Joey Ramone

popular name: Dennis Brown

date_of_death: July 1, 1999

age: 42

cause_of_death: Collapsed lung

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: If Bob Marley was the King of Reggae, then Dennis Brown certainly earned his title of Crown Prince of Reggae. Brown's musical career began at age nine and he is credited with over 70 albums and touring relentlessly throughout the world up until his early demise. Blessed with a melodic vocal quality with a roots-conscious message to his lyrics. Brown scored his first hit in 1969 with "No Man is an Island". He spent much of the 1970s moving between studios and recording a series of now-classic albums before he had an international hit with "Money in My Pocket". After the death of Bob Marley, Brown was signed by A&M Records in an attempt to corner the international crossover market. He recorded with K.C. and the Sunshine Band in an effort to expand his American audience. Both efforts failed completely. He continued with his pop hits set to a reggae beat for much of the 1980s during which time he also became a fixture at the Reggae Sunsplash Festival in Jamaica. After an extensive tour of Brazil with close friend and peer Gregory Issacs, Brown fell ill and checked into the hospital where he rapidly declined and died suddenly at the age of 42.

popular name: Brian Connolly

date_of_death: February 9, 1997

age: 51

cause_of_death: Kidney failure, liver failure and repeated heart attacks

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: As lead singer for the glam band Sweet, Brian Connolly and Sweet enjoyed a string of hits “Block Buster” topping the chart, followed by three consecutive number two hits in “Hell Raiser”, “The Ballroom Blitz” and “Teenage Rampage“. Their first self-written and produced single “Fox on the Run” also reached No.2 on the UK charts. Unfortunately a wicked smoking habit, excessive alcohol consumption and a vicious attack outside a nightclub in Staines all caused damage to his vocal chords and he was forced to leave the band.

popular name: Mark Sandman

date_of_death: July 3, 1999

age: 46

cause_of_death: Heart attack

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Mark Sandman was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record label founder best remembered as the bass player and lead singer for the alt indie rock band Morphine. Sandman possessed a distinctive, deep bass-baritone voice and a mysterious demeanor as he fronted a band lacking guitars or keyboards, yet still created a unique yet accessible smoky, addictive grooves achieved with Mark's two-string bass and Dana Colley's baritone saxophone - and tales of low-register living. He was an indie rock icon and longtime fixture in the Boston/Cambridge music scene and was also a member of the blues-rock band Treat Her Right and founder of Hi-n-Dry, a recording studio and independent record label. He was highly regarded by many other bass players for his unique "slow and murky" style, with Les Claypool, Mike Watt, and Josh Homme all citing Sandman as an influence.