Died Too Young: A Look At Some Top Members Of ‘The 27 Club’
They’re known as “The 27 Club” — music superstars who met their demise at the young age of 27. And while they may have died too young, their charisma and music legacy live on. Here’s a look at some of the club’s most prominent members …
Brian Jones (d. 1969)
He was the original leader and founder of the Rolling Stones when the band was formed in 1962. In the following years, though, guitarist Brian Jones developed a serious drug problem that resulted in him being ousted from the band. He died soon after, on July 3, 1969, drowning in the swimming pool of his home in England.
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Jimi Hendrix (d. 1970)
He is still widely revered as one of the greatest electric guitarists ever. But the career of blues/rock icon Jimi Hendrix was plagued by alcohol and drug abuse that led to violent outbursts and even criminal charges. Hendrix died on Sept. 18, 1970, after his girlfriend, Monika Dannemann, awoke and found him unresponsive in her London apartment. An inquest concluded that a combination of alcohol and sleeping pills led to Hendrix aspirating his own vomit.
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Janis Joplin (d. 1970)
The rebellious, tumultuous lifestyle of singer Janis Joplin was certainly notorious. It also shaped her music, making her stand out. A heavy drinker and drug user, Joplin attempted to clean up her life several times. She recorded her final song, “Mercedes Benz,” on Oct. 1, 1970. After failing to show up for a recording session on Oct. 4, she was found dead in her Hollywood hotel room. The official cause of death was cited as a heroin overdose.
Jim Morrison (d. 1971)
Cofounder and lead singer of the Doors, Jim Morrison had a distinctive voice and personality that left a big mark on rock-music history. Thanks to such hits as “Hello, I Love You” and “Light My Fire,” along with several others, Morrison still has a huge following. Alcohol and drugs played a significant part in Morrison’s life. His relationship with his longtime companion, Pamela Courson, was reportedly also turbulent. On July 3, 1971, Courson woke up to find Morrison dead in the bathtub of their Paris apartment. Although the death was attributed to heart failure, no autopsy was performed. Morrison’s grave, at Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, continues to be a popular tourist attraction. Ironically, Courson died of a heroin overdose in 1974 — also at the age of 27.
Kurt Cobain (d. 1994)
The lead singer, guitarist and cofounder of Nirvana, Kurt Cobain blazed bold trails in rock music that evolved from the band’s early days in Seattle’s grunge scene. The band had a big influence on Generation X, with Cobain becoming an icon of that generation. Cobain’s struggles with fame were compounded by depression, a rocky relationship with his wife, Courtney Love, and an assortment of health problems that included an addiction to heroin. A series of supposed suicide attempts in March 1994 led to an intervention and an attempt at rehab. After secretly leaving the L.A. rehab facility, Cobain returned to his home in Seattle. His body was discovered there on April 8, 1994, the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A coroner’s report pegged the actual date of death as April 5.
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Amy Winehouse (d. 2011)
One of the more recent members of The 27 Club, English singer/songwriter Amy Winehouse was also one of the most intriguing musical talents of the past few years. She led quite a troubled life, infused with lots of drugs and alcohol. One of Winehouse’s biggest hits, “Rehab,” was an autobiographical account of her refusal to go to a rehabilitation clinic. It became her signature song. In 2008, a former assistant revealed that Winehouse had a fear of dying at the age of 27. She ended up doing just that, succumbing to alcohol poisoning on July 23, 2011. According to a coroner’s report, her blood-alcohol level was .416 — more than five times the legal driving limit (0.08) in the U.S.
Birth of Rock 'n' Roll
February 2024
"Long live rock," we like to say, but how did it come to life? Revisit the memorable moments, music and movies that made teens go beat crazy back in the 1950s.
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