If you could prevent ONE musicians death

Jesus -- what a hideous specimen.

 

django reinhardt

 

The thing is, you’d have to be able to prevent the death. Could anyone have stopped Kurt from self-destruction? Or Elvis?

I don’t think so.

But, I could have stopped Mark David Chapman.

 

I'm sure its been said plenty of times but to me this answer is easy.

Hendrix.

Lennon or Garcia would be close follows for me, but Jimi was so young and put out so little material compared to those two.

 

John Lennon, who knows what he could have recorded in the past 38 years if he was still around, there also could have been a Beatles reunion.

 

Buddy Holly or Ritchie Valens. Wish that plane would have malfunctioned before take off and prevented the whole thing.

 

I've always thought Ritchie had more potential as a guitarist than Buddy and could've really developed well he had some nice bluesy influences too going by a few instrumentals and showed some lead ability.

Both young men a tragic loss.

 

Ritchie is the one for me that you wonder what could have been. His guitar playing was pretty advanced for his age, and was only going to get better. Just a shame.

 

Gregg or Duane Allman

 

Yea it's just those markers you see with young talented guitarists the natural rhythm playing ability and just starting to find his lead chops.. damn shame.

Buddy with his songwriting & arranging ability as well as his studio nous could've gone on to amazing things as well.

 

That's a really interesting line of reasoning - I can see your point. It would be unethical to totally unravel global history on a whim, no matter our intentions - playing God, almost literally.

Whereas if Mac Miller, Avicii, Aretha Franklin, or Charles Aznavour were still with us right now, the biggest change to right now would be... they'd still be with us.

 

John Lennon is the obvious answer.
He was just starting out making a comeback, but more than that, he was getting his life together.
I'd also love to have heard his opinions about everything that has gone on in the world these past many years!

Beyond Lennon, I'd say Buddy Holly. Because of his musical inventiveness, he seemed like the one 50's artist who might have been able to keep up with all the rapid changes of the 60's and still be relevant.

 

Hard one. I'd have to choose between Prince and Elvis. I'd probably go with Prince.

 

And his efforts would have influenced countless genres and generations.
Others probably did some of the things he would have done but he would have (again) made it more accessible and digestible to a wider listening demographic thus again increasing his influence and encouraging others to be brave and take chances with their music.
Hmm take chances......maybe that could just create artistic growth & interesting music?

 

Kurt Cobain
I think he'd enjoy his 40s and now 50s.
You see things differently than when you were young.

 

Allen Woody

 

I'm gonna add:

Jeff Buckley

Listening to his stuff lately. Taken way before his time.

 

We will never know. He could have lived another 50+ years. Who knows what would have popped into his head.

 

True. It's just that his final years offered no innovations (unless we count recording with strings and Afro Cuban bands) and he peaked in 1948 or so, unlike some musicians who were still innovating when they died.

 

It's a 3-way toss-up between Bowie, Lennon, and Chris Cornell.

 

So maybe it's best that none of us can bring back the dead.

 

Malcolm Owen from The Ruts.

 

Lowell George of Little Feat. He still had a lot to give.

 

Bob Dylan, we need him.

 

Nahhhh. We all got on alright between 1975 and 1980, and besides a few highlights after 1971, there wasn't THAT many great songs from his pen. My vote goes to Hendrix.