John Lennon's death was the only one (so far) that I had to step back and try to absorb, rationalize or whatever. I'm was basically a loner, even back then, good with people but didn't need to be. But I had to get together with my friends who were likewise affected. I was too young for Buddy Holly's death to really affect me, most of the other deaths didn't really surprise me. Lennon's was a kick in the stomach.
Buddy Holly Jimi Hendrix Marc Bolan John Bonham John Lennon Jacqueline du Pré George Harrison Eva Cassidy Though not and artist per se, John Peel
Garcia and then Lennon. Both laid me out, but Jerry was a much bigger part of my everyday life than John was at the time of his murder.
I'm going to add a couple more that crossed my mind - Mick Ronson - I loved his playing and the bands he was in. Keith Moon - For a lot of reasons....I like the Who, I play drums, but in my 70's heydays he was the first really big name that passed from a band I liked a lot.
Brian Jones. He was the first major star of 'my' youth to die tragically. I loved the 60s version of the Stones so much back then, and Brian's contributions on 'Aftermath' delight me even now. His death felt like the end of my childhood innocence.
Rick Wright in the fall of 2008. No other celebrity passing has had that kind of an effect on me. And just two years after a revitalized Wright lit up Gilmour's solo tour with his presence. Way too soon.
No question for me... Duane Allman Linda McCartney Eva Cassidy Hughie Thomasson Rick Wright Ronnie Van Zant John Lennon-this hit me like Kennedy's death-it changed the nation John Martyn Sandy Denny
Without a doubt it was Frank Zappa's passing that hit me the hardest followed closely by Captain Beefheart (Don Van Vliet), Mick Karn and John Martyn.
John Lennon's death affected me at the time more than any other artist's death has, and it has even grown in impact in my mind over the years.
Peppi Marchello from The Good Rats. His passing broke a lot of New York area hearts. Not a BIG star but he was OUR star.
Johnny Winter Having attended upwards of 50 funerals in my life, death has never bothered me, neither family nor friends, and certainly not celebrities, until May of this year when I learned that my high school girlfriend, whom I loved very, very much, died a few years ago without a funeral, burial or even local obituary... (when young, she looked like the woman in my avatar, cellist Ashley Bathgate). As a result, I have been an emotional wreck. Back in the 1980s I quit attending concerts for three years until a friend landed a gig opening for Johnny Winter and invited me along. As mentioned in the R.I.P. thread, I had the privilege of standing on stage with Winter throughout his performance. How much more meaningful can a concert possibly get? Johnny Winter, yes. But that doesn't mean the loss of others hasn't been felt, Lennon foremost because of his young age, Bon Scott, and a couple of older musicians, Alvin Lee, and Lou Reed, both of whom have informed my life since the late 1960s. I am appreciative of every artist mentioned in this thread.
I can't say any of them really had much of an effect on me, having been introduced to death in childhood and experiencing it plenty before adulthood. But the one that shocked me the most was Alvin Lee. Every picture of the guy I ever seen he looked like a dude that took very good care of himself. One that I remember is I distinctly remember hearing about Jim Morrison. Most of them I don't remember that well, for some reason that one I do, vividly.
