List of deaths in rock and roll (1960s) explained

The following is a list of notable performers of rock and roll music or rock music, and others directly associated with the music as producers, songwriters or in other closely related roles, who have died in the 1960s. The list gives their date, cause and location of death, and their age.

Rock music developed from the rock and roll music that emerged during the 1950s, and includes a diverse range of subgenres. The terms "rock and roll" and "rock" each have a variety of definitions, some narrow and some wider. In determining criteria for inclusion, this list uses as its basis reliable sources listing "rock deaths" or "deaths in rock and roll", as well as such sources as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

NameAgeDateLocationCause of death
27 February 6, 1960 Hope, Arkansas, U.S. Car accident [1]
Gene Alford
The Four Knights
37 April 2, 1960 Epileptic Seizure
33 April 3, 1960 Horseshoe Lake, Arkansas, U.S. Car crash
28 April 13, 1960 Greenwich Village, New York City, New York, U.S. Suicide by alcohol and secobarbital overdose [2]
21 April 17, 1960 Chippenham, Wiltshire, England Car crash [3]
46 May 1, 1960 McKinney, Texas, U.S. Unknown cancer[4]
Eli Oberstein
Record producer and music executive
58 June 12, 1960 Westport, Connecticut, U.S. Lymphatic cancer
37 September 8, 1960 Polio-like virus[5]
35 November 5, 1960 Milano, Texas, U.S. Car crash[6]
A. P. Carter
Carter Family
68 November 7, 1960 Kingsport, Tennessee, U.S. Unknown
Kelsey Pharr
The Delta Rhythm Boys
44 April 20, 1961 Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. Unknown cancer/ Severe illness
42 April 29, 1961 San Bernardino, California, U.S. Stomach cancer[7]
56 May 6, 1961 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Bronchopneumonia[8]
25 July 6, 1961 Seneca, New York, U.S. Automobile accident[9]
43 August 15, 1961 The Bronx, New York, U.S. Lung cancer[10]
23 October 5, 1961 New York City, New York, U.S. Uremia[11]
27 February 5, 1962 Holbrook, Arizona, U.S. Automobile accident[12]
36 February 11, 1962 New York City, New York, U.S. Heart attack[13]
29 February 28, 1962 New York City, New York, U.S. Heroin overdose[14]
Stuart Sutcliffe
The Beatles
21 April 10, 1962 Hamburg, West Germany Cerebral paralysis due to aneurysm; [15]
31 July 28, 1962 New York City, New York, U.S. Car crash[16]
36 August 4, 1962 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Barbiturate overdose[17]
59 October 7, 1962 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. Shot[18]
47 December 2, 1962 Murphys, California, U.S. Cerebral hemorrhage[19]
31 January 13, 1963 New York City, New York, U.S. Heart attack[20]
44 January 16, 1963 New York City, New York, U.S. Lung cancer[21]
37 February 28, 1963 New York City, New York, U.S. Heart attack[22]
30 March 5, 1963 Camden, Tennessee, U.S. 1963 Camden PA-24 crash[23]
49 March 5, 1963 Camden, Tennessee, U.S. 1963 Camden PA-24 crash
41 March 5, 1963 Camden, Tennessee, U.S. 1963 Camden PA-24 crash
45 May 24, 1963 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Heart attack[24]
52-53 October 22, 1963 [25]
96 November 1, 1963 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Bronchial pneumonia after a gallbladder operation
39 December 14, 1963 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. Complications of a drug overdose[26]
32 January 7, 1964 Eel Pie Island, London, England Endocarditis and Leukaemia
Rudy Lewis
The Drifters
27 May 20, 1964 New York City, New York, U.S. Died in his sleep/Asphyxiation
58 June 7, 1964 Minneapolla, Minnesota, U.S. Car crash
36 June 29, 1964 Berlin, Germany Complications from diabetes[27]
40 July 31, 1964 Davidson County, Tennessee, U.S. Plane crash
Johnny Burnette
The Rock and Roll Trio
30 August 14, 1964 Clear Lake, California, U.S. Drowned following a serious boating accident[28]
34 August 16, 1964 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Brain hemorrhage
69 August 27, 1964 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Heart attack
David Box
The Crickets
21 October 23, 1964 Houston, Texas, U.S. Plane crash[29]
27 October 24, 1964 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. Heart attack[30]
48 November 24, 1964 Houston, Texas, U.S. Gunshot wound[31]
Sam Cooke
The Soul Stirrers
33 December 11, 1964 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Shot by Bertha Franklin[32]
43 January 20, 1965 Palm Springs, California, U.S. Uremia and cirrhosis of the liver[33]
45 February 15, 1965 Santa Monica, California, U.S. Lung cancer[34]
52 May 25, 1965 Helena, Arkansas, U.S. Heart attack[35]
39 October 21, 1965 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. Brain tumor[36]
Mike Millward
Rhythm guitarist for The Fourmost
24 March 7, 1966 Leukemia/Blood cancer
61 March 29, 1966 Chicago. Illinois, U.S. Gunshot wound [37]
29 April 30, 1966 Carmel Valley, California, U.S. Motorcycle accident[38]
Bobby Fuller
The Bobby Fuller Four
23 July 18, 1966 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Asphyxia (Suicide, murder or accident)[39]
41 July 31, 1966 Brooklyn, New York City, U.S. Tuberculosis[40]
78 August 11, 1966 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Complications from diabetes
Dave Lambert
Lambert, Hendricks & Ross
49 October 3, 1966 Connecticut Turnpike, Connecticut, U.S. Car crash [41]
53 October 7, 1966 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. Stomach cancer[42]
Johnny Kidd
Johnny Kidd & The Pirates
30 October 8, 1966 Breightmet, Bolton, Lancashire, England Car accident[43]
74 November 2, 1966 Grenada, Mississippi, U.S. Heart attack[44]
35 November 26, 1966 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Heart failure[45]
57 January 1, 1967 Beaumont, Texas, U.S. Heart attack[46]
37 February 3, 1967 London, England Suicide by gunshot[47]
60 February 25, 1967 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Unknown[48]
65 March 6, 1967 Miami Beach, Florida, U.S. Cerebral hemorrhage
38 April 29, 1967 Urbana, Illinois, U.S. Injuries from a car crash[49]
LaVerne Andrews
The Andrew Sisters
55 May 8, 1967 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Unknown cancer[50]
43 May 19, 1967 New York City, New York, U.S. Heart failure
40 July 17, 1967 Huntington, New York, U.S. Liver cancer and hepatitis B
32 August 27, 1967 London, EnglandAccidental drug overdose [51]
60 September 7, 1967 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Brain hemorrhage
55 October 3, 1967 New York City, New York, U.S. Huntington's Disease[52]
57 November 5, 1967 Helena, Arkansas, U.S. Heart failure
80 December 3, 1967 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. Unknown
Bert Lahr
Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz
72 December 4, 1967 New York City, New York, U.S. Pneumonia/Unknown cancer[53]
26 December 10, 1967 Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. Plane crash[54]
Ronnie Caldwell
The Bar-Keys
18 December 10, 1967 Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. Plane crash
Phalon Jones
The Bar-Keys
18-19 December 10, 1967 Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. Plane crash
Jimmy King
The Bar-Keys
18 December 10, 1967 Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. Plane crash
Carl Cunningham
The Bar-Keys
18-19 December 10, 1967 Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. Plane crash
Robin Roberts
The Wailers
27 December 22, 1967 San Mateo County, California, U.S. Car crash[55]
24 December 25, 1967 San Francisco, California, U.S. Hodgkin's lymphoma[56]
38 December 30, 1967 New York City, New York, U.S. Heart failure
37 February 15, 1968 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Coronary thrombosis due to injuries sustained when he was beaten[57]
Frankie Lymon
Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers
25 February 27, 1968 New York City, New York, U.S. Complications of a heroin overdose[58]
63 March 5, 1968 Miami Beach, Florida, U.S. Pneumonia[59]
55 April 9, 1968 Los Angeles California, U.S. Several health conditions
Lester Melrose
Record producer
76 April 12, 1968 Lake, Florida, U.S. Unknown[60]
Manuel Fernández
Los Bravos
23 May 20, 1968 Seville, Spain Suicide by hanging (Debatable)
30 May 26, 1968 Walla Walla, Washington, U.S. Heart attack
63 June 8, 1968 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Unknown
45 June 15, 1968 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. Heart attack
40 August 5, 1968 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. Smoke inhalation[61]
38 August 13, 1968 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. Melanoma/Skin cancer[62]
Malcolm Hale
Spanky and Our Gang
27 October 31, 1968 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Either Bronchial Pneumonia or accidental carbon monoxide poisoning
58 September 19, 1968 Fort Wayne, Indiana, U.S. Died in his sleep/Respiratory failure
67-72 November 8, 1968 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Heart attack
33 January 4, 1969 New York City, New York, U.S. Tuberculosis[63]
27 March 26, 1969 London, England Complications from a barbiturate overdose[64]
Benny Benjamin
The Funk Brothers
43 April 20, 1969 New York City, New York, U.S. Stroke/No brain activity[65]
37 May 6, 1969 Kingston, Jamaica Suicide[66]
Martin Lamble
Fairport Convention
19 May 12, 1969 Scratchwood Services, M1 Motorway, England Car crash[67]
64 May 19, 1969 New York City, New York, U.S. Liver disease[68]
Judy Garland
Dorothy Gale from The Wizard of Oz among other acting roles
47 June 22, 1969 London, England Complications of a Barbiturate Overdose[69]
29 June 29, 1969 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. Drowned[70]
Brian Jones
The Rolling Stones
27 July 3, 1969 Hartfield, East Sussex, England Drowned due to liver disfunction and ingestion [71]
53 July 4, 1969 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Esophageal cancer
40 July 20, 1969 New Rochelle, New York, U.S. Stroke/Massive brain hemorrhage[72]
27 July 31, 1969 Tellingstedt, Germany Road accident
55 September, 5, 1969 Manhasset, New York, U.S. Complications from surgery[73]
67 October 3, 1969 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. Unknown cancer[74]
Leonard Chess
Record producer, record company executive and co-founder of Chess Records
52 October 16, 1969 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Cardiac arrest[75]
47 October 22, 1969 Richmond, Virginia, U.S. Bleeding ulcer linked to cirrhosis of the liver[76]
77 October 29, 1969 San Francisco, California, U.S. Unknown[77]
Ivory "Deek" Watson
The 4 Tunes, The Brown Dots, The Ink Spots
60 November 4, 1969 Washington, D.C., U.S. Unknown[78]
32 December 1, 1969 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Heart attack[79]
67 December 5, 1969 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. Esophageal cancer[80]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Jesse Belvin - Biography & History - AllMusic. AllMusic. 4 December 2017.
  2. Web site: Beverly Kenney - Biography & History . AllMusic. 4 December 2017.
  3. Web site: The death of Eddie Cochran. Bbc.co.uk. 22 November 2017.
  4. Web site: Andrew "Smokey" Hogg - Biography & History - AllMusic. AllMusic. 4 December 2017.
  5. Book: The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Colin Larkin. Guinness Publishing. 1992. First. 0-85112-939-0. 1945/6.
  6. Web site: Johnny Horton - Biography & History - AllMusic. AllMusic. 8 December 2017.
  7. Book: The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music. Colin Larkin. Colin Larkin (writer). Virgin Books. 2002. Third. 1-85227-937-0. 208.
  8. Web site: Tommy McClennan . Msbluestrail.org . August 30, 2015.
  9. Web site: Yanow . Scott . Scott LaFaro . . August 21, 2018.
  10. Web site: Sticks McGhee - Biography & History - AllMusic. AllMusic. 5 December 2017.
  11. Web site: Lagamma. Dylan. October 2017. Abstract of the Dissertation Victory and Sorrow: The Musical Life of Booker Little. live. 3 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210927054602/https://rucore.libraries.rutgers.edu/rutgers-lib/55280/PDF/1/play/ . 2021-09-27 .
  12. Rhyan . Dianna . 2003 . Watkins, Doug(las) . October 26, 2020.
  13. Book: The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Colin Larkin. Guinness Publishing. 1992. First. 0-85112-939-0. 1908.
  14. Book: Coleman, Rick . Blue Monday: Fats Domino And The Lost Dawn Of Rock 'N' Roll. 2006 . Da Capo Press . 0-306-815311.
  15. Book: Ian MacDonald. The People's Music. 2003. Pimlico. 978-1-84413-093-1. 43–.
  16. "Musician Dies as Auto Overturns on West Side" (July 31, 1962) The New York Times, p. 17.
  17. News: From the Archives: Marilyn Monroe Dies; Pills Blamed. LA Times. 21 October 2015.
  18. Book: The Guinness Who's Who of Blues. Larkin, Colin. Guinness Publishing. 1995. Second. 0-85112-673-1. 38.
  19. Book: Bob. Eagle. Eric S.. LeBlanc. 2013. Blues - A Regional Experience. Praeger Publishers. Santa Barbara. 369–370 . 978-0313344237.
  20. http://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2011/01/13/sonny-clark/?id=lM7kWuxnkvkC&pg=PT166&dq=%22Sonny+Clark%22+dead+OR+died+OR+death&lr=&cd=11#v=onepage&q=%22Sonny%20Clark%22&f=false Blue Note Records: the biography
  21. Book: The Guinness Who's Who of Blues. Larkin, Colin. Guinness Publishing. 1995. Second. 0-85112-673-1. 986.
  22. Book: The Guinness Who's Who of Blues. Larkin, Colin. Guinness Publishing. 1995. Second. 0-85112-673-1. 1269/70.
  23. Book: Paul Simpson. The Rough Guide to Cult Pop. 2003. Rough Guides. 978-1-84353-229-3. 197–.
  24. Book: Colin Larkin. The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. 27 May 2011. Omnibus Press. 978-0-85712-595-8. 2–.
  25. Web site: Walter Davis: Biography . Ankeny, Jason. AllMusic. January 20, 2015.
  26. Book: Edward M. Komara. Encyclopedia of the Blues. 2006. Psychology Press. 978-0-415-92699-7. 1052–.
  27. Web site: Eric Dolphy - Biography & History. AllMusic. 3 December 2017.
  28. Book: Scott Stanton. The Tombstone Tourist: Musicians. September 2003. Simon and Schuster. 978-0-7434-6330-0. 295–.
  29. Web site: His Story. Davidbox.net. August 11, 2023.
  30. Book: Nick Talevski. Rock Obituaries - Knocking On Heaven's Door. 7 April 2010. Omnibus. 978-0-85712-117-2. 265–.
  31. Web site: Buster Pickens. Chicago Southside Piano. 15 March 2014 . 7 July 2019.
  32. Book: Evans, Mike. Rock'n'Roll's Strangest Moments: Extraordinary But True Tales from 45 Years of Rock & Roll History. 28 March 2014. Pavilion Books. 978-1-84994-181-5. 95–.
  33. Book: Glenn C. Altschuler. All Shook Up: How Rock 'n' Roll Changed America. 7 August 2003. Oxford University Press. 978-0-19-983957-5. 151–.
  34. Web site: From the Archives: Nat 'King' Cole dies of cancer at 45. 16 February 1965. Los Angeles Times. 27 November 2017.
  35. Web site: Sonny Boy Williamson II - Biography & History. AllMusic. 29 November 2017.
  36. Web site: Bill Black - Biography & History - AllMusic. AllMusic. 9 December 2017.
  37. Web site: Jazz Gillum - Biography & History - AllMusic. AllMusic. 8 December 2017.
  38. Web site: Fariña, Richard George - Dictionary definition of Fariña, Richard George - Encyclopedia.com: FREE online dictionary. www.encyclopedia.com. 9 December 2017.
  39. Web site: Bobby Fuller - Biography & History - AllMusic. AllMusic. 9 December 2017.
  40. http://www.blackpast.org/?q=aah/powell-bud-1924-1966 "Powell, Earl 'Bud' (1924–1966)"
  41. News: Jazz Musician Dave Lambert Killed In Crash. . . October 4, 1966.
  42. Web site: Smiley Lewis - Biography & History. AllMusic. 30 November 2017.
  43. Web site: Johnny Kidd - Biography & History. AllMusic. 22 November 2017.
  44. Web site: Mississippi John Hurt - Biography & History. AllMusic. 2 December 2017.
  45. Book: Bob. Eagle. Eric S.. LeBlanc. 2013. Blues – A Regional Experience. Praeger Publishers. Santa Barbara. 68 . 978-0313344237.
  46. Web site: Moon Mullican - Biography & History - AllMusic. AllMusic. 9 December 2017.
  47. Web site: Joe Meek and Telstar's tragic tale. 18 April 2009. Independent.co.uk. 26 November 2017.
  48. Book: Bob. Eagle. Eric S.. LeBlanc. 2013. Blues - A Regional Experience. Praeger Publishers. Santa Barbara. 169 . 978-0313344237.
  49. Web site: Doc Rock . The 1960s . The Dead Rock Stars Club . March 10, 2013.
  50. Book: Sforza, John. Swing It! The Andrews Sisters Story. 2014. University Press of Kentucky. 9780813148977. 154.
  51. Web site: 1967: Beatles' manager Epstein dies. 27 August 1967. 26 November 2017. News.bbc.co.uk.
  52. Book: Walter Fred Bodmer. Robin McKie. The Book of Man: The Human Genome Project and the Quest to Discover Our Genetic Heritage. 1997. Oxford University Press. 978-0-19-511487-4. 70–.
  53. News: Bert Lahr, Comic Actor, Dies; Played Burlesque and Beckett; Bert Lahr, Comic Actor, Is Dead at 72 Child of Immigrants 'Boy Wonder' of Burlesque Broadway Debut. Alden. Whitman. The New York Times . December 5, 1967. NYTimes.com.
  54. Book: Harris M. Lentz III. Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2015. 30 March 2016. McFarland. 978-1-4766-2553-9. 58–.
  55. Web site: Roberts, "Rockin' Robin" (1940-1967) - HistoryLink.org. Historylink.org. 3 December 2017.
  56. Web site: Light of Day – Record Collector Magazine. Recordcollectormag.com. April 27, 2020.
  57. Web site: The King of Blues Harp – Little Walter - uDiscover. 15 February 2015. Udiscovermusic.com. 29 November 2017.
  58. Web site: 3 In Running To Be Widow Of Frankie Lymon. Articles.chicagotribune.com. 10 July 1986 . 25 November 2017.
  59. Web site: Syd Nathan - Biography & History - AllMusic. AllMusic. 5 December 2017.
  60. Book: Edward Komara. Peter Lee. The Blues Encyclopedia. July 2004. Routledge. 978-1-135-95832-9. 679–.
  61. Web site: Luther Perkins. Rockabillyhall.com. 7 December 2017.
  62. Web site: Joe Hinton - Biography & History - AllMusic. AllMusic. 9 December 2017.
  63. Book: Davis, John S. . 2012 . [{{Google books|c-_1LifRPJkC|page=64|plainurl=yes}} Historical Dictionary of Jazz ]. . 64 . 978-0810867574 . November 9, 2013.
  64. Web site: Dickie Pride - Biography & History - AllMusic. AllMusic. 4 December 2017.
  65. Book: Nick Talevski. Rock Obituaries - Knocking On Heaven's Door. 7 April 2010. Omnibus. 978-0-85712-117-2. 29–.
  66. Web site: Don Drummond - Biography & History - AllMusic. AllMusic. 6 December 2017.
  67. Web site: John Harris on the story of Fairport Convention's Liege and Lief. John. Harris. 2 August 2007. 29 November 2017. Theguardian.com.
  68. Book: The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz. Colin Larkin. Guinness Publishing. 1992. First. 0-85112-580-8. 193/4.
  69. News: Bertram . Colin . Judy Garland's Life Was in a Downward Spiral Before Her 1969 Death . November 18, 2020 . Biography . September 30, 2020.
  70. Web site: Shorty Long - Biography & History. AllMusic. 27 November 2017.
  71. News: July 1969: Rolling Stones Hyde Park gig marred by death of Brian Jones. Katy. Stoddard. 7 July 2011. 23 November 2017. The Guardian.
  72. Book: Scott Wilson. Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed.. 16 September 2016. McFarland. 978-1-4766-2599-7. 312–.
  73. Web site: Horsley . Carter B. . September 6, 1969 . Josh White, Folk Singer, Dead. . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20121105201746/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60D14FD345E1B7493C4A91782D85F4D8685F . November 5, 2012 . 2009-02-24 . . Josh White, the folk singer, died at the North Shore Hospital in Manhasset, L. I., yesterday while undergoing heart surgery ....
  74. Web site: Nehemiah Skip James: Mississippi Blues Musician . Mississippi Writers, Musicians, Actors, and Artists . 1902-06-09 . 2019-09-10.
  75. Web site: Phil Chess, co-founder of blues label Chess Records, dies. Tribune news. Services. 20 October 2016 . Chicago Tribune.
  76. Web site: Tommy Edwards - Biography & History - AllMusic. AllMusic. 9 December 2017.
  77. Book: David Dicaire. Jazz Musicians of the Early Years, to 1945. 12 August 2003. McFarland. 978-0-7864-8556-7. 28–.
  78. Book: The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music. Colin Larkin. Colin Larkin (writer). Virgin Books. 2002. Third. 1-85227-937-0. 149/50.
  79. Book: Edward Komara. Peter Lee. The Blues Encyclopedia. July 2004. Routledge. 978-1-135-95832-9. 647–.
  80. Web site: James "Stump" Johnson | Biography & History. AllMusic. December 25, 2019.