Artists With The Most Tragic Outcome But Great Music

I'm going to nominate Badfinger. While some of you may be familiar with their story, for everyone else, read this...

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.loudersound.com/amp/features/badfinger-bad-breaks-dumb-luck-tragedy-peter-ham

I still think 'No Matter What' is one of the greatest power-pop tracks ever.

My second nomination would go to the Allman Brothers band, specifically Duane.

Bandleader Duane Allman Dies in Bike Crash

 

Otis Redding

 

Bobby Fuller
Tommy Boyce

 

Fairport Convention's bus crash in 1969 which left drummer Martin Lamble and another passenger dead and the rest of the band injured and traumatised. They went on to record their classic album Liege and Lief later in the same year.
The Day Fairport Convention's Bus Crashed, Killing Martin Lamble

 

John Lennon
George Harrison

 

Sandy denny

Danny gatton

 

Way too many.

Tommy Bolin

 

Spinal Tap.

We've lost so many incredible drummers.

 

Judee Sill. Spine-tingling music, only to come to a tragic demise due to intense physical discomfort and drug use, a death which - some subsequently remarked - went almost unnoticed at the time.

 

Sadly, rather a lot.

 

Karen Carpenter

 

She is definitely one of the most tragic.

 

Definitely Badfinger
The original Pretenders

 

Jimi Hendrix
Buddy Holly
Jim Croce

 

Def Leppard have had more than the occasional bump in the road, yet keep their heads down and just get on with it. Class album after class album. 'Nuff respect!

 

Nick Drake

 

Robert Johnson

 

Terry Kath

 

Elliot Smith

 

Jim Croce holds kind of a special place in sadness for me, because some of his songs were so sad, and then he died in such tragic fashion.

 

Mark Linkous (Sparklehorse)

 

And the Bar-Kays...

 

I think John Lennon getting shot by some random nutcase counts as a pretty tragic outcome!

 

Charlie Parker

 

Randy Rhodes
Cliff Burton
Kurt Cobain
Stiv Bators
Richie Valens
Ronnie Van Zant
Bon Scott
Jason Becker
To name a few.... So many more.