Johann Strauss ll

popular name: Buddy Holly

date_of_death: February 3, 1959

age: 22

cause_of_death: Plane crash

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Buddy Holly was an American singer-songwriter who was a key figure and pioneer of mid-1950s rock and roll music. Some of his best hits include "That'll Be The Day", "Peggy Sue", "Everyday", and "It's So Easy". He is often regarded as the artist who defined the traditional rock-and-roll lineup of two guitars, bass, and drums. He was a major influence on later popular music artists, including Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones. In 1959, Buddy Holly, along with musicians Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper, and pilot Roger Peterson died in a tragic airplane crash. The accident was famously referred to as "The Day the Music Died" in Don McLean's 1971 song "American Pie".

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: Lead Belly

date_of_death: December 6, 1949

age: 60

cause_of_death: Lou Gehrig's disease

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Lead Belly (born Huddie William Ledbetter) was a renowned American folk and blues musician. His life was marked by his powerful voice, virtuosic 12-string guitar playing, and a history filled with both talent and adversity. More than any other blues/folk artist, Lead Belly possessed and recorded a library of ballards, blues, dance songs and minstrels richer than any other performer this century. As a young man, Lead Belly developed a strong love for music and was influenced by a wide range of styles, including traditional folk, blues, and gospel. Unfortunately his life took a dramatic turn in 1917 when he was convicted of murder and sentenced to 35 years in prison. Released in 1925, Lead Belly returned to farm labor during the day and juke joints and honky tonks at night. Five years later he found himself back in prison for attempted murder. During his incarceration, he gained a reputation for his singing and guitar playing, and his performances caught the attention of a couple of folklorists, John and Alan Lomax, who recorded his music. This led to his release from prison in 1933. After being freed, Lead Belly followed Alan Lomax to New York City where he recorded over 200 songs for the Library of Congress and American Record Company. During his time in NYC he recorded such classics as “Goodnight Irene,” “The Rock Island Line,” "Black Betty" and “Midnight Special.” After serving a brief sentence for assault in 1939, he began working with other folk artist such as Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger and Brownie McGhee. He moved to Hollywood for a brief time but moved back to NYC for good in 1947. Separated from his southern roots, Lead Belly failed to build a black audience and what few records he did sell were to white, urban hipsters. He toured Paris hoping to build a European audience but that too was a financial failure. During what came to be his final tour he began to notice spasms in both hands. Diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS), he passed away shortly after on December 6, 1949 at the age of 60. In a sadly ironic twist, he was virtually penniless when he died only to have his song “Goodnight, Irene” became a million-record hit for the singing group the Weavers. Upon his death he was laid to rest at Shiloh Baptist Church Cemetery in Mooringsport, Louisiana.