20. Some are believed to be in the club that are not
Buddy Holly is sometimes attributed as being a member of the 27 Club, though he is not, having lost his life at the age of 22 in a plane crash. Richie Valens, of La Bamba fame, and a victim of the same accident, was but 17 years of age. Eddie Cochran (Summertime Blues) was 22 when he was killed in a car accident, and Patsy Cline was already 30 years of age when she died in a plane crash. On the other hand Rudy Lewis, who was the lead vocalist for the Drifters’ hits Up On the Roof, and On Broadway, was 27 at the time of his death in 1964, though he is often not included in lists of the 27 Club, for reasons unknown. Otis Redding died in an airplane crash in 1967 at the age of 26, and is often included in lists of the 27 Club, at least less well-researched editions.
Guitarist Duane Allman, killed in a motorcycle accident in Georgia in 1971, was 24. Berry Oakley, Allman’s bandmate, close friend, and fellow motorcyclist, was killed in a similar accident only three blocks from the scene of Allman’s. He too was 24. Guitarist Tommy Bolin died of a drug overdose at the age of 25, Marc Bolan at 29, and Sid Vicious, who made punk much more than just a musical style, was 21 when his heroin use got the better of him. The 27 Club is an unusual list of several coincidences, but it is by no means the complete list of early deaths endured by rock’s musical stars and those who aspired to be stars before the fates intervened.
Where do we find this stuff? Here are our sources:
“Dicky Pride”. Steve Walker, TIM This is My Story. Online
“Jimi Hendrix: The Intimate Story of a Betrayed Musical Legend”. Sharon Lawrence. 2005
“Riders on the Storm” My Life With Jim Morrison and the Doors”. John Densmore. 1991
“Linda Jones”. Biography, Soul Walking. Online
“‘Pigpen’ McKernan Dead at 27”. Editors, Rolling Stone. April, 1973
“The History of Pete Ham And Badfinger, Ultimate Classic Rock. April 24, 2015. Online
“Gary Thain Biography”. Gary Hill, ALLMusic.com. Online
“Return to the Fun House”. Keith Cameron, Mojo. April, 2007
“Helmut Kollen of Triumvirat”. Dave Lifton, Ultimate Classic Rock. August 22, 2013
“It Came From Memphis”. Robert Gordon. 1995
“Ex-Candies member Tanaka dies”. The Japan Times. April 23, 2011
“Famous People who Died at 33”. The Famous People. Online
“The 27 Club: A Brief History”. Editors, Rolling Stone. November 12, 2013