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27 Club

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The 27 Club, also occasionally known as the Forever 27 Club, is a popular culture name for a group of influential rock and blues musicians who all died at the age of 27, sometimes under mysterious circumstances.[1][2][3]

Musicians usually included in the 27 Club

There is some debate as to the criterion used to include musicians who died at the age of 27 in the "27 Club". The impetus for the Club's creation was the death of an unusual number of 27 year old prominent musicians within a two year period of time. Lists commonly include Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, and Janis Joplin; Brian Jones is usually included too. All four of these musicians died between 1969 and 1971. Hendrix, Joplin, and Morrison all died within a ten month period. Morrison and Jones died on the same date two years apart. Kurt Cobain, who died in 1994, was later included by some, probably due to his popularity and his death occurring at the pinnacle of his career. Moreover, Heavier Than Heaven states that when Cobain died his sister claimed as a kid he would talk about how he wanted to join the 27 club.

Name Date of death Cause of death Fame
Brian Jones July 3, 1969 Drowned in swimming pool, allegedly murdered.[4] Rolling Stones founder and guitarist/multi-instrumentalist.
Jimi Hendrix September 18, 1970 Asphyxiated on vomit after accidental overdose of sleeping pills. Singer, songwriter, and guitarist for The Jimi Hendrix Experience, and Band of Gypsys.
Janis Joplin October 4, 1970 Heroin overdose after misjudging the purity of the drug. Lead vocalist and songwriter for Big Brother & The Holding Company, The Kozmic Blues Band and Full Tilt Boogie Band.
Jim Morrison July 3, 1971 Official cause of death listed as "heart failure" but, as no autopsy was performed, the actual cause remains mysterious. Possible accidental overdose. Lead singer, songwriter, and video director for The Doors.
Kurt Cobain c. April 5, 1994 Although there are a variety of theories about the manner of his death, his death was officially ruled a suicide by self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head. Lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter for Nirvana.

Other well-known musicians who died at 27

Some lists include other musicians who died at age 27. Cobain biographer Charles R. Cross writes, "The number of musicians who passed away at 27 is truly remarkable by any standard. [Although] humans die regularly at all ages, there is a statistical spike for musicians who die at 27."[3]

Name Date of death Cause of death Fame
Louis Chauvin March 26, 1908 Syphilis. Ragtime musician.
Robert Johnson August 16, 1938 Unknown, but typically credited to pneumonia following strychnine poisoning. Possibly shot. Bluesman. Most notable for influencing Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards, and Eric Clapton
Jesse Belvin February 6, 1960 Car accident. R&B singer and songwriter
Alan "Blind Owl" Wilson September 3, 1970 Barbiturate overdose, possible suicide. Leader, singer and primary composer of Canned Heat.
Les Harvey May 2, 1972 Electrocuted by a microphone. Guitarist of Stone the Crows.
Ron "Pigpen" McKernan March 3, 1973 Gastrointestinal hemorrhage associated with alcoholism. Founding member and keyboardist of the Grateful Dead.
Dave Alexander February 10, 1975 Pneumonia. Bassist for The Stooges.
Peter Ham April 24, 1975 Suicide by hanging. Keyboardist/Guitarist, leader of Badfinger.
Gary Thain December 8, 1975 Drug overdose. Former bassist of Uriah Heep.
Chris Bell December 27, 1978 Car accident; ran into a telephone pole. Singer-songwriter and guitarist of power pop band Big Star and solo.
D. Boon December 22, 1985 Broken neck due to not wearing a seat belt in a car accident. Guitarist, lead singer of punk band the Minutemen.
Pete de Freitas June 14, 1989 Motorcycle accident on his way back from filming a music video Drummer for Echo & the Bunnymen.
Mia Zapata July 7, 1993 Murdered. Lead singer of The Gits.
Kristen Pfaff June 16, 1994 Heroin overdose. Bass guitarist for Hole.
Jeremy Ward May 25, 2003 Heroin overdose. The Mars Volta and De Facto sound manipulator.

See also

References

  1. ^ The 27 Club from BBC Radio 2. Access date 19 June, 2007
  2. ^ Malu, Berges Y, "The 27 Club" in Split Magazine, May 20, 2007. Access date 19, June, 2007
  3. ^ a b Cross, Charles R., "P-I's Writer in Residence Charles R. Cross explores the darker side of 'only the good die young'" in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 23 February, 2007. Access date 19, June, 2007
  4. ^ Bruno, Anthony. "Death by Misadventure", CourtTV Crime Library
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