The Death of Rock: The Alphabetical Archive

Musicians are listed individually. Search by the artist's last name. Artists commonly referred to by a stage or street name (such as "The Big Bopper," Freddie Mercury, and Jam Master Jay) are listed under those names. Musicians who performed under a single name (like Aaliyah, Nico, and Selena) will be found under those single names. There are a few instances where two or more members of the same band perished in a single incident; you will find those artists listed under the group's name. (Examples are Banda Fugaz, The Bar-Kays, Chase, Passion Fruit, and The Reba McEntire Band.) One notable exception to this rule is Lynyrd Skynyrd. Members of Skynyrd are listed individually; although three perished in the 1977 plane crash, others have since died in unrelated incidents. (The three who died in the crash are grouped as "Lynyrd Skynyrd" on the Causes of Death and Chronology pages.)

Key

Some entries have special notations prior to their names. They represent induction into one of the following Halls of Fame:

* denotes induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

# indicates induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

^ symbolizes induction into the Blues Hall of Fame.

Malcolm Hale

carbon-monoxide poisoning, the result of a faulty space heater (1968). He was 27. Hale was the lead guitarist for Spanky and Our Gang. He had gone to bed drunk at a girlfriend's, and even though the band called her to wake him, she refused. Twenty-eight hours later, she discovered that he was dead. You can read about Hale's connection to the Curse of 27. "Sunday Will Never Be the Same," "Like to Get to Know You," "Lazy Day"

*Bill Haley

(William John Clifton Haley), heart attack in 1981; he was 55. Bandleader of Bill Haley and His Comets. Immortalized by their wildly popular, early rock single, "(We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock." The song held the #1 spot for eight weeks, was used on the soundtracks of the motion pictures "The Blackboard Jungle" (1955) and "American Graffiti" (1974), and was chosen as the theme for the 1970s' television series "Happy Days." Haley was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 and he was also inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. In 2006, the International Astronomical Union announced the naming of asteroid 79896 Billhaley. (In 1954, Comet Danny Cedrone fell down a flight of stairs, breaking his neck. He was 33. Fellow Comets, Rudy Pompilli (age 51; 1974) and Marshall Lytle (age 79; 2013), both succumbed to lung cancer.) Read about the connection to the Curse of Buddy Holly. "Rocket 88," "Crazy, Man, Crazy," "Rudy's Rock"

Greg Ham

found dead in his home in 2012. The cause of death is commonly accepted as a heart attack; he was 58. Ham played several instruments, including flute, in Men At Work. The group scored several hits during the 1980s, including "Who Can It Be Now?" (#1 in the US), "Overkill" (#6 in the US), and the classic, "Down Under," which reached #1 in eight countries (including the US, the UK, Canada and Australia).

Pete Ham

hanging (suicide); 1975. Member of Badfinger, he was 27. Ham's bandmate, Tom Evans, would follow in his steps 8 years later. (Mike Gibbins died of a brain aneurysm in 2005 at the age of 56; Joey Molland died in 2025 of complications from diabetes. He was 77.) Harry Nilsson's (see 1994) cover of Badfinger's "Without You" reached #1. (Read about Badfinger's connection to the Curse of Harry Nilsson.) For the tragic story of a promising band that was on a fast path to greatness, but within a decade would be shattered, visit The Archive's Tribute to Badfinger. "Day After Day," "If You Want It (Come and Get It)," "No Matter What"

Jeff Hanneman

alcohol-related cirrhosis (2013). He was 49. Hanneman was co-founder and guitarist for the thrash metal band, Slayer. The group won two Grammy Awards for "Best Metal Performance" for 2007's "Eyes of the Insane" and 2008's "Final Six". "Hate Worldwide," "World Painted Blood"

Mary Hansen

hit by a truck in 2002. She was 36. Hansen was a member of the British alternative group, Stereolab. She was also a member of the band Schema, with members of the Seattle-based band, Hovercraft. Hansen was killed when she was struck by a truck while cycling around London. She appeared on six Stereolab albums, from 1993's Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements to 2001's Sound-Dust.

Jeff Hanson

multiple drug toxicity in 2009. Hanson had taken prescription anti-depressants, anti-anxiety medication and alcohol; it was unclear if his death was intentional or accidental. He was 31. Hanson was a member of M.I.J. and later released three solo albums: Son, Jeff Hanson, and Madam Owl. His song, "Hiding Behind the Moon" appeared in the TV series Nip/Tuck.

Tim Hardin

drug overdose in 1980. He was 39. "Bird on a Wire."

Slim Harpo

(James Moore), heart attack in 1970. He was 46. "Baby, Scratch My Back," "Shake Your Hips," "I'm a King Bee"

*Addie "Micki" Harris

heart attack after a performance in Atlanta in 1982. She was 42. Harris was a member of the vocal girl-group, The Shirelles. The Shirelles were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. "Soldier Boy," "Mama Said," "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?"

Thurston Harris

heart attack in 1990 at the age of 58. Harris recorded the 1957 hit "Little Bitty Pretty One."

*George Harrison

cancer; 2001. He was 58. Former Beatle and influential, Eastern-inspired solo artist. Organized the all-star concerts for Bangladesh and was the first Beatle to chart a solo album at #1 (7 weeks). In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine named him one of the greatest guitarists of all time (ranking #21). Harrison was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the Beatles in 1988 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004. The Beatles were also inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2004. Read about the Beatles' connection to the Curse of Buddy Holly. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," "Here Comes the Sun," "(Got My Mind) Set On You"

Eddie Harsch

(Edward Hawrysch) died at the age of 59 of undisclosed causes in 2016. He was the keyboardist for the Black Crowes and a member of Bulldog. The Black Crowes: "Hard to Handle," "She Talks to Angels," "Twice As Hard," "Jealous Again"

Grant Hart

liver cancer (2017) at the age of 56. Hart was a singer and the drummer of Husker Du. "Eight Miles High," "Makes No Sense At All," "Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely"

Dan Hartman

brain tumor (1994). He was 43. Hartman was a member of The Edgar Winter Group and scored solo pop hits with 1978's "Instant Replay" and 1984's "I Can Dream About You." Hartman was diagnosed with AIDS in the late 1980s, but it was ultimately a brain tumor that brought on his demise. With Edgar Winter: "Frankenstein," "Free Ride"

Alex Harvey

two heart attacks in 1982. He was 46. Harvey was the leader of The Sensational Alex Harvey Band and Les Harvey's brother (see 1972). "Delilah," "Boston Tea Party"

Les Harvey

electrocution (1972). He was 27. Harvey was a Scottish musician, a co-founder of Stone the Crows. While onstage at a performance, he touched a microphone that was not properly grounded. He was electrocuted in front of 1,000 fans. Les was the brother of Alex Harvey (see 1982). Read about the Curse of 27 and see Les Harvey's inclusion. Studio albums: Stone the Crows, Ode to John Law, Teenage Licks, Ontinuous Performance.

Steve Harwell

liver failure brought on by alcoholism in 2023; he was 56. Harwell was the lead singer and a founding member of Smash Mouth, who had hits in the late 1990s, with "Can't Get Enough of You Baby", "Walkin' on the Sun" and "All Star".

Donny Hathaway

suicide. R&B artist who achieved success as Roberta Flack's duet partner with, "Where Is the Love" and "The Closer I Get to You." He also recorded the theme song for the '70s television show, Maude (starring Bea Arthur). In 1979, Hathaway was found dead on the sidewalk below the 15th floor window of his room in New York's Essex House hotel. The glass had been carefully removed from the window, and there were no signs of struggle, leading investigators to rule his death a suicide. He was 33.

Felix Haug

heart attack in 2004; he was 52. Haug was the drummer and keyboardist for the Swiss duo, Double. Double scored an international hit with 1985's "The Captain of Her Heart".

Hawkshaw Hawkins

Hawkshaw Hawkins (Harold Franklin Hawkins), plane crash in Tennessee; 1963. Hawkins was 41. Hawkins, Cowboy Copas and Patsy Cline, were returning from a benefit for the widow of a local disc jockey who died in a car crash. Randy Hughes, both Copas's son-in-law and Cline's manager, was piloting the plane; he was also killed in the crash. Proceed to the Patsy Cline Tribute, which details the crash and includes photos and the official crash report. "Lonesome 7-7203" (entered US charts three days prior to his death), "I Love You A Thousand Ways," "Slow Poke," "Bad News Travels Fast," "Soldiers Joy"

Nick Hawkins

heart attack (2005); he was 40. Hawkins was the guitarist for Big Audio Dynamite II from 1990 until 1997. He appeared on the hits, "Rush" and "The Globe".

*Taylor Hawkins

(Oliver Taylor Hawkins), was the drummer for Seattle-based Foo Fighters, having previously been the touring drummer for Alanis Morissette and Sass Jordan. Foo Fighters were touring South America when Hawkins was found dead in his hotel room in Bogota, Colombia on 25 March 2022. He died of multiple drug toxicity. At the time of his death, opioids, benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants, and THC were found in his system. Hawkins was 50. Foo Fighters have won 15 Grammy Awards, including Best Rock Album four times. The group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021. Read about Hawkins's involvement with the Shadows of Seattle. "This is a Call," "Big Me," "Everlong," "Learn to Fly," "Monkey Wrench"

Ofra Haza

(Bat-Sheva Ofra Haza), AIDS in 2000. She was 42. There is some controversy as to how the artist contracted the disease. Many people blamed her husband for infecting her; her husband claimed she got the disease during a blood transfusion she received after a miscarriage. Haza was a Grammy-nominated singer, a songwriter and an actress, and she appeared on several soundtracks. Her albums include, Fifty Gates of Wisdom, Desert Wind, and Kirya. She had a hit with the song, "Im Nin'alu".

*Eddie Hazel

internal bleeding and liver failure after a lengthy battle with stomach problems (1992); he was 42. Hazel was the pioneering guitarist for Parliament-Funkadelic, who were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. In 2003, Rolling Stone Magazine named Hazel one of the greatest guitarists of all time (ranking number 43). Hazel was predeceased by fellow band member, Glenn Lamont Goins (1978), and was followed by Garry Shider (2010). "Flash Light," "One Nation Under a Groove," "Aqua Boogie," "(Not Just) Knee Deep"

Jeff Healey

(Norman Jeffrey Healey), cancer; 2008. He was 41. Healey battled cancer since age 1, when retinal cancer claimed his eyesight. Struck blind, he taught himself to play guitar by laying the instrument across his lap. Healey fronted the Jeff Healey Band, who were nominated for Grammy awards in 1989 (Best Instrumental Rock Group) and 1996 (Best Instrumental Rock Performance for "Shapes of Things"). The group's hit "Angel Eyes," from 1988's See the Light increased the band's fame and critical acclaim.

Heavy D

(Dwight Arrington Myers), respiratory ailment; 2011. Heavy D was was returning home when he experienced difficulty breathing and collapsed in the hallway of his condominium. He died at the hospital, approximately 90 minutes later. The singer was 44, weighing almost 350 pounds. Heavy D was nominated for four Grammy Awards and four Soul Train Awards (one of which he won, for the 1990 album, Big Tyme). Heavy D & the Boyz: "Now That We Found Love" and themes for the TV programs, In Living Color and MADtv. Heavy D also appears on Michael Jackson's (see 2009) single "Jam" and Janet Jackson's single "Alright".

*Jimi Hendrix

(born Johnny Allen Hendrix, his father changed his name to James Marshall Hendrix when he was 4 years old), accidental death by combining alcohol and the barbiturate, Vesparax, in 1970. Hendrix was 27 and an established guitar legend. Sources are saying his death was actually a homicide; read about Hendrix's murder by his manager. You can also read about Hendrix's connection to the Curse of 27. In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine named Hendrix the greatest guitarist of all time. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, with Noel Redding (see 2003) and Mitch Mitchell (2008; natural causes at age 61), were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. Hendrix was also inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. "Purple Haze," "Foxy Lady," "Manic Depression"

Jim Henson

bacterial pneumonia (1990). He was 53. Henson created The Muppets, who scored two hits: "Rubber Duckie" in 1970 and "Rainbow Connection" in 1979.

Gregory Herbert

heroin overdose in 1978; he was 31. Herbert was a jazz saxophonist and played briefly with Blood, Sweat and Tears: "You've Made Me So Very Happy," "Spinning Wheel," "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know"

Oli Herbert

(Oliver Herbert), possibly drowned in 2018; he was 44. Herbert was found dead in a pond near his property. Although an apparent drowning, the police opened an investigation because foul play was suspected. No conclusions have yet to be reached. Herbert was lead guitarist and a founding member of the metal outfit, All That Remains. The band won the Independent Music Award for Best Hard/Rock Metal Album in 2010 for Overcome. "Two Weeks," "Stand Up," "What If I Was Nothing"

Paul Hester

suicide by hanging, 2005. Hester was a founding member and the drummer for Australian band, Crowded House. He was found in a park near his home in Melbourne, hanging from a tree. Hester was 46 at the time of his death. Peter Jones (see 2012) replaced Hester as drummer when he left the band. "Don't Dream It's Over," "Something So Strong," "Weather with You"

Ulysses K. "Ronnie" Hicks

heart condition (1955). He was 22. Hicks joined the Five Keys, an R&B/doo-wop singing group, in 1952. The Five Keys were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002. "Ling, Ting, Tong," "Out of Sight, Out of Mind," "Wisdom of a Fool," "Teardrops in Your Eyes," "Story of Love"

Brent Hinds

(William Brent Hinds), motorcycle accident in 2025. He was 51. Hinds was a co-founder and the guitarist for Mastodon. While riding his motorcycle, an SUV failed to yield at an intersection and struck the musician. Mastodon, a heavy metal band, won Best International Metal Album in 2009 for Crack the Skye, and the band was nominated for six Grammy Awards, winning in 2018 for Best Metal Performance (for "Sultan's Curse"). "High Road," "White Walker," "Show Yourself"

Bob "The Bear" Hite

heart attack in 1981. He was 36. Hite, vocalist for Canned Heat, weighed nearly 300 pounds at the time of his death. He was one of the band's original members, along with Al "Blind Owl" Wilson (see 1970) and Henry "Sunflower" Vestine (see 1997). Hite's brother, Richard (see 2001), also played with a later incarnation of the group. (Bassist Larry Taylor succumbed to cancer in 2019 at the age of 77.) "Same All Over," "Let's Work Together," "Time Was," "Boogie Music," "On the Road Again," "Going Up the Country"

Richard Hite

cancer (2001); he was 50. Hite was the brother of Canned Heat's Bob "The Bear" Hite (see 1981), and he often performed with the group. He also played with Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Hammie Nixon, Studebaker John, and Pretty Things/Yardbird Blues Band.

*Elsbeary Hobbs

lung cancer at age 59 (1996). Hobbs was a member of the legendary Drifters. The Drifters were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Vocal Hall of Fame in 2000. "There Goes My Baby," "Save the Last Dance for Me," "Under the Boardwalk," "Up on the Roof"

Jimmy Hodder

drowned in a swimming pool in 1990. He was 42. Hodder was one of several session drummers for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees, Steely Dan. Steely Dan: "Reeling in the Years," "Rikki Don't Lose That Number," "Deacon Blues," "Do It Again"

*^Billie Holiday

(Eleanor Fagan Gough), cirrhosis of the liver due to excessive alcohol and heroin consumption; 1959. A jazz legend; Holiday was 44. "Lady Day" was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1991 and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. "God Bless the Child," "Nobody's Business (If I Do)," "Strange Fruit"

*Buddy Holly

(Charles Hardin Holley), plane crash in Iowa in 1959; he was 22. Holly's bassist, Waylon Jennings, jokingly told Holly, "I hope your plane crashes," after being denied a seat on the aircraft in favor of "The Big Bopper." Ritchie Valens was also killed. Holly was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and he is a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. Visit the Tribute to Rock's Royal Trinity and read about the Curse of Buddy Holly. "Peggy Sue," "That'll Be the Day," "Rave On," "Oh Boy!"

*James Honeyman-Scott

cocaine overdose in 1982; he was 25. Honeyman-Scott was the guitarist for the Pretenders, who were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. (Pete Farndon, bassist for The Pretenders, would succumb to a heroin overdose in 1983.) "Brass in Pocket," "Talk of the Town," "Message of Love." The Pretenders minus Honeyman-Scott: "Back on the Chain Gang," "I'll Stand By You"

Shannon Hoon

(Richard Shannon Hoon), heroin overdose in 1995. Lead singer of Blind Melon and back-up vocalist on "Don't Cry" by Guns n' Roses. Hoon was 28. "No Rain," "Tones of Home," "Galaxy"

Doug Hopkins

shot himself in 1993. He was the co-founder of and songwriter for the Gin Blossoms, but because of his alcoholism (possibly caused by chronic depression) he was fired from the band prior to their national success. Hopkins was 32. "Hey Jealousy," "Found Out About You," "Until I Fall Away," "Til I Hear it From You," "Follow You Down"

Johnny Horton

(John Gale Horton), automobile crash in 1960; he was 35. Country singer whose song, "The Battle of New Orleans" was a huge hit in 1959; it won the 1960 Grammy for Best Country & Western Recording and the Grammy Hall of Fame Award. In 2001, the song was named one of the "Songs of the Century." In 1960, Horton was driving home from the Austin Skylight Club when his car was struck head-on by a drunk driver. Ironically, this was also the last place Hank Williams played before his alcohol-related death in 1953 (and both musicians died in Cadillacs). Horton had married Williams's widow, Billie Jean Jones Eshlimar. He was returning from a performance when he heard on the radio about Hank Williams's death, on Highway 79 going through Milano, Texas - the same town where Horton would have his fatal accident seven years later. Horton was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and was posthumously inducted into the Delta Music Museum Hall of Fame in Louisiana. "Sink the Bismarck," "North to Alaska"

*Whitney Houston

drowned in 2012; age 48. Houston, an '80s pop sensation and an award-winning actress, claimed numerous awards, including two Emmys, six Grammys, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards and an NAACP Image Award. She appeared in several films including The Bodyguard, Waiting to Exhale, and The Preacher's Wife. Her personal life often made headlines that overshadowed her professional achievements, such as a tumultuous marriage to R&B singer, Bobby Brown, and her very public battle with substance abuse. Houston was found dead in the bathtub of her room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. The coroner listed the cause of death as "drowning due to atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use." (Toxicology reports also showed Benadryl, Xanax, marijuana and Flexiril in her system.) Houston was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2020. "How Will I Know," "Greatest Love of All," "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)," "I'm Your Baby Tonight," "I Will Always Love You," "I'm Every Woman"

Glenn Hughes

lung cancer; 2001. Hughes was the leather-clad "motorcyclist" for '70s gay icons, the Village People. Hughes, who was buried in his leatherman outfit, was 50. "YMCA," "In the Navy," "Macho Man"

Michael Hutchence

hanged himself; 1997. Lead singer for INXS, he was 37. Hutchence's girlfriend, Paula Yates, in a custody battle with ex-husband Bob Geldof (formerly of the Boomtown Rats), was prevented from leaving England with their three daughters and with Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily, her daughter with Hutchence. Unable to join him in Australia for Christmas, reports speculated that an already depressed Hutchence committed suicide. Some pose the theory that it was an accidental death resulting from autoerotic asphyxiation. For the complete story, visit the Archive's Michael Hutchence Tribute. "Need You Tonight," "Disappear," "New Sensation," "Not Enough Time," "Never Tear Us Apart," "Elegantly Wasted"

Andy Hummel

cancer in 2010; he was 59. Hummel co-founded Big Star with Chris Bell (killed in an auto accident in 1978) and Alex Chilton (heart attack, 2010). Hummel also played in the bands Rock City and Ice Water. Big Star: "Thirteen," "September Gurls," "The India Song"

Walter Hyatt

plane crash in 1996. He was 47. Hyatt was a Texas singer and songwriter who formed Uncle Walt's Band. Hyatt was involved in the Austin, Texas music scene from its beginning and is credited with being the "original Americana Artist." View the detailed account of Hyatt's plane crash (the National Transportation and Safety Board report on the crash of ValuJet Flight 592). Album: Some Unfinished Business, Volume One