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: Francesco Tamagno

date_of_death: August, 31, 1905

age: 54

cause_of_death: Cerebral Hemorrhage

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Francesco Tamagno (1850-1905) was considered the greatest dramatic tenor of his generation. During the last quarter of the 19th century, this legendary singer captured the attention of audiences everywhere with his performances in opera and concert. Born in Turin to a wine merchant and tavern keeper, Tamagno showed early promise as a singer, but was refused entry to the Turin Conservatory when he first applied at the age of seventeen. Not to be dissuaded, the young tenor repeatedly auditioned for the Teatro Regio in his hometown. Eventually he was accepted into the chorus and began studying with celebrated composer and teacher Carlo Pedrotti (1817-1893). The most famous heroic tenor of his age, Tamagno went on to perform in 26 countries, gaining renown for the power of his singing, especially in the upper register. Tamagno was among the rare species of singers known as a tenore robusto or tenore di forza, and critics likened the sound of his voice to that of a trumpet or even a cannon. Tamagno's vocal range extended up to high C-sharp during his prime. Best known as the creator of the protagonist's part in Verdi's Otello at La Scala, Milan in 1887, he also was the first Gabriele Adorno in Verdi's 1881 revision of Simon Boccanegra, a far more lyrical assignment than the "Moor of Venice". He participated in the premiere of Verdi's Italian-language version of Don Carlos when it was staged at La Scala in 1884, singing the eponymous role of the Infante of Spain. Five other operas in which Tamagno created leading roles were Carlos Gomes' Maria Tudor (in 1879), Amilcare Ponchielli's Il figliuol prodigo (1880) and Marion Delorme (1885), Ruggero Leoncavallo's I Medici (1893) and Isidore de Lara's Messaline (1899). Unfortunately, Tamagno’s career was not destined to be a lengthy one. As far back as 1887 (during rehearsals for the premiere of Otello), the tenor was suffering from chest pains and shortness of breath. Acute hypertension coupled with arteriosclerosis, eventually caused Tamagno to curtail his activities. After the turn of the century, the fifty year old singer had cut back his stage appearances markedly and began concentrating on concert work. His final performance seems to have been a recital in Turin in March of 1905. Several weeks later, the tenor suffered a serious heart attack and spent the summer convalescing at his villa in Varese. In mid-August, however, Tamagno suffered a massive stroke from which he never recovered. Paralyzed, the great tenor lingered for two weeks before dying from a second stroke on August 31. He was only fifty-four years old. Upon his death, he was laid to rest at Cimitero Monumentale di Torino in Turin, Piemonte, Italy.

popular name: Johann Strauss ll

date_of_death: June 3, 1899

age: 73

cause_of_death: Pleuropneumonia

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Johann Strauss II (also referred to as Johann Strauss Jr., the Younger) was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas as well as a renown violinist. He composed over 500 waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, and other types of dance music, as well as several operettas and a ballet. In his lifetime, Strauss ll was known as "The Waltz King", and was largely responsible for the popularity of the waltz in Vienna during the 19th century. Some of Johann Strauss's most famous works include "The Blue Danube", "Kaiser-Walzer" (Emperor Waltz), "Tales from the Vienna Woods", "Frühlingsstimmen", and the "Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka". Among his operettas, Die Fledermaus and Der Zigeunerbaron are the best known. Strauss was the son of Johann Strauss I and his first wife Maria Anna Streim. Two younger brothers, Josef and Eduard Strauss, also became composers of light music, although they were never as well known as their brother.