The Death of Rock: Falls

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.

Chet Baker

Chet Baker

(Chesney Henry Baker Jr.), fell from a second-story window. Baker was a respected and popular jazz trumpeter and singer. In 1988, he was found dead on the street below his second-story hotel window in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, with serious head wounds. An autopsy found heroin and cocaine in his system. He was 58. In 2005, the state of Oklahoma (where Baker was born) named July 2, "Chet Baker Day" and he was inducted into the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame in 1991. "Tenderly," "There Will Never Be Another You," "All The Things You Are," "But Not For Me"

*Danny Cedrone

(Donato Joseph Cedrone), broken neck; 1954. He was one of Bill Haley's Comets, playing lead guitar. Cedrone was responsible for the scorching guitar solo in the classic rock hit, "(We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock." While leaving the second floor of the 819 Bar in Philadelphia with a bag of roast beef sandwiches, he fell down a flight of stairs and broke his neck, dying instantly. He was three days shy of his 34th birthday. "(We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock" held the #1 spot for eight weeks, was used on the soundtracks of the motion pictures "The Blackboard Jungle" (1955) and "American Graffiti" (1974), and was chosen as the theme for the 1970s' television series "Happy Days." In 2012, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by a special committee, when the band failed to originally be inducted with Bill Haley in 1987. Cedrone is a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. (Bill Haley suffered a fatal heart attack in 1981 at the age of 55. Fellow Comets Rudy Pompilli (age 51; 1974) and Marshall Lytle (age 79; 2013), both succumbed to lung cancer.) "Rocket 88," "Rock the Joint," "Shake, Rattle and Roll"

Charlie Colin

reportedly fell in the shower while house-sitting in Brussels (2024). He was 57. Colin was a co-founder and the bassist for Train, who scored hits with "Meet Virginia" and "Drops of Jupiter". Colin had left the band prior to the group's next hit, "Hey Soul Sister".

Dani Crivelli

found dead after falling from a bridge (2013); he was 53. Crivelli was drummer for Swiss metal band, Krokus, from 1989 to 1989. Krokus: "Midnite Maniac," "Our Love," "Screaming in the Night"

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"

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"

Jerry Fuchs

(Gerhardt Fuchs), fell down an elevator shaft in 2009. He was 34. Fuchs was a drummer with Maserati, LCD Soundsystem, !!! (pronounced "chk chk chk"), Turing Machine, MSTRKRFT, and The Juan MacLean. He was also "house drummer" for the record label DFA. While at a benefit party in Brooklyn, Fuchs became stuck on a freight elevator between the fourth and fifth floors. He attempted to jump to the fourth floor, but his jacket got caught.

Liam Payne

fall from a third-floor hotel window in 2024. He was 31. Payne was a member of popular boy band, One Direction. While staying in a hotel in Buenos Aires, a staff member called about a guest who was "overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol" and whom they feared was "at risk". Initial reports suggest Payne was having a substance-fueled episode. Alcohol, prescription drugs and other yet-to-be-identified substances were found in his hotel room, which was in a state of disarray. "What Makes You Beautiful," "Live While We're Young," "Best Song Ever"

Rod Price

fell down a stairway while suffering a heart attack in 2005; he was 57. Price was guitarist for Foghat, who amassed three platinum and eight gold records during their quarter-century career. (Foghat's lead singer, Dave Peverett, died at the age of 56. See 2000.) 1975's rock classic "Slow Ride," "Drivin' Wheel," "I Just Want to Make Love to You," "Stone Blue," "Third Time Lucky (The First Time I Was a Fool)"

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".

Patrick Waite

head trauma (1993). Bassist for '80s one-hit wonders, Musical Youth. Waite, who turned to a life of crime after the band's break-up, died while awaiting a court appearance on drug charges. Supposedly, an undiagnosed viral infection caused Waite to pass out. As he fell, he hit his head and died from the injury. He was 23. (Patrick's brother and fellow bandmate, Frederick Waite, Jr., passed away at the age of 55. See 2022.) "Pass the Dutchie"

James Woolley

fall from a ladder (severe neck injuries) while retrieving music equipment (2016). He was 40. Woolley was the former keyboardist (1991-1994) for Nine Inch Nails. Woolley appeared on the band's influential album, The Downward Spiral. He won a Grammy in 1993 for "Best Metal Performance" for "Wish." "Closer," "Hurt," "March of the Pigs"