Musicians Who Passed Away at Age 27 Quiz

Answer: Spanky and Our Gang

In addition to his work on guitar Malcolm Hale was Spanky and Our Gang's arranger, played a variety of instruments and sang backup. The group released their eponymous debut album in 1967. "Sunday Will Never Be the Same", "Making Every Minute Count" and "Lazy Day" were three singles released from the album that hit the US Top Forty. Their "Like to Get to Know You" album was released the following year and the title track also became a hit single. That same year Hale accidentally passed due to an apparent carbon monoxide poisoning as a result of a defective heating system. Early the following year the group disbanded.

Vocalist Elaine McFarlane continued on as a solo artist, appearing on Broadway and as a replacement for Mama Cass in a revised lineup of the Mamas and the Papas. Harper's Bizarre's biggest US hit was a rendition of Paul Simon's "Feelin' Groovy". Fairport Convention was a British Folk group that has released over 50 albums since forming in the sixties.

Answer: Pigpen

Before joining The Grateful Dead, Ron "Pigpen" McKernan had worked with The Zodiacs and Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions. While hanging out with Jerry Garcia at local coffee houses he was invited to play harmonica and organ with Jerry's band. There are conflicting accounts of how he came by the nickname. While the other members of the band experimented with a variety of drugs McKernan preferred Southern Comfort and Thunderbird. He fell into disfavor with the band because of his reluctance to rehearse, but stayed with them through the Woodstock performance. He began battling cirrhosis in 1970 and made his final appearance with The Grateful Dead in June, 1972, before succumbing to the disease in 1973.

Stuart "Pinkie" Bates was the keyboardist for The Divine Comedy. John "Rabbit" Bundrick was a pianist and organist who played on albums by The Who, Bob Marley and the Wailers and many others. Dave "Baby" Cortez had a hit organ instrumental with "The Happy Organ".

Answer: Pete Ham

In 1961 Pete Ham was in a band called The Panthers in his native Swansea, Wales. In 1965 the group became The Iveys and were signed to the Beatles' Apple label. After signing they changed their name to Badfinger before releasing their first hit, a Paul McCartney composition titled "Come And Get It". Ham was initially reluctant to release material that was not written by the band, but on the heels of the success of "Come and get It" he composed such hits as "No Matter What", "Day After Day" and "Baby Blue". He also composed a 1972 hit for Harry Nilsson titled "Without You". When the Apple label began having problems Ham became disenchanted with the internal and management problems and hanged himself three days short of his 28th birthday on April 24, 1975.

Keith Relf of The Yardbirds was only 33 when he died from electrocution caused by an improperly grounded electric guitar in 1976. Bandmate Chris Dreja worked with Box of Frogs after The Yardbirds.

Answer: True

Lewis Brian Hopkins Jones came in to the world on February 28, 1942, and passed on July 3rd, 1969, at his home in Hartfield, Sussex, England. He began playing music in London calling himself Elmo Lewis and jammed with future greats such as Alexis Korner, Jack Bruce and Paul Jones before forming The Rolling Stones as a result of an ad he placed in a trade journal.

They played their first gig as The Rollin' Stones on July 12, 1962, at the Marquee Club in London. Jones was a driving force behind the band and played several instruments on their early albums.

He left the band in 1969 because of ongoing legal problems and a growing substance abuse problem.

Answer: Canned Heat

Alan "Blind Owl" Christie Wilson was born in Boston in 1943 and passed away in 1970. He earned his nickname because he was indeed very nearsighted, often unable to recognize other band members on stage.
He was an ardent conservationist and performed with Canned Heat at both The 1967 Monterey Pop Festival and at Woodstock two years later. He composed "On the Road Again" after being inspired by Blues singer Floyd Jones. Jones was given writing credit on the song. Wilson's solo on the recording was a difficult harmonica instrumental. Wilson died from a drug overdose. While there was speculation that he committed suicide, the death was officially listed as accidental because no note was ever found.

Mountain, Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Ten Years After were all on the bill with Canned Heat at Woodstock in 1969.

Answer: Iggy Pop

Iggy Pop was born James Newell "Jim" Osterberg, Jr. He took his stage name from a high school band he was a drummer in called The Iguanas. He was inspired to develop an outrageous stage show after seeing The Doors perform live. He signed with Elektra Records in 1968. In 1972 David Bowie offered to produce an album for Iggy but decided to hire musicians. When the attempt to find the right players failed it was decided to reunite the Stooges. At this juncture original bassist Dave Alexander was unable to reunite with the band because of his alcohol abuse. He passed away three years later from a pulmonary edema after battling pancreatitis brought on by his heavy drinking.

Roger Lee Durham of Bloodstone died in 1973 at age 27. Alice Cooper worked with bands such as Spider and Earwig before developing an elaborate stage show as Alice Cooper. In 1968 "The Crazy World of Arthur Brown" LP was released.

Answer: Uriah Heep

Gary Thain replaced Mark Clarke in Uriah Heep. "Sweet Freedom", "Uriah Heep Live" and "Wonderworld" were other albums Thain recorded with the band in addition to playing on their tours. In 1974 he was severely injured when he suffered an electric shock while performing in Texas. His increasing use of drugs resulted in being replaced by King Crimson bass player John Wetton.
He died as a result of a heroin overdose in 1975 at age 27.
Bassist Chris Squire was part of the classic Yes lineup. Clint Warwick was the original Moody Blues bass player. He passed in 2004. Bassist and vocalist Roger Waters has been with Pink Floyd since 1968.

Answer: The Drifters

Rudy Lewis was singing for The Clara Ward Singers when he was recruited to replace Johnny Lee Williams of the Drifters. Williams had jumped ship when the band played in his home town of Mobile, Alabama in 1960. In 1964 Lewis was found dead of a drug overdose at age 27 the night before the band was scheduled to enter the studio to record "Under the Boardwalk". He was replaced by a succession of different members. People who knew him disputed the official cause of death. Lewis was named as one of the members of the Drifters when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

"Searchin'" and "Young Blood" were late fifties hits from The Coasters. The Belmonts backed Dion until he embarked on his solo career. The Del Vikings were one of the early integrated singing groups of the Rock era.

Answer: Quicksilver Messenger Service

Janis began fronting Big Brother and the Holding Company in 1966. Their 1967 appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival along with "Piece of My Heart" from their 1968 "Cheap Thrills" album propelled the band into national prominence. In 1969 Janis left Big Brother and the Holding Company and the Kozmic Blues Band was formed. The band toured with Janis, appearing with her at Woodstock.
She took some time off in an effort to kick drugs and in 1970 she was involved with the forming of the Full Tilt Boogie Band. In August, 1970, Janis performed her last live show with the band at Harvard Stadium in Boston before going into the studio to record the posthumously released "Pearl" album.
Quicksilver Messenger Service formed in 1965 in San Francisco. They also performed at the Monterey International Pop Festival.

Answer: L.A. Woman

When Paul Rothchild declined to produce another album for the band the Doors, with the assistance of engineer Bruce Botnick, began production on "L.A. Woman". The album was recorded live with the exception of some overdubbed keyboard parts. After only two shows were done on tour to promote the album the band decided to cease doing live concerts. Jim Morrison had suffered an apparently nervous breakdown during a performance in New Orleans. Morrison relocated to Paris in early 1971 and reportedly was found dead in his tub in July.

"Waiting for the Sun" was released in 1968. "Morrison Hotel" was a 1970 release and in 1970 "Absolutely Live" was the first live album released by The Doors.