14 Musicians In The 27 Club

The 27 Club is a term that refers to a number of popular musicians who died at age 27, often as a result of drug and alcohol abuse, or violent means such as homicide or suicide. The number of musicians who have died at this age and the circumstances of many of those deaths have given rise to the idea that premature deaths at this age are unusually common.

The "club" has been repeatedly cited in music magazines, journals and the daily press. Several exhibitions have been devoted to the idea, as well as novels, films and stage plays.

There have been many different theories and speculations about the causes of such early deaths and their possible connections. Cobain and Hendrix biographer Charles R. Cross writes "The number of musicians who died at 27 is truly remarkable by any standard. [Although] humans die regularly at all ages, there is a statistical spike for musicians who die at 27."

Brian Jones Lewis Brian Hopkin Jones (28 February 1942 – 3 July 1969) was the founder and original bandleader of the Rolling Stones. He developed a serious drug problem over the years and his role in the band steadily diminished. He was asked to leave the Rolling Stones in June 1969 and guitarist Mick Taylor took his place in the group. Jones died less than a month later by drowning in the swimming pool at his home on Cotchford Farm in Hartfield, East Sussex.	Jimi Henrdix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942 – September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of popular music, and one of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century. He died from barbiturate-related asphyxia (choking on vomit) on September 18, 1970.
Janis Joplin Janis Lyn Joplin (January 19, 1943 – October 4, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter who first rose to fame in the late 1960s as the lead singer of the psychedelic acid-rock band Big Brother and the Holding Company, and later as a solo artist with her own backing groups, The Kozmic Blues Band and The Full Tilt Boogie Band. She died of a heroin overdose on Sunday, October 4, 1970. It is believed she was given a stronger dose as other users of her dealer overdosed that week.	Jim Morrison James Douglas "Jim" Morrison (December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971) was an American singer, songwriter and poet best remembered as the lead singer of The Doors. He died at the age of 27 in Paris, allegedly of a heroin overdose. No autopsy was performed, and the exact cause of Morrison's death is still disputed. Jim Morrison's grave is located at Père Lachaise cemetery in eastern Paris.
Ron 'Pigpen' McKernan Ronald Charles McKernan, nicknamed "Pigpen" (September 8, 1945 – March 8, 1973), was a founding member of the Grateful Dead. McKernan sang, and played organ and harmonica. On March 8, 1973, he was found dead of a gastrointestinal hemorrhage at his home in Corte Madera, California.	Dave Alexander David Michael Alexander (June 3, 1947 – February 10, 1975) was an American musician, best known as the original bassist for influential protopunk band The Stooges. He died of pulmonary edema (fluid accumulation in the air spaces and parenchyma of the lungs) in 1975 at the age of 27 in Ann Arbor after being admitted to a hospital for pancreatitis, which was linked to his drinking.[
Gary Thain Gary Mervin Thain (15 May 1948 – 8 December 1975) was a rock bassist, best known for his work with British band, Uriah Heep. Thain died of respiratory failure due to a heroin overdose, on 8 December 1975, aged 27, at his flat in Norwood Green in London.	Jean-Michel Basquiat Jean-Michel Basquiat (December 22, 1960 – August 12, 1988) was an American artist, musician, and producer. When Andy Warhol died on February 22, 1987, Basquiat became increasingly isolated, and his heroin addiction and depression grew more severe. Despite an attempt at sobriety during a trip to Maui, Hawaii, he died on August 12, 1988, of a heroin overdose at his art studio on Great Jones Street in Manhattan's NoHo neighborhood.
Pete de Freitas Peter Louis Vincent de Freitas (2 August 1961 – 14 June 1989) was a musician and producer. He was the drummer in Echo & the Bunnymen, and performed on their first five albums. He died in a motorcycle accident in 1989, on his way to Liverpool from London. He was riding a 900cc Ducati motorcycle on the A51 road in Longdon Green, Staffordshire and was in collision with a motor vehicle at approximately 16:00. His ashes are buried in Goring-on-Thames.	Kurt Cobain Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – April 5, 1994) was an American musician who was best known as the lead singer, guitarist, and primary songwriter of the rock band Nirvana. On April 8, 1994, Cobain was found dead at his home in Seattle, the victim of what was officially ruled a suicide by a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head. The circumstances of his death at age 27 have become a topic of public fascination and debate.
Kristen Pfaff Kristen Marie Pfaff (May 26, 1967 – June 16, 1994) was an American musician, best known as the bassist for alternative rock band Hole from 1993 to 1994. Around 9:30am on June 16, 1994, Pfaff was found dead in her apartment by Paul Erickson, a friend with whom she had planned to leave for Minneapolis that day.[7] On the floor there was a bag containing syringes and drug paraphernalia. Pfaff's death was attributed to "acute opiate intoxication".	Richey Edwards Richard James Edwards (born 22 December 1967, disappeared February 1st 1995, officially presumed dead on 23rd November 2008) was a Welsh musician who was lyricist and rhythm guitarist of the alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. On 14 February, Edwards' Vauxhall Cavalier received a parking ticket at the Severn View service station and on 17 February, the vehicle was reported as abandoned. Police discovered the battery to be flat, with evidence that the car had been lived in.
Amy Winehouse Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer and songwriter known for her deep vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres, including soul (sometimes labelled as blue-eyed soul), rhythm and blues, jazz and reggae. She died of alcohol poisoning on 23 July 2011. Her album 'Back to Black' posthumously became the UK's best-selling album of the 21st century, at that point.	Richard Turner Richard Turner was the touring trumpet player for Friendly Fires. He was swimming at an open air pool at Brockwell Lido in Herne Hill, South London, when he suffered a cardiac arrest. Despite the best efforts of lifeguards and paramedics he died later that day (August 19th 2011) at King's College Hospital in Denmark Hill, Camberwell.