Joey Ramone

popular name: O'Kelly Isley

date_of_death: March 31, 1986

age: 48

cause_of_death: Heart attack

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: The eldest of the Isley Brothers, Kelly started singing with his brothers at church when in 1944 he and his three younger brothers (Rudy, Ronnie and Vernon) formed The Isley Brothers and toured the gospel circuit. Following the death of Vernon (hit by car while riding his bike), the brothers decided to try their hand at doo-wop and moved to New York to find a recording deal. O'Kelly and his brothers co-wrote their first significant hit, "Shout" in 1959. While the original version only peaked at the top 50 of the Hot 100, subsequent versions helped the song sell over a million copies. Later moving on to other labels including Scepter and Motown, the brothers would have hits with "Twist & Shout" in 1962 and "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)". Kelly Isley during the Isleys' 1970s heyday was usually photographed wearing a cowboy hat and Western type of clothing. In 1985, the brothers released the Masterpiece album. It is Kelly who sings most of the lead of the Phil Collins ballad, "If Leaving Me Is Easy", on the album with Ron backing him up. Kelly's last appearance as member of the Isley Brothers was in 1986 on the song "Good Hands" from the Wildcats soundtrack. In 1985 Kelly contracted cancer and lost weight, which was shown on the group's album cover of Masterpiece. On March 31, 1986, O'Kelly suddenly died of a heart attack at the age of 48 at his home and the grave of O'Kelly Isley can be found at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, New Jersey.

popular name: Memphis Minnie

date_of_death: August 6, 1973

age: 76

cause_of_death: Stroke

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: She transcended both gender and genre. Her recording career reached from the 1920s heyday of country blues to cutting electric sides in 1950s Chicago studios for the Chess subsidiary Checker. Minnie helped form the roots of electric Chicago blues, as well as R&B and rock ‘n’ roll

popular name: Freddie King

date_of_death: December 28, 1976

age: 42

cause_of_death: Stomach ulcers and acute pancreatitis

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Known as one of the Three Kings of Blues (along with Albert King and B.B. King) Freddie King was the stylistic heir to T-Bone Walker and B.B. King. He would have been remembered as a great Texas blues legend had not been the for the fact he moved Chicago. Between 1960 and 1964 he recorded over 100 sides that are now considered the definitive interpretations of blues standards including Hideaway and I'm Goin' Down. Ranked by Rolling Stone magazine as the 25th greatest guitar player, he was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.