Joey Ramone

popular name: Bunk Johnson

date_of_death: July 7, 1949

age: 63

cause_of_death: Lingering effects of a stroke

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Willie "Bunk" Johnson was a prominent jazz trumpeter in New Orleans who lied and/or exaggerated his role in the development of jazz that historians have a difficult time understanding the truth from fiction. But what everyone agrees on is that Johnson was regarded as one of the leading trumpeters in New Orleans in the years 1905–1915, in between repeatedly leaving the city to tour with minstrel shows and circus bands. In the 1920’s and 1930’s, Bunk Johnson spent much of his music-playing time in the southwest Louisiana/southeast Texas region with New Iberia, Louisiana as his “base” and primary residence. While in the area he played frequently with the locally-based Banner Band, which traveled in a variety of vehicles to nearby southern Louisiana and Texas towns. Unlike many other jazz musicians Bunk did not achieve great monetary wealth, but he never shied away from jobs that helped supplement his music income. Along the path of his life, Johnson worked in such jobs as funeral parlor work in Texas, dock work in San Francisco, cigar-making work in the upper mid-west, rice processing and sugar cane field truck-driving in Iberia Parish, and a music teacher in the Iberia Parish, Louisiana school system. In 1942 William Russell and two other jazz researchers went to New Orleans and made a series of records of Bunk playing with a band that included George Lewis (clarinet) and Jim Robinson (trombone). The researchers also interviewed Johnson, who claimed he had taught Louis Armstrong and Joe "King" Oliver (actually Louis Armstrong admitted he mimicked King Oliver and Bunk Johnson style - but never was taught by Bunk). With the help from contacts in Cleveland and the new recordings, Johnson set off on a wild seven-year jazz history odyssey, playing in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, New York, New Orleans, Chicago and Philadelphia, being praised by the press, and making dozens of records that were said to be authentic recreations of the earliest forms of jazz. The enthusiastic jazz researchers who found Johnson and promoted him, quickly discovered, however, they had created something of a monster. According to the many, Bunk emerged as essentially a manipulative con man, often begging the researchers for money, frequently getting drunk, and sometimes failing to show up for concerts. Eventually, Johnson managed to alienate most of his friends. Sidney Bechet fired him from his band and Armstrong, who in 1939 praised Bunk as his "life-long inspiration," later said angrily, "Bunk taught me nothing!" The Bunk Johnson saga ended when he suffered two strokes in late 1948. He died the following July and was interred at St. Edward Cemetery in New Iberia, Louisiana.

popular name: Bon Scott

date_of_death: February 19, 1980

age: 33

cause_of_death: Acute alcohol poisoning

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Bon Scott, born Ronald Belford Scott on July 9, 1946, in Forfar, Scotland, was the iconic lead singer and lyricist of the Australian rock band AC/DC. His family emigrated to Australia in 1952, settling in Fremantle, Western Australia. Known for his distinctive raspy voice, wild stage presence, and rebellious charisma, Scott joined AC/DC in 1974 and quickly became a driving force behind the band's early success. He helped craft their raw, hard-hitting sound and contributed memorable lyrics to classic albums like High Voltage, Let There Be Rock, and Highway to Hell. Tragically, at the height of his career, Scott died on February 19, 1980, in London at the age of 33, reportedly from acute alcohol poisoning. Fans around the world visit his grave at Fremantle Cemetery in Australia.

popular name: Frank Frost

date_of_death: October 12, 1999

age: 63

cause_of_death: Heart attack

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: One of the foremost Delta blues harmonica players of his generation. Frank Frost only picked up the harmonica after an accident damaged his hand that prevented him from continuing with guitar. Taught by Sonny Boy Williams II, Frank recorded with the likes of Jack Johnson, Robert Nighthawk and his son, Sam Carr and numerous other blues giants. Frost performed at the King Biscuit Blues Festival in his home town of Helena, Arkansas, on October 8th just four days before he died. He was a sick man, and playing with tears in his eyes, knowing the years of cigarettes and alcohol had taken their toll.