Joey Ramone

popular name: Johnny Winter

date_of_death: July 16, 2014

age: 70

cause_of_death: Emphysema combined with pneumonia

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: When it comes to the world of blues and rock 'n' roll, few names command as much respect and admiration as Johnny Winter. A true guitar virtuoso and a master of his craft, Winter's influence on the genre is immeasurable. John Dawson Winter III was born and raised in Beaumont, Texas. He burst onto the world blues scene in the 1960s, dazzling crowds with his fast licks while his trademark long, white hair flew about from under his cowboy hat. He and his brother Edgar — both born with albinism — were both renowned musicians. From the opening notes of "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo", his blues-infused rock anthem, to the soulful wails of "Still Alive and Well" and the electrifying riffs of "Mean Mistreater", each song showcases Winter's unparalleled skill as a guitarist and his ability to seamlessly blend blues, rock, and boogie-woogie into a sound uniquely his own. Rolling Stone magazine listed him as the No. 63 best guitar player of all time in 2015. He released more than two dozen albums and was nominated for several Grammy Awards, winning his first one posthumously in 2015 for Best Blues Album for “Step Back.” Johnny Winter, who played at Woodstock in 1969, was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in 1988.

popular name: Cab Calloway

date_of_death: November 18, 1994

age: 86

cause_of_death: Pneumonia

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Cab Calloway was an American jazz singer, dancer, bandleader and actor. He was a regular performer at the Cotton Club in Harlem, New York. He was a popular vocalist of the swing era, and mixed jazz and vaudeville. Calloway was a master of energetic scat singing and led one of the most popular big bands in the United States from the early 1930s to the late 1940s. Calloway had several hit records in the 1930s and 1940s, becoming known as the "Hi-de-ho" man of jazz for his most famous song, "Minnie the Moocher", originally recorded in 1931. He had a very successful career that spanned over 65 years.

popular name: Big Walter Horton

date_of_death: December 8, 1981

age: 60

cause_of_death: Heart disease

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Big Walter “Shakey” Horton was legendary blues harmonica and vocalist and while much less known than Little Walter or Sonny Boy Williamson #2, was one of the greatest harp players in the history of the blues. While he recorded very little under his own name, his talent graced the records of Memphis Minnie, Muddy Waters, Big Joe Williams, Willie Dixon and Eddie Taylor. Horton (who is said to have been somewhat shy) was not a natural group leader and therefore produced few solo albums. His best work is as a sideman; his backup harmonica and virtuoso harp solos have graced many great Chicago blues recordings -- turning an otherwise good cut into a dynamite jam. Sadly his final years were marked by few opportunities, no recording contract and an excessive amount of alcohol. He died in extreme poverty at the age of 60 from heart disease. According to Willie Dixon, Big Walter "was the best blues harmonica player in the world."