Joey Ramone

popular name: Berry Oakley

date_of_death: November 11, 1972

age: 24

cause_of_death: Fractured skull due to motorcycle accident

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Berry Oakley, an original founding member of the Allman Brothers Band and was an instrumental part of the early Allman Brothers sound, with his bass chords defining some of the band’s most popular songs like “Whipping Post”, ” “Mountain Jam”, “Les Brers”, and countless others. During his all-too-short tenure with the band Berry contributed to some of their most important records, including The Allman Brothers Band (1969), Idlewild South (1970), At Fillmore East (1971), Eat a Peach (1972), and the first two tracks of Brothers and Sisters (1973). And while the classic ABB lineup only lasted three years, Berry Oakley was ranked number 46 on Bass Player magazine's list of "The 100 Greatest Bass Players of All Time". Sadly one year after losing Duane Allman to a fatal motorcycle crash, on November 11, 1972, Berry was riding with Kim Payne (a member of the road crew) when Payne took his Triumph motorcycle into a curve too fast and hit a Macon City bus. Oakley said he was okay after the accident, declined medical treatment, and caught a ride home. Three hours later, he was rushed back to the hospital, delirious and in pain, and died of cerebral swelling caused by a fractured skull.

popular name: Lefty Frizzell

date_of_death: July 19, 1975

age: 47

cause_of_death: Stroke

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Widely considered one of the greatest country singers who ever lived, Lefty Frizzell's body of work gives little indication of the enormous stylistic impact he had on country music beginning in the 1950s. Had Lefty died the way Hank Williams died - hard, fast and young - he'd probably be remembered with the same respect Hank commands today. But as it was, Lefty fought through a twenty-five-year career to keep his personal life together and his soul intact, only to eventually succumb to his own worst habits at the young age of 47. In the end, his recording career lasted 25 years. He had six Billboard No.1 hits and charted a total of 39 songs. The big hits include: “I Love You a Thousand Ways,” “Always Late,” “Long Black Veil,” “That’s the Way Love Goes,” “I Never Go Around Mirrors,” “If You’ve Got the Money, I’ve Got the Time,” “Mom and Dad’s Waltz” and “Saginaw, Michigan.” He later was voted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

popular name: Jeff Porcaro

date_of_death: August 5, 1992

age: 38

cause_of_death: Heart attack due to occlusive coronary artery disease caused by atherosclerosis resulting from excessive cocaine use

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Jeff Porcaro was a founding member of the band Toto with his brother, Steve, and four others. The group’s hits included ″Hold the Line″ in 1977, ″Rosanna″ in 1982 and ″Africa″ in 1983. Interestingly enough, when Jeff was seventeen, he got his first professional gig playing in Sonny & Cher's touring band.