Amy Winehouse Latest Member of Forever 27 Club (Famous Celebrities Dead at 27) (PHOTOS)
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Jimmy Hendrix (1942-1970), who was the first person inducted into the Native American Music Hall of Fame, is a very famous American guitarist and singer-songwriter. Hendrix is well known as the greatest electric guitarist in musical history and one of the most significant musicians of his time over a wide range of genres. During his lifetime, Hendrix won many distinguished rock music awards. He received a lot of fame. He was inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. Early on September 18, 1970, Hendrix died in London. When the police and ambulance arrived at 11:27 am, he was found lying on the floor, fully clothed. It seemd that he had been dead for some time. The police put the time of his death sometime between 3:00 am and 4:00 am. It was believed Hendrix died of overdose of Vesparax sleeping pills. A surgeon, who had attended on Hendrix on previous occasions, said Hendrix could have asphyxiated in his own vomit, mainly red wine which had filled his airways. Photo: REUTERS -
The Doors frontman Jim Morrison (1943-1971) is one of the most iconic singers in rock music history. The lyrics and songs of Morrison, who was ranked by Rolling Stone at No.47 in its 100 Greatest Singers of All Time list, were inspired by the writings of philosophers and poets such as Friedrich Nietzsche, Arthur Rimbaud, Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and Jean Cocteau. On July 3, 1971, Morrison was found dead in a Paris apartment bathtub by his long-term companion, Pamela Courson. As the medical examiner did not find any sign of foul play, no autopsy was performed on Morrison by the French authorities. The decision made many people wonder about the cause of Morrison's death. Later accounts reveal that Morrison had died of a brain hemorrhage following heroin overdose. Courson allegedly told Morrison's friends later that she and Morrison had taken heroin after a night of heavy drinking. Morrison was allegedly coughing badly after taking the heroin and while taking bath, he had vomited blood. However, Morrison appeared to recover and Courson went to sleep. Sometime later, when Courson woke up, she found Morrison was lying motionless and she failed to wake him up. Courson then called for medical assistance and when the doctors arrived, they pronounced Morrison dead. Photo: REUTERS -
Kurt Cobain (1967-1994), an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, gained the tremendous popularity as being the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana. His albums were sold more than 25 million copies in U.S. and over 50 million worldwide. In the early years of his life, Cobain's parents divorced, which gave a profound influence on his life. On April 8, 1994, amid rumors that Nirvana was breaking up, an electrician who had arrived at Cobain's house to install a security system found his body at his Lake Washington home. The electrician initially thought Cobain was asleep till he saw a shotgun pointing at his chin. A suicide note was found at the spot. It read, "I haven't felt the excitement of listening to as well as creating music, along with really writing . . . for too many years now." It was addressed to Cobain's imaginary friend 'Boddah.' Toxicology report said a high concentration of heroin and traces of Valium were found in his body. The police said Cobain's body had been lying there for days and the coroner's report estimated that Cobain had died on April 5. Cobain's fans feel he was always struggling with drug addiction, sickness and depression, his reputation and public image. The professional and lifelong personal pressures surrounding Cobain and his wife took its toll. Photo: REUTERS -
Amy Winehouse, best known for her Grammy Award-winning album Back to Black, is one of Britain's most popular singers ever. Winehouse possessed a unique and soulful voice, which helped her gain numerous awards, including the five Grammys (2006), the BRIT Award for Best British Female Artist (2007) and the Ivor Novello Award (2004, 2007, 2008). In the whole of UK, Winehouse's album Back to Black was the third biggest seller of the 2000s. Back to Black was released in October 2006 and went on to become No.1 in the UK and peaked at No.7 on the Billboard 200 in the United States. The album was certified five-times platinum by the British Phonographic Industry and it was the best-selling album of 2007 in the UK. On July 23, Winehouse was found dead in her house. During her lifetime, Winehouse battled personal demons and struggled with drug and alcohol addiction. Her self-destructive behavior, including violent mood swings and self-harm, also became the regular topics of the tabloid from 2007 until her death. From 2008, a series of health complications also plagued Winehouse, including and weight loss, depression and eating disorders, taking a heavy toll on her career and life. Photo: Reuters
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The 27-year-old 'Rehab' singer Amy Winehouse was found dead in her London flat, Saturday, becoming the latest member of Forever 27 Club, which includes Kurt Cobain (1994), Ronald Pigpen McKernan (1973), Jim Morrison (1971), Jimi Hendrix (1970), Janis Joplin (1970) and Brian Jones (1969).
Over 34 artistes died at the age of 27, some brilliant, some not so brilliant, all leaving their legacies behind.
Start the slideshow to explore the Forever 27 Club.
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