Music History Events: Died Young
June 30, 1995 Phyllis Hyman commits suicide by drug overdose at age 45. Known for the 1979 hit single "You Know How to Love Me," among others.
June 18, 1995 Louise Dean (singer for Shiva) dies in a hit-and-run accident at age 24. Shiva's single "Freedom" peaks at #18 on the UK charts shortly after.
March 8, 1995 Ingo Schwichtenberg (drummer for Helloween), suffering from drug addiction and schizophrenia, commits suicide by jumping in front of a train.
February 18, 1995 Bob Stinson (lead guitarist for The Replacements) dies at age 35 after years of drug and alcohol abuse takes its toll on his health.
January 29, 1995 Ken Jensen (drummer for D.O.A.), age 29, dies of smoke inhalation while trying to escape a house fire.
January 11, 1995 Sean McDonnell (lead singer, guitarist for Surgery) dies at age 30, four days after suffering a severe asthma attack.
September 19, 1994 Frankie Kennedy (flautist/tin whistle player for Altan) dies of cancer (Ewing's sarcoma) in Belfast, Ireland, at age 38.
June 16, 1994 Kristen Pfaff (bassist for Hole) dies of acute opiate intoxication at age 27.
May 23, 1994 Jimmy Fernandez (bassist for The God Machine) dies suddenly of a brain tumor at age 28.
March 22, 1994 Dan Hartman dies of an AIDS-related brain tumor at age 43.
January 22, 1994 Rhett Forrester (former lead singer of Riot) is shot and killed during an attempted carjacking in Atlanta, Georgia. He was 37.
December 1, 1993 Hard rocker Ray Gillen (of Black Sabbath, Badlands) dies of an AIDS-related disease at age 34.
October 17, 1993 Criss Oliva (lead guitarist for Savatage) is killed by a drunk driver in Zephyrhills, Florida, at age 30.
July 7, 1993 Mia Zapata (lead singer of The Gits), age 27, is murdered after being accosted by a stranger outside of Seattle's Comet Tavern. The case goes unsolved for years until DNA evidence links the crime to Florida fisherman Jesus Mezquia in 2003, who eventually is sentenced to 36 years in prison.
June 30, 1993 Six days after falling off a 10-foot platform during rehearsal for a game show, 31-year-old Wong Ka Kui (lead singer of Beyond) dies of his head injuries.
June 28, 1993 After repeated threats to kill himself on stage, shock rocker GG Allin dies at age 36 of a heroin overdose following a concert that is cut short due to mayhem.
April 29, 1993 Mick Ronson, a guitarist best known for his work with David Bowie, dies of cancer at age 46.
March 19, 1993 Jeff Ward (drummer for several bands, including Low Pop Suicide and Nine Inch Nails) commits suicide via carbon monoxide poisoning at age 30.
January 21, 1993 French singer Noël Rota aka Helno (of Les Negresses Vertes) dies of a heroin overdose at age 29.
August 5, 1992 Jeff Porcaro (drummer for Toto) dies of a heart attack from cocaine-induced atherosclerosis at age 38 in Los Angeles, California.
July 5, 1992 Helix guitarist Paul Hackman, age 38, is killed after a concert in Vancouver when the band's van rolls down a 40-foot embankment and throws him from the vehicle.
June 27, 1992 Stefanie Sargent of 7 Year Bitch dies at age 24. After a night of drinking and drug use, she chokes to death when she vomits in her sleep.
May 4, 1992 Dudu Mntowaziwayo Ndlovu (percussionist for Johnny Clegg & Juluka) is killed in a hail of gunfire in South Africa at age 33.
April 10, 1992 Brash stand-up comedian Sam Kinison, who also appeared in several music videos ("Bad Medicine," "Kickstart My Heart," "Wild Thing"), dies at age 38 when his car is hit by a teenage drunk driver.
January 6, 1992 Steve Gilpin (vocalist for MI-sex) dies after a severe car accident leaves him in a coma in Southport, Queensland, Australia, at age 42.
November 24, 1991 Eric Carr of Kiss dies of heart cancer at age 41.
November 15, 1991 Producer Jacques Morali, who created The Village People, dies of AIDS at age 44.
November 7, 1991 R&B musician Carter Cornelius (of Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose), also known as Prince Gideon Israel, dies of a heart attack at age 43.
May 4, 1991 Punk rocker Simon Wilde (bassist for D.O.A.) dies of a brain tumor at age 33.
July 26, 1990 Grateful Dead keyboard player Brent Mydland dies of a drug overdose at age 37.
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