Elvin Shepherd

popular name: John Bonham

date_of_death: September 25, 1980

age: 32

cause_of_death: Pulmonary aspiration (choked on his own vomit)

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: John Bonham was and remains the greatest, most influential Rock Drummer of all-time and best known as the drummer for Led Zeppelin. Describing the style of John Bonham's drumming instantly conjurs up visions of the thunderous power he created. Esteemed for his speed, power, fast single-footed kick drumming, distinctive sound, and feel for the groove, his contributions to rock music were revolutionary, and his talent unmatched and irreplaceable. So it came as no surprise that when he passed away suddenly, Led Zeppelin disbanded. In 1995 he was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Led Zeppelin. In 2016, Rolling Stone ranked him first in its list of the "100 Greatest Drummers of All Time".

popular name: Paul Tanner

date_of_death: February 5, 2013

age: 95

cause_of_death: Pneumonia

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Paul Tanner (October 15, 1917 – February 5, 2013) was an American musician and a member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra. Tanner gained fame as a trombonist, playing with Glenn Miller and His Orchestra from 1938 to 1942, the group's entire duration. When it disbanded, Tanner joined the U.S. Army Air Force, becoming a part of the 378th Army Service Forces Band at Ft Slocum, NY. He later worked as a studio musician in Hollywood. Tanner earned three degrees at University of California, Los Angeles — a bachelor's in 1958 (graduating magna cum laude), a master's in 1961, and a doctorate in 1975. He also was influential in launching UCLA's highly regarded jazz education program in 1958. He then became a professor at UCLA and also authored or co-authored several academic and popular histories related to jazz. Tanner played an unlikely role in the history of rock ’n’ roll when, using a device he helped invent, he performed the famous electronic accompaniment on the Beach Boys’ signature recording “Good Vibrations” and "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times". Upon his death, he was laid to rest at Eternal Hills Memorial Park in Oceanside, California.

popular name: Jimmie Rodgers

date_of_death: May 26, 1933

age: 35

cause_of_death: Tuberculosis

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Jimmie Rodgers was an American singer, songwriter and musician who rose to popularity in the late 1920s. Widely regarded as "the Father of Country Music", he is best known for his distinctive rhythmic yodeling. During his all-to brief career, Rodgers was known as "The Singing Brakeman" and "America's Blue Yodeler". Born in 1897 in Meridian, Mississippi, Jimmie learned to play guitar while working on the railroad as a water boy and brakeman. He was influenced by the music played and the songs sung by the African American railway workers he met at the railway yard and around town – their call-and-response singing style during work and the blues songs they sang made a distinctive mark on Rodgers’ sound. He also spent time in Meridian’s opera house, vaudeville theaters, and hotels where he heard jazz, parlor music, and popular tunes, all of which also provided inspiration. During what later became known as the Bristol sessions, Rodgers recorded solo as he was deserted by his band after a disagreement. A second session with Rodgers was later arranged in Camden, New Jersey, that produced "Blue Yodel No. 1 (T for Texas)". The song became a success and it propelled Rodgers to national fame, while it assured him a recording career that produced over 100 songs for the label. As the Father of Country Music, Jimmie Rodgers has been inducted into The Country Music Hall of Fame, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, The Blues Hall of Fame, The Songwriters Hall of Fame, The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. The Alabama Music Hall of Fame and the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame. Rolling Stone magazine placed Rodgers at number 11 on the 100 Greatest Country Artists of All Time list.