Joey Ramone

popular name: David Ruffin

date_of_death: June 1, 1991

age: 50

cause_of_death: Drug overdose - crack cocaine

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: David Ruffin is an American soul singer and musician most famous for his work as one of the original members and lead singers of the Temptations from 1964 - 1968. His vocals can be heard on the legendary Motown hits My Girl, Ain't Too Proud to Beg and I Could Never Love Another before Ruffin's drug use and massive ego caused the band to fire him. As a solo artist, Ruffin found occasional success, but he experienced a hard road, dying of a cocaine overdose two years after he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

popular name: Red Foley

date_of_death: September 19, 1968

age: 58

cause_of_death: Heart attack

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Red Foley was a hugely influential figure in early country music, whose career spanned from the 1930s through the 1960s. Rising to fame through radio programs like the National Barn Dance and the Grand Ole Opry, he became known for his warm baritone voice and crossover appeal that brought country music to wider audiences. Foley recorded numerous hits, including gospel songs like “Peace in the Valley,” which sold millions and showcased his deep religious influence. In addition to his music career, he was a prominent radio and television personality, most notably hosting the popular TV show Ozark Jubilee, one of the first network programs dedicated to country music. His success helped bridge the gap between traditional country, pop, and gospel, paving the way for later mainstream acceptance of the genre. Despite facing financial and personal struggles later in life, Foley remained a respected pioneer whose contributions significantly shaped the growth and popularity of country music in America.

popular name: Big Mama Thornton

date_of_death: July 25, 1985

age: 57

cause_of_death: Heart and liver disorders due to longstanding alcohol abuse

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Janis Joplin called her one of her inspirations and Living Blues magazine described her as "two hundred pounds of boogaloo." Of course, fans and musicians alike just called her Big Mama Thornton. An aggressive blues shouter, who also played the drums and a biting country-style harmonica, Miss Thornton helped bring to rock-and-roll the legacy of such seminal blues singers as Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith and Memphis Minnie. A major influence on younger blues and soul singers, including Janis Joplin and Aretha Franklin, her growling, visceral rendition of the Jerry Leiber- Mike Stoller song ''Hound Dog'' directly influenced Presley's version, which became a No. 1 pop hit in 1956. Miss Thornton's own song ''Ball and Chain'' became a signature for Janis Joplin in 1968. A rhythm-and-blues singer and songwriter from Alabama, Thornton was the first to record Leiber and Stoller's "Hound Dog" in 1952, which became her biggest hit staying seven weeks at number one on the Billboard R&B chart and selling almost two million copies. Thornton's other recordings included the original version of "Ball and Chain", which she wrote. Stop me if you heard this story but this phenomenal blues artist died penniless in a small Los Angeles boarding house near the airport and now shares a grave with two other family members.