Béla Bartók

popular name: Gene Krupa

date_of_death: October 16, 1973

age: 64

cause_of_death: Heart failure coupled with leukemia and emphysema

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Before Keith Moon, before John Bonham there was the one and only Gene Krupa - one of the greatest drummers and drum kit innovators in the 20th century. With his arms flailing behind the drum kit, Krupa forever changed the role of the drummer and provided his fans with an everlasting visual and musical image of the swing era. In 1936 he joined Benny Goodman and Teddy Wilson for the first incarnation of the Benny Goodman Trio (later expanding to a quartet with Lionel Hampton) where his drum work made him a national celebrity. His tom-tom interludes on the hit "Sing, Sing, Sing" were the first extended drum solos to be recorded commercially. After his gig with Goodman he continued to record with his own group, Tommy Dorsey, Gerry Mulligan and starred as himself in several Hollywood musical-based films. In addition to his drum skills, he was also a well regarding composer with compositions which he wrote or co-wrote included "Some Like It Hot" in 1939, "Drum Boogie", "Boogie Blues", his theme song "Apurksody", "Ball of Fire", "Disc Jockey Jump" with Gerry Mulligan, "Wire Brush Stomp", "Hippdeebip", "Krupa's Wail", "Swing is Hee", "Quit and Roll 'Em" with Sam Donahue, and "How 'Bout This Mess". Even today Krupa’s reputation still looms large in pop culture: Rolling Stone recently put him at Number 7 in its list of the 100 greatest drummers of all time.

popular name: Boxcar Willie

date_of_death: April 12, 1999

age: 67

cause_of_death: Leukemia

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Perhaps the most successful invented character in the history of country music, Boxcar Willie was an American country music singer and songwriter who sang in the "old-time hobo" music style, complete with dirty face, overalls, and a floppy hat. "Boxcar Willie" was originally a character in a ballad he wrote, but he later adopted it as his own stage name. Much of Boxcar Willie's early notoriety came from a Gong Show appearance and roles in television commercials for LP compilations, namely the multi-platinum album King of the Road. And like Jimmie Rodgers before him, Martin really did grow up around trains and wrote and sang about trains. Lots and lots of trains.

popular name: Jim Morrison

date_of_death: July 3, 1971

age: 27

cause_of_death: Heart failure due to chronic alcohol abuse (disputed)

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Jim Morrison was a legendary American singer, songwriter and poet, and best known for being the lead singer for the popular rock band The Doors. Morrison is regarded by music critics and fans as one of the most iconic and influential frontmen in rock history. He was known for his wild personality, distinctive voice, and erratic performances. Of course the Doors were never part of the peace and free love movement exemplified by the Jefferson Airplane or Donavon. They really didn't fit the mold of acid rock, electric folk music or that of the Grateful Dead. And they certainly wouldn't be confused with the pop stylings of the Beatles. No the Doors were an anomaly in the world of sixties rock. Raw and powerful, dark and explosive, Jim Morrison's Dionysian lyrics and vocal energy were not an act and Jim Morrison was no rock star. Jim Morrison is now and will always be remembered as The Lizard King. Sadly at age 27, he was found dead in his bathtub by his girlfriend Pamela Courson. It was official listed as heart failure, but no autopsy was performed. It is suspected that his death might have been the result of an accidental heroin overdose.