Al Jackson Jr.

popular name: Scrapper Blackwell

date_of_death: October 7, 1962

age: 59

cause_of_death: Murdered (solved but no arrest)

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Scrapper Blackwell, together with Leroy Carr are arguably the two most underrated blues musicians of the 1920s and 1930s. What is undeniable is the two together created some of the most recorded blues classics including How Long, How Long Blues, Mean Mistreater Mama and When the Sun Goes Down

popular name: Whitney Houston

date_of_death: February 11, 2012

age: 48

cause_of_death: Drowning due to coronary artery disease and cocaine intoxication

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Whitney Houston was arguably one of the greatest American singers of modern history. Nicknamed "The Voice", she generated sales of over 200 million records worldwide and is one of the bestselling music artists of all time. Houston has influenced many singers in popular music, and is known for her powerful, soulful vocals and vocal improvisational skills. She is the only artist to have had seven consecutive number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100, from "Saving All My Love for You" in 1985 to "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" in 1988. Houston enhanced her popularity upon entering the movie industry, most notable among her films include "The Body Guard" with Kevin Costner and "Waiting to Exhale" with Angela Bassett. Sadly in her final years she treated her talent with the frustrating indifference. While she sold more records and received more awards than almost any other female pop star of the 20th century, she spent most of her last years mired in a drug addiction that sapped her will and ability to sing and left her a broken shell of her former self.

popular name: Leopold Auer

date_of_death: July 15, 1930

age: 85

cause_of_death: Pneumonia

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Leopold Auer was a renown Hungarian violinist, academic, conductor and composer, best known as an outstanding violin teacher. Many notable virtuoso violinists including Jascha Heifetz, Mischa Elman, and Efrem Zimbalist were among his students and "some of the greatest violinists" of the twentieth century. Admission to Auer's class was a privilege won by talent. Remaining there was a test of endurance and hard work. While Auer pushed his students to their limits, he also remained devoted to them. He used his influence in high government offices to obtain residence permits for his Jewish students. Auer wrote a small number of works, including the Rhapsodie hongroise for violin and piano. He also wrote a number of cadenzas for other composers' violin concertos including those by Beethoven, Brahms, and Mozart's third.