Mississippi Joe Callicott

popular name: Tommy Ramone

date_of_death: July 11, 2014

age: 65

cause_of_death: Bile Duct Cancer

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Tommy Ramone is fondly remembered as the co-founder, songwriter and drummer for the influential punk rock band the Ramones from its debut in 1974 to 1978, later serving as its producer, and was the longest-surviving original member of the Ramones. Tommy played on and co-produced the band's first three studio albums, Ramones (1976), Leave Home (1977) and Rocket to Russia (1977), and was sole producer on the 1979 live album It's Alive. These were the discs that created the imperishable Ramones sound, with their frantic pace and skillful deployment of the band's simple guitar-bass-drums format in tracks that sometimes lasted barely a minute and a half. Though the Ramones were celebrated as the quintessential New York punk band, as Tommy once explained: "First of all, it wasn't four morons; second of all, none of it was an accident; and third of all, it's four talented people who know what they like and who know what they're doing." Upon his death, he was laid to rest at New Montefiore Cemetery in West Babylon, New York.

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: Francesco Tamagno

date_of_death: August, 31, 1905

age: 54

cause_of_death: Cerebral Hemorrhage

claim_to_fame: Music

best_know_for: Francesco Tamagno (1850-1905) was considered the greatest dramatic tenor of his generation. During the last quarter of the 19th century, this legendary singer captured the attention of audiences everywhere with his performances in opera and concert. Born in Turin to a wine merchant and tavern keeper, Tamagno showed early promise as a singer, but was refused entry to the Turin Conservatory when he first applied at the age of seventeen. Not to be dissuaded, the young tenor repeatedly auditioned for the Teatro Regio in his hometown. Eventually he was accepted into the chorus and began studying with celebrated composer and teacher Carlo Pedrotti (1817-1893). The most famous heroic tenor of his age, Tamagno went on to perform in 26 countries, gaining renown for the power of his singing, especially in the upper register. Tamagno was among the rare species of singers known as a tenore robusto or tenore di forza, and critics likened the sound of his voice to that of a trumpet or even a cannon. Tamagno's vocal range extended up to high C-sharp during his prime. Best known as the creator of the protagonist's part in Verdi's Otello at La Scala, Milan in 1887, he also was the first Gabriele Adorno in Verdi's 1881 revision of Simon Boccanegra, a far more lyrical assignment than the "Moor of Venice". He participated in the premiere of Verdi's Italian-language version of Don Carlos when it was staged at La Scala in 1884, singing the eponymous role of the Infante of Spain. Five other operas in which Tamagno created leading roles were Carlos Gomes' Maria Tudor (in 1879), Amilcare Ponchielli's Il figliuol prodigo (1880) and Marion Delorme (1885), Ruggero Leoncavallo's I Medici (1893) and Isidore de Lara's Messaline (1899). Unfortunately, Tamagno’s career was not destined to be a lengthy one. As far back as 1887 (during rehearsals for the premiere of Otello), the tenor was suffering from chest pains and shortness of breath. Acute hypertension coupled with arteriosclerosis, eventually caused Tamagno to curtail his activities. After the turn of the century, the fifty year old singer had cut back his stage appearances markedly and began concentrating on concert work. His final performance seems to have been a recital in Turin in March of 1905. Several weeks later, the tenor suffered a serious heart attack and spent the summer convalescing at his villa in Varese. In mid-August, however, Tamagno suffered a massive stroke from which he never recovered. Paralyzed, the great tenor lingered for two weeks before dying from a second stroke on August 31. He was only fifty-four years old. Upon his death, he was laid to rest at Cimitero Monumentale di Torino in Turin, Piemonte, Italy.