament-Funkadelic. He was referred to by fans as "Starchild" or - because he often wore a loincloth while performing - "Diaperman." Parliament-Funkadelic were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. Shider was predeceased by fellow band members, Glenn Lamont Goins (1978) and Eddie Hazel (1992). "Flash Light," "One Nation Under a Groove," "Aqua Boogie," "(Not Just) Knee Deep"

"The Singing Nun"

(Jeanne Deckers), committed suicide. The Singing Nun's "Dominique" went to number one in the U.S. in 1963 and sold over 1.5 million copies, winning a Grammy. She and a friend, Annie Pescher, later founded a center for autistic children in Belgium. In the 1980s, the Belgian government claimed that she owed back taxes of more than $47,000 from her time as a recording artist; she claimed that the money was given to the convent and therefore exempt from taxes. This demand put the children's center in financial jeopardy, and in 1985 both she and Pescher took their lives with a combination of pills and alcohol. At the time of her death, The Singing Nun was 52 years old.

John Siomos

causes unknown (2004); he was 56. Siomos was a session drummer who toured with Peter Frampton and appears on Frampton Comes Alive! Siomos co-wrote the hit "Do You Feel Like We Do". (Bob Mayo, who was the keyboardist for the Frampton tour, also died in 2004.) Siomos also appeared on Todd Rundgren's "Hello It's Me" and Carly Simon's "That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be". Siomos was found dead in his apartment. No cause of death was named, but it was supposedly "natural causes."

Gregory Slay

Slay was co-founder of the band, Remy Zero, who scored hits with their songs, "Prophecy" and "Save Me". (The latter became the theme song for the television series, Smallville.) The group disbanded in 2003. That same year, Slay and two former bandmates formed Engine Room. They recorded "A Perfect Lie", which Slay co-wrote, the theme for the television series, Nip/Tuck. "A Perfect Lie" was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Main Title Theme Music in 2004. Slay succumbed to cystic fibrosis on New Year's Day, 2010. He was 40. Albums with Remy Zero: the self-titled Remy Zero and Villa Elaine.

Joni Sledge

(Joan Elise Sledge), "natural causes" at age 60 (2017). Sledge belonged to the disco/pop group, Sister Sledge. "We Are Family," "He's the Greatest Dancer," "Lost in Music"

*Hillel Slovak

heroin overdose in 1988; he was 26. Slovak, born in Israel to Holocaust survivors, was a founding member and the guitarist for California funk-rock band, Red Hot Chili Peppers. He appeared on their first two albums and was included in their 2012 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, but the band's success didn't ignite until several years after the guitarist's death. Post-Slovak: "Higher Ground," "Under the Bridge," "Give It Away"

"Empress of the Blues," Bessie Smith

*^Bessie Smith

automobile accident in 1937; she was 43. "Empress of the Blues," it is believed she was coached by "Mother of the Blues," Ma Rainey (see 1939). Two versions circulate regarding Smith's death. The first states that Smith's vehicle slammed into a parked truck. A doctor saw the accident and stopped to help the singer, whose arm was nearly severed. Before he could move her to his vehicle, hers was struck by another car. Smith died later that day from her injuries. Another version has Smith's vehicle being hit head-on by a truck. Her arm was practically severed, but she was denied care at several "whites-only" hospitals. When she finally arrived at a "coloreds-only" hospital she had lost too much blood and died. She lay in an unmarked grave until 1970, when Janis Joplin (see 1971) and Juanita Green, Smith's former maid and later a chapter-head of the NAACP, donated money for a headstone. Smith was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980 and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. "Down Hearted Blues," "Backwater Blues," "St. Louis Blues"

*Claydes Charles Smith

passed away in 2006 after "a long illness." He was 57. Smith was co-founder and lead guitarist of Kool & the Gang. He wrote the hits "Joanna" and "Take My Heart," and was a co-writer of "Celebration," "Jungle Boogie," and others. Kool & the Gang were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2024.

Elliott Smith

self-inflicted stab wound (2003). Smith released 5 solo albums and was nominated for an Academy Award for the song, "Miss Misery," from the 1997 film, Good Will Hunting. He was 34.

*Fred "Sonic" Smith

heart failure at age 45 (1994). Guitarist for seminal punk group, MC5 (Motor City 5), and husband to poet/rocker Patti Smith. Vocalist for MC5, Rob Tyner, suffered the same fate three years earlier. (Bassist Michael Davis died of liver disease in 2012. He was 68.) The MC5 were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2024. "Kick Out the Jams," "Shakin' Street"

Gerard Smith

lung cancer in 2011. Smith was the bassist and keyboardist for TV On The Radio. Smith played on the albums Dear Science and Nine Types of Light, the latter of which was released just one week prior to his death. He was 34.

Jerome Smith

construction accident in 2000. He was 47. Smith was a founding member and rhythm guitarist of KC & the Sunshine Band. While working construction, he fell off his bulldozer and was crushed by the machine. "Get Down Tonight," "That's The Way (I Like It)," "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty"

Mike "Smitty" Smith

succumbed to natural causes in 2001. He was 58. (Some sources have his age at death as 60.) Smith was the drummer for Paul Revere and the Raiders. "Indian Reservation (Cherokee People)," "Steppin' Out," "The Great Airplane Strike"

Ronnie Smith

suicide. Smith was lead vocalist for the Poor Boys, which included drummer Carl Bunch. Bunch had replaced Buddy Holly's regular drummer on the ill-fated Winter Dance Party tour (see the Buddy Holly Tribute). (Waylon Jennings and Tommy Allsup substituted for Holly's regular bassist and guitarist, respectively.) After Holly's fatal plane crash, Ronnie Smith replaced him on the remainder of the tour. (Read about the Curse of Buddy Holly.) Smith, Bunch, Jennings, and Allsup later formed the Jitters. In 1962, Smith was committed to a state hospital for drug abuse; he hanged himself in one of the bathrooms. His age at the time of his death was approximately 24.

Scott Smith

drowned in 2000. He was 45. Smith was the bassist for '80s soft-rockers, Loverboy. Smith was boating with two friends when strong winds and high waves began battering the craft. He sent his friends below deck; a while later they realized both he and the steering mechanism were missing. His body was never found. "Working for the Weekend," "Lovin' Every Minute of It," "This Could Be the Night"

Shawn Smith

torn aorta and hypertension in 2019. He was 53. Smith was a singer and songwriter who had a solo career and performed with several Seattle bands, including Brad, Satchel, Pigeonhed, and The Twilight Singers. In 1999, the British techno group, Lo Fidelity Allstars, remixed and released the Pigeonhed song, "Battle Flag". The song reached #6 on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart. Read about his involvement with the Shadows of Seattle. Smith's solo albums include Let It All Begin, Live at the Point, and Shield of Thorns.

Cory Smoot

coronary artery thrombosis (2011). Smoot played the character, Flattus Maximus, in the metal band, Gwar. Several guitarists have portrayed the character; it was retired when Smoot (the most recent Maximus) was found dead on the band's tour bus. He was 34. Gwar were nominated for two Grammy Awards. "Endless Apocalypse," "If I Could Be That," "The Performer"

Phoebe Snow

(Phoebe Ann Laub), effects of a brain hemorrhage. She was 60. Snow's 1975 song, "Poetry Man," reached Billboard's Top Five in the Hot 100. She was nominated for a Grammy as Best New Artist, was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone, and appeared several times as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live. Snow endured a brain hemorrhage in January 2010 and slipped into a coma. She died over a year later, in April of 2011. "I Don't Want the Night to End," "Harpo's Blues"

Johnny Solinger

liver cancer in 2021. He was 55. Solinger was the lead singer for hair metal band, Skid Row, replacing original lead, Sebastian Bach, in 1999. Skid Row; "I Remember You," "18 and Life," "Monkey Business"

SOPHIE

(Sophie Xeon), fell three stories from a roof while trying to photograph the moon (2021); she was 34. A trans woman, SOPHIE was a trans rights activist. She worked with Madonna to co-produce the single "Bitch, I'm Madonna" and collaborated with Charli XCX on the EP Vroom Vroom. SOPHIE's debut album Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides was awarded a Grammy nomination for Best Dance/Electronic Album. Her singles include "Bipp" and "Lemonade".

Soraya

breast cancer (2006). She was 37. Soraya was a Hispanic singer who won a Latin Grammy for Best Female Album in 2004. Her mother, grandmother and an aunt died of breast cancer, which prompted her to educate Hispanic women about the disease. "Solo Por Ti," "Casi"

Jimmy Soul

(James McCleese), heart attack in 1988. Soul hit #1 in 1963 with the song "If You Wanna Be Happy." He was 45 when he died.

Epic Soundtracks

(Kevin Godfrey), died in his sleep in 1997; unknown causes. He was 37. Soundtracks was a solo artist and once part of Swell Maps, a '70s rock outfit that he had formed with his brother, Nikki Sudden (see 2006).

Remo Spadino

cause of death undisclosed (2010); he was 57. Spadino was bassist for Swiss metal band, Krokus, from 1975 to 1976 (with Hansi Droz, see 1999). Krokus: "Midnite Maniac," "Our Love," "Screaming in the Night"

Skip Spence

(Alexander Spence), lung cancer (1999). He was 52. Spence was the original drummer for Jefferson Airplane. He left to form Moby Grape. (Spence's replacement in Jefferson Airplane, Spencer Dryden, died in 2005 from colon cancer. He was 66. Papa John Creach, the Airplane's fiddler, succumbed to pneumonia in 1994 at the age of 76.) With Jefferson Airplane: "You're My Best Friend" With Moby Grape: "Hey Grandma," "Fall On You," "Sitting By the Window"

Ian "Spike" Spice

cause of death (2000) was not disclosed, although there are rumors that he was killed in a car accident in Thailand; he was 34. Spice was the drummer for Breathe, who had several pop radio hits in the late '80s. "How Can I Fall?" "Hands to Heaven," "Does She Love That Man?"

Dusty Springfield

*Dusty Springfield

(Mary Isabel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien), breast cancer, 1999. She was 59. Springfield died on the day she was scheduled to receive the Order of the British Empire (OBE) from the queen of England and two weeks before her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. "I Only Want to Be With You," "Wishin' and Hopin'," "Son of a Preacher Man," "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me"

Mark St. John

cerebral hemorrhage in 2007, age 51. St. John was the guitarist for Kiss during its brief "no-makeup" period, appearing on the album Animalize and in the music video "Heaven's On Fire." He was diagnosed with Reiter's Syndrome (a form of arthritis), which caused his hands and arms to swell. This prevented him from playing guitar, and he completed only one live performance with the band. St. John improved after leaving Kiss, and he started the metal group, White Tiger. With Kiss: "I've Had Enough (Into the Fire)," "Get All You Can Take." With White Tiger: "Rock Warriors," "Northern Wind," "Still Standing Strong"

Terry Stafford

liver failure. Stafford had the uncanny ability to mimic Elvis's vocal style. He died in 1996 at the age of 54. "Suspicion," "I'll Touch a Star"

Layne Staley

Layne Staley

overdose of heroin and cocaine in 2002. Staley was 34. Lead singer of Alice in Chains and Mad Season, Staley was found dead in his apartment, his body undiscovered for 2 weeks. He died on 5 April, the date that Kurt Cobain took his life in 1994. Mike Starr, former bassist for AIC, was the last known person to see Staley alive; he spent time with the singer the day before he died. Starr stated that Staley was extremely ill, but would not call 911. The two argued and Starr stormed off with Staley calling after him, "Not like this, don't leave like this." Starr regretted not calling 911 to save his friend's life and blamed himself for Staley's death. (Mike Starr would die of a suspected drug overdose in 2011. Coincidentally, Staley's bassist in Mad Season, John Baker Saunders, died of a heroin overdose in 1999. Read about their involvement with the Shadows of Seattle.) AIC had the heaviest sound of the early '90s Grunge movement, with songs like "Would?", "Rooster", "Them Bones", "No Excuses", "Down in a Hole", "Got Me Wrong", and "Angry Chair".

Mack Starr

(Julius McMichael), motorcylce accident. Mack was a member of the vocal quartet, The Olympics. Vocalist Charles Fizer was replaced by Melvin King for a year while he was imprisoned for drug possession. Fizer was later shot and killed by the National Guard during the Watts Riots (see 1965). King again stepped in to replace Fizer, but distraught over the death of his sister (who was also killed in the riots), he performed only one show before leaving the group. Mack Starr became Melvin King's replacement. In 1981, Starr was knocked off his motorcycle by an out-of-control automobile and killed. He was 45. The Olympics: "Western Movies" (which reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100), "(Baby) Hully Gully," "Big Boy Pete," "Good Lovin'"

Alice in Chains, circa 1992: Mike Starr (d. 2011), Jerry Cantrell,

Layne Stayley (d. 2002) and Sean Kinney.

Mike Starr

(Michael Christopher Starr), suspected drug overdose; he was 44. Starr was the bassist for grunge icons, Alice in Chains. He was replaced in the group in 1993 after the release of the album, Dirt, because of his addiction to heroin. In February 2011, he was arrested for felony possession of a controlled substance in Salt Lake City, Utah. A month later, he was found dead in a Salt Lake City home of a suspected overdose. (Some sources site a prescription drug overdose.) In 2010, Starr appeared on the television series, Celebrity Rehab for heroin addiction. He remembered Alice in Chains lead singer, Layne Staley, and his death in 2002. Starr was the last known person to see Staley alive; he spent time with the singer the day before his death. He stated that Staley was extremely ill, but would not call 911. The two argued and Starr stormed off with Staley calling after him, "Not like this, don't leave like this." Starr regretted not calling 911 to save his friend's life and blamed himself for Staley's death. Read about his involvement with the Shadows of Seattle. AIC had the heaviest sound of the early '90s Grunge movement, with songs like "Would?", "Rooster", "Them Bones", "No Excuses", "Down in a Hole", "Got Me Wrong", and "Angry Chair".

Wayne Static

(Wayne Richard Wells), multiple prescription drug toxicity; 2014. He was 48. Static was the lead vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist for metal band Static-X. Static died peacefully in his sleep. "Push It," "The Only," "I'm the One"

Type O Negative. Peter Steele is second from the right.

Peter Steele

(Petrus T. Ratajczyk), sepsis caused by diverticulitis in 2010. Steele was the bassist, composer and lead singer of "Gothic metal" band, Type O Negative. He stood an imposing 6' 8" tall and appeared as a nude centerfold in Playgirl in 1995. Type O Negative's dark metal appeared on the soundtracks of several horror movies, including I Know What You Did Last Summer, The Blair Witch Project, Nosferatu (1922 silent film re-released in 1998), Bride of Chucky, and Freddy vs. Jason. Steele was 48 at the time of his death. "Black No. 1," "Bloody Kisses," a particularly disturbing version of Seals & Crofts's "Summer Breeze"

B.W. Stevenson

(Lewis Charles "Buckwheat" Stevenson), died following heart surgery in 1988. He was 38. "My Maria," "Be My Woman Tonight," "Shambala"

*Ian Stewart

stroke. Stewart was the original keyboardist for the Rolling Stones who was relegated to a behind-the-scenes position as roadie becuase he lacked the look of a rock star. He stayed with the band (and out of sight) for over twenty years, and he played on several Stones' hits, including "It's All Over Now," "Star Star," and "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll." In 1979, he formed the band Rocket 88. Stewart died of a stroke in 1985 while sitting in his doctor's waiting room. He was 47. He was included in the Rolling Stones' induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.

Jermaine Stewart

(William Jermaine Stewart), AIDS (1997); he was 39. Back-up vocalist for Shalamar, The Temptations, and Boy George and singer of the '80s top ten single, "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off."

Bob Stinson

(Robert Neil Stinson), organ failure due to long-term drug use (1995). He was 35. Stinson was a founder and the guitarist for The Replacements. "I Will Dare," "Unsatisfied," "Bastards of the Young"

Rory Storm

(Alan Caldwell), overdose in 1972. He was 34. Storm fronted The Hurricanes with Johnny Guitar (see 1999) and future Beatle Ringo Starr. He and his mother ingested sleeping pills in a double suicide after the death of his father. "Dr. Feelgood," "America"

Lynn Strait

(James Lynn Strait), car accident in 1998. Strait was the singer and lyricist for the rock band Snot. He was involved in a six-car crash, but the only fatalities were the musician and his dog, Dobbs (who is featured on the cover of Snot's debut album, Get Some). Strait was 29. "Joy Ride," "Tecato," "Deadfall"

Steve Strange

(Steven Harrington), lead singer for '80s New Romantic band, Visage, and popular nightclub owner. He died of a heart attack in 2015 at the age of 55. "Fade to Grey"

Joe Strummer

*Joe Strummer

(John Graham Mellor), heart failure in 2002. He was 50. Ground-breaking punk band The Clash were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2003. "Rock the Casbah," "Train in Vain," "Radio Clash"

Jud Strunk

plane crash in 1981. He was 45. Strunk appeared on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, Hee-Haw, Bewitched, and The Merv Griffin Show. He was killed when he suffered a heart attack while piloting his 1941 PT 19 and crashed at the Carrabassett Valley Airport in Maine. "Daisy A Day," "The Biggest Parakeets in Town," "Next Door Neighbor's Kid," "My Country"

Poly Styrene

(Marianne Joan Elliott-Said), songwriter and vocalist for pioneering British punk band, X-Ray Spex. (She also released a single in 1976, as Mari Elliot, called "Silly Billy".) Styrene was diagnosed with breast cancer that eventually spread to her spine and lungs. She died in 2011 at the age of 53. With X-Ray Spex: "Oh Bondage Up Yours!" "I Am A Cliche," "The Day The World Turned Day-Glo"

Nikki Sudden

(Nicholas Godfrey), heart attack in 2006; he was 49. Sudden was a cult British rocker who was once part of Swell Maps, a '70s rock outfit that he had formed with his brother, Epic Soundtracks (see 1997). Sudden's 1990 album, Liquor, Guns, and Ammo, was a collaboration with members of REM.

Eddie Sulik

Eddie Sulik

car crash in 1965; he was 36. Sulik was a songwriter, lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the rockabilly duo the Echoes. The Echoes appeared with perfomers like Johnny Burnette (see 1964), Johnny Tillotson, and the Temptations. In 1960, the Echoes embarked on a brief tour with the Miss Universe Pageants, and appeared on radio and TV. Sulik went solo in 1961, garnering the attention of record executive Archie Bleyer. Bleyer invited Sulik to his office in New York City two weeks before Christmas, 1965; Chet Atkins was going to be in town. Sulik was killed in a car accident just hours before the meeting. Sulik was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. Vist The Archive's Tribute to Eddie Sulik. "Bye-Bye My Baby," "Ecstasy," "Bounty Hunter Dale," "Anna Marie"

James "The Rev" Sullivan

unknown causes in 2009. Sullivan was 28. He was found unresponsive at his home. Sullivan was the drummer for Avenged Sevenfold, who were named Best New Artist at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2006. "Bat Country," "Afterlife," "Almost Easy"

Jim Sullivan

(James Anthony Sullivan), disappeared in 1975; presumed dead. He was 34. Sullivan was a songwriter and guitarist who released two albums and had a presence on the folk-rock scene. While traveling from Los Angeles to Nashville, Sullivan stopped in Santa Rosa, New Mexico. He was seen the following day (6 March 1975) at a remote ranch, walking away from his car. Money, documents, his guitar, clothes, and a box of his unsold records were found in his car, abandoned at the ranch. Sullivan was never seen again. His two albums were U.F.O. and Jim Sullivan.

Screaming Lord Sutch

(David Edward Sutch), suicide in 1999. He was 58. Sutch was a British shock-rocker, whose album Lord Sutch and Heavy Friends was named in a 1998 BBC poll as the worst album of all time. He was found hanged at his London home, the year following the death of his mother. "Jack the Ripper"

Stuart Sutcliffe

Stuart Sutcliffe

cerebral hemorrhage in 1962. Early member of The Beatles, famous for quitting right before their massive popularity so he could spend time with his girlfriend. Sutcliffe was 21. "Hard Day’s Night," "Eight Days a Week"

Patrick Swayze

Patrick Swayze

pancreatic cancer (2009); he was 57. Swayze was primarily known as an actor (Dirty Dancing, Ghost). He co-wrote and sang the top ten hit song, "She's Like the Wind," from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack. He was named People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive" in 1991.

Darrell Sweet

heart attack in 1999. He was 52. Sweet was a member of 1970s rock act, Nazareth. He died from a sudden heart attack that caught him backstage prior to a show in Indiana. Nazareth's hit covers: "Love Hurts," "This Flight Tonight," "My White Bicycle"

Edmund Sylvers

cancer (2004); he was 47. Lead singer of the Sylvers. "Boogie Fever"

Sylvester

(Sylvester James), AIDS (1988). He was 41. Started as a gospel singer and became disco's first openly gay performer. "Down Down Down," "Dance (Disco Heat)," "Over and Over," "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)"