Joey Ramone

popular name: Tex Williams

date_of_death: October 11, 1985

age: 68

cause_of_death: Pancreatic cancer

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Tex Williams was an American country music singer, songwriter, bandleader and occasional film actor. He is best known for his 1949 hit "Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)," which became a major crossover success. Tex Williams, along with Spade Cooley and Bob Wills, was among the most popular bandleaders in the musical genre known as "western swing" in the 1940s and 1950s. Williams began his career in music in the late 1930s, playing in local bands. After serving in World War II, he joined the Spade Cooley Orchestra, where he gained considerable recognition. He later formed his own band, Tex Williams and His Western Caravan, which helped establish his career. In the 1950s, Williams moved to Los Angeles, where he continued to record and perform. Williams' other successes included the cover of a Bob Wills' classic, 'That's What I Like About The West', and also 'Never Trust A Woman', 'Don't Telephone, Don't Telegraph, Tell A Woman', 'Suspicion' and 'Talking Boogie'. Tex's band was a frequent guest on numerous radio and TV programs in the 1950s, including the Grand Ole Opry, Spike Jones, Dinah Shore, the Jo Stafford Show and National Barn Dance. His band split up in 1965 because, as he said, he 'had no use for a band. When you have a band, you have to keep those guys working.' He continued to perform and record throughout his life, although his fame was mostly rooted in his earlier work. Tex's constant smoke, smoke, smoke of cigarettes finally caught up with him, and he died of lung and pancreatic cancer in 1985. He was laid to rest in Eternal Valley Memorial Park, Newall, California.

popular name: Kristen Pfaff

date_of_death: June 16, 1994

age: 27

cause_of_death: Drug overdose - heroin

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Kristen Pfaff came from a family of musicians so it came as no surprise, while attending the University of Minnesota, Kristen played in a number of local groups. In 1991, she joined Janitor Joe as bassist and co-songwriter/vocalist. While on tour with Janitor Joe in 1993, she was recruited by Hole (led by Courtney Love) and moved to Seattle to help write and record the Live Through This album. At the time Seattle was ground zero for the nationwide heroin epidemic Kristen Pfaff wanted to escape Seattle's rock drug culture. Pfaff, 27, was found dead in the bathtub of her Seattle apartment. The moving van in the parking lot was packed and ready for her to move back home.

popular name: Frédéric Chopin

date_of_death: October 17, 1849

age: 39

cause_of_death: Pericarditis - a rare complication of tuberculosis that causes swelling of the membrane surrounding the heart

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Frederic Chopin was a Polish-born pianist and composer of matchless genius in the realm of keyboard music. As a pianist, his talents were beyond emulation and had an impact on other musicians entirely out of proportion to the number of concerts he gave — only 30 public performances in 30 years. No one before or since has contributed as many significant works to the piano's repertoire, or come closer to capturing its soul.