Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, and recently Ian McLagan - Faces! Also, Pete Ham, Eddy Shaver and Johnny Winter.
Marvin Hamlisch. An extraordinarily gifted and unique artist. Brilliantly funny and entertaining and - from personal experience - an absolute gentleman of great humility. Barbra Streisand's tribute at the Oscars was a lovely moment.
Not an artist, but a gateway to so many, John Peel. My mother introduced me the world, John Peel introduced me to the world of music. The deaths of both left me empty, weak at the knees, and full of tears.
Got to be the double whammy of Duane Allman and Berry Oakley about a year apart. They were and remain my favorite band.
John Lennon. I was shocked. Also Alex Chilton, Curtis Mayfield, Terry Callier, and more recently, Ian McLagan.
Kurt Cobain. I didn't know Nirvana back in the day but when I seriously got into music recently, I started to explore bands that I missed out on. Listening to Nirvana's interviews now when they were at the height of their career and watching their live performances on Youtube is enjoyable, insightful but also poignant. I'm grateful for their music and the many interviews and live performances that are forever preserved.
The assassination of John Lennon. Completely shocked that someone could die simply because of who they are.
John Lennon & George Harrison were the most, by far. Alex Chilton would be next. After that Jerry Garcia & Joe Strummer I guess.
Jason Noble from rodan/shipping news/Rachel's. He was my age, I listened to his stuff a lot throughout my 20s. When he died from cancer a few years ago it really made me stop and reflect. His family / wife had a memorial page up I remember looking through...it was just terribly sad.
Jerry Garcia. I could not listen to the Dead for quite a few years following his death. It may not have helped, after all, to have seen Ratdog in Washington DC the day after he died. It was a sad scene for me; not a celebration -- just sad. But I've recovered and listen to a ton of Dead once again. Carry on!
I'll join the other 130 or so members who've posted so far saying John Lennon's death affected them most. It was a complete shock. More than that, really. It seemed like it moved the Earth, or moved time and the ripped fabric delineated the end of one age and the start of another. It felt bad, ominous. Like something evil was emerging and it wanted someone like John Lennon out of the way for good. His death moved me, of that there is no doubt. I felt it and it was cold. The utter pointlessness of it added to the sadness and the loss. Still does. Chapman's twisted up ego fantasy affected the entire Earth and left it a far bleaker place. One can only hope that as his life ebbs away in his prison home his heart is filled with bleak and unrelenting sorrow and stabbing regret for his awful crime, and that he still receives the hatred and loathing he deserves for his pitiful act. I can only feel the sincerest ill will for that man even 35 years later.
Brad Delp. My wife and I and some friends were on our way to a BeatleJuice show at Johnny D's in Somerville and when we walked into the club, it was surprisingly empty and very quiet. We learned that Brad Delp had died just hours before. We were just shocked beyond words, and I am still stunned about the whole thing, more than seven years later. We drove to another bar, found a jukebox and played all the Boston songs.
not the absolute most, but I was very sad when John Dawson of The New Rides Of The Purple Sage passed...I met him a few times and we had some nice chats...he was a kind man.
I let go years ago. John's music moved me, but I had no contact with him personally so it's quite different than losing my childhood best friend from the age of 4...I miss him everyday.. I miss what John could have done if he was still alive.. I was a HUGE fan since a very young age...BUT, I still have his music and I am sad that he was taken so young... seemed old then... now, not any longer...
John Lennon My innocence, idealism, and general optimism took quite a hit. The "what if's" still haunt me to this day. I believe John was ready for a new burst of creativity. George Harrison I remember an overall feeling of sadness when George died. Karen Carpenter My daughter had an eating disorder which she overcame. Karen's death reminds me of how fortunate my daughter is to be alive and healthy.
