• Menu

The Death of Rock: Medical Causes

Hepatic Causes

Because the Medical Archive has the largest number of entries, I have divided it into several pages. Musicians who died from hepatic conditions (liver disase, liver failure, cirrhosis, etc.) are listed on this page. You can select different medical causes using the links, below. Something important to note: often liver damage is due to chronic alcoholism. In cases where it was known that the liver failed on account of heavy alcohol use, that artist is listed on the Alcohol page. When the liver damage is not directly stated to be linked to alcohol, the musician is listed here.

Key

Paul Atkinson

liver and kidney disease, 2004. Atkinson was a founding member of The Zombies, a '60s British Invasion band. He later became a music executive, signing (among others) ABBA, Bruce Hornsby, Judas Priest, and Patty Smyth. Atkinson was 58 at the time of his death. "She's Not There," "Time of the Season," "Tell Her No"

*David Brown

liver and kidney failure; 2000. He was 53. Brown was the original bassist for Santana, playing with the band from 1966 until 1971. He rejoined the band in 1973, remaining until 1976. Santana were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. Brown played on classics like "Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen," "Oye Como Va," "Samba Pa Ti," and "Evil Ways"

Rob Buck

liver failure (2000); he was 42. Buck was a guitarist for 10,000 Maniacs (which featured lead singer, Natalie Merchant). "My Mother the War," "Hey Jack Kerouac," MTV Unplugged cover of Patty Smith's "Because the Night"

*Mickey Finn

(Michael Norman Finn), liver and kidney disease; 2003. He was 55. Finn joined T-Rex, where he replaced Steve Peregrin Took (see 1980) on bongos and "looked superb," according to singer Marc Bolan (see 1977). T-Rex seems to have fallen apart after Bolan's death. In addition to Finn and Took, fellow T-Rex members Steve Currie (see 1981) and "Dino" Dines (see 2004) also passed away prematurely. T-Rex was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2020. "Get It On (Bang A Gong)," "Hot Love," "Telegram Sam," "Metal Guru"

Rory Gallagher

Rory Gallagher

complications following a liver transplant in 1995. He was 47. Gallagher is considered one of the premiere Irish blues/rock guitarists of all time. He formed the band, Taste, in 1966 and later persued a phenomenal solo career. He collaborated with legendary bluesman, Muddy Waters, in the 1970s. Gallagher's albums include Rory Gallagher, Deuce, Tattoo, Blueprint, and Irish Tour.

*Eddie Hazel

internal bleeding and liver failure after a lengthy battle with stomach problems (1992); he was 42. Hazel was the pioneering guitarist for Parliament-Funkadelic, who were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. In 2003, Rolling Stone Magazine named Hazel one of the greatest guitarists of all time (ranking number 43). Hazel was predeceased by fellow band member, Glenn Lamont Goins (1978), and was followed by Garry Shider (2010). "Flash Light," "One Nation Under a Groove," "Aqua Boogie," "(Not Just) Knee Deep"

Nicolette Larson

cerebral edema caused by liver failure in 1997. She was 45. In 1985, Larson won Top New Female Vocalist from the Academy of Country Music Awards. 1978's "Lotta Love"

Nervous Norvus

(James Drake), cirrhosis of the liver in 1968. He was 56. Norvus reached #8 with the 1956 novelty tune, "Transfusion."

Mitch Mitchell (d. 2008), Jimi Hendrix (d. 1970) and Noel Redding (d. 2003).

*Noel Redding

cirrhosis of the liver (2003). He was 57. Redding was the bassist for The Jimi Hendrix Experience, who were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. Jimi Hendrix (see 1970) died from aspiration of vomit while under the influence and drummer Mitch Mitchell died in 2008 at age 61 from apparently natural causes. "Purple Haze," "Foxy Lady," "Crosstown Traffic"

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.

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"

David "Frankie" Toler

died in 2011 after a liver transplant. He was 59. Toler played drums for The Allman Brothers Band, The Gregg Allman Band and The Marshall Tucker Band.

Skynyrd circa 1974: Leon Wilkeson (d. 2001), Billy Powell (d. 2009), Ronnie Van Zant (d. 1977), Gary Rossington (d. 2023), Bob Burns (d. 2015), Allen Collins (d. 1990), Ed King (d. 2018).

*Leon Wilkeson

chronic liver and lung disease in 2001; he was 49. Wilkeson was a founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Along with Gary Rossington (died 2023), Allen Collins (see 1990), Artimus Pyle and Billy Powell (see 2009), he was also a survivor of the 1977 plane crash that killed lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, his sister, backup singer Cassie Gaines, and manager Dean Kilpatrick. During the early '90s, guitarist Ed King found Leon Wilkeson on the group's tour bus, sleeping, but with his throat cut and bleeding. Wilkeson was taken to the hospital and recovered. It is still a mystery as to who was responsible - Ed King blames Wilkeson's girlfriend-at-the-time. Wilkeson's replacement in the band, Donald "Ean" Evans, succumbed to cancer in 2009. Lynyrd Skynyrd were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. Visit the Archive's Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute. "Free Bird," "Sweet Home Alabama," "Gimme Three Steps," "Simple Man"