List of deaths in rock and roll (1970s)

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 1970s. 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.

Name	Age	Date	Location	Cause of death
Billy Stewart	32	January 17, 1970	Selma, North Carolina, US	Traffic accident
L. C. McKinley	51	January 19, 1970	East Chicago, Indiana, US	Natural causes
Slim Harpo	46	January 31, 1970	Baton Rouge, Louisiana, US	Heart attack
Ishmon Bracey	69-71	February 12, 1970	Jackson, Mississippi, US
Darrell Banks	32	February 24, 1970	Battle Creek, Michigan, US	Shot by police[1]
Tammi Terrell	24	March 16, 1970	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US	Brain cancer[2]
Mary Ann Ganser The Shangri-Las	22	March 16, 1970	Forest Hills, New York, US	Drug overdose
Kid Thomas	35	April 5, 1970	Los Angeles, California, US	Shooting
George Goldner	52	April 15, 1970	Turtle Bay, New York, US	Heart attack
Earl Hooker	41	April 21, 1970	Chicago, Illinois, US	Tuberculosis
Otis Spann	40-46	April 24, 1970	Chicago, Illinois, US	Liver cancer[3]
Frankie Lee Sims	53	May 10, 1970	Dallas, Texas, US	Pneumonia
Johnny Hodges	62	May 11, 1970	New York City, New York, US	Heart attack
Alan Wilson	27	September 3, 1970	Topanga Canyon, California, US	Suicide or accidental barbiturate overdose[4]
Maxwell Davis	54	September 18, 1970	Los Angeles, California, US	Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Jimi Hendrix The Jimi Hendrix Experience	27	September 18, 1970	Kensington, London, England	Asphyxiation on vomit[5]
Janis Joplin Big Brother and the Holding Company	27	October 4, 1970	Los Angeles, California, US	Drug overdose[6]
Baby Huey Baby Huey & the Babysitters	26	October 28, 1970	Chicago, Illinois, US	Drug related heart attack
Coot Grant	77	December 26, 1970	Riverside County, California, US
Harold McNair Ginger Baker's Air Force	39	March 7, 1971	London, England	Lung cancer
Francis Wolff	63	March 8, 1971	New York City, New York, US
Jim Morrison The Doors	27	July 3, 1971	Paris, France	Heart failure[7]
Louis Armstrong	69	July 6, 1971	New York City, New York, US	Heart attack
Henry D. "Homer" Haynes Homer and Jethro	51	August 7, 1971	Hammond, Indiana, US	Heart attack
King Curtis	37	August 13, 1971	New York City, New York, US	Stabbing
Thomas Wayne	31	August 15, 1971	Memphis, Tennessee, US	Traffic accident
Lil Hardin Armstrong	73	August 27, 1971	Chicago, Illinois, US
Gene Vincent	36	October 12, 1971	California, US	Burst stomach ulcer
Duane Allman The Allman Brothers Band, Derek and the Dominos	24	October 29, 1971	Macon, Georgia, US	Traffic accident
Art Laibly Record producer and manager	77	October 30, 1971
Junior Parker	39	November 18, 1971	Blue Island, Illinois, US	Following surgery for brain tumor
Papa Lightfoot	47	November 20, 1971	Natchez, Mississippi, US	Respiratory failure
Ross Bagdasarian Sr. "David Seville", creator of The Chipmunks	52	January 16, 1972	Beverly Hills, California, US	Heart attack[8]
Big Maybelle	47	January 23, 1972	Cleveland, Ohio, US	Complications from diabetes
Mahalia Jackson	60	January 27, 1972	Evergreen Park, Illinois, US	Heart failure and diabetes
Linda Jones	27	March 14, 1972	Newark, New Jersey, US	Complications from diabetes
Leslie Harvey Stone the Crows	27	May 3, 1972	Swansea, Wales	Electrocuted by a live microphone on stage
Reverend Gary Davis	76	May 5, 1972	Hammonton, New Jersey, US	Heart attack
Jimmy Rushing	70	June 8, 1972	New York City, New York, US	Leukemia
Clyde McPhatter Billy Ward and His Dominoes, The Drifters	39	June 13, 1972	Teaneck, New Jersey, US	Heart attack
Mississippi Fred McDowell	66	July 3, 1972	Memphis, Tennessee, US	Cancer
Lovie Austin	84	July 10, 1972	Chicago, Illinois, US
Brian Cole The Association	29	August 2, 1972	Los Angeles, California, US	Drug overdose
Baby Tate	52	August 17, 1972	Columbia, South Carolina, US	Heart attack
Calvin Frazier	57	September 23, 1972	Detroit, Michigan, US	Cancer
Rory Storm	34	September 28, 1972	Stoneycroft, Liverpool, England	Suicide
Billy Murcia The New York Dolls	21	November 6, 1972	London, England	Accidental suffocation due to drugs and alcohol
Raymond Jackson Record producer for Stax Records	31	November 10, 1972	US	House fire
Berry Oakley The Allman Brothers Band	24	November 11, 1972	Macon, Georgia, US	Traffic accident
Danny Whitten Crazy Horse	29	November 18, 1972	Los Angeles, California, US	Drug overdose
William Manuel Johnson	100	December 3, 1972	New Braunfels, Texas, US
Jeffrey Carp	24	January 1, 1973	US	Drowning (boat accident)
Kid Ory	86	January 23, 1973	Honolulu, Hawaii, US
Ron "Pigpen" McKernan The Grateful Dead	27	March 8, 1973	Corte Madera, California, US	Gastrointestinal hemorrhage from alcoholism
Duke Henderson	48	April 9, 1973	Pacoima, Los Angeles, California, US	Heart failure
Sammy Babitzin	24	April 29, 1973	Jyväskylä, Finland	Visceral injuries caused by traffic accident
Clarence White The Kentucky Colonels, The Byrds	29	July 14, 1973	Palmdale, California, US	Hit by drunk driver
Jimmy Radcliffe	36	July 27, 1973	The Bronx, New York, US
Memphis Minnie	76	August 6, 1973	Memphis, Tennessee, US	Stroke[9]
Paul Williams The Temptations	34	August 17, 1973	Detroit, Michigan, US	Gunshot, disputed suicide
Gram Parsons	26	September 19, 1973	Joshua Tree, California, US	Drug overdose
Jim Croce	30	September 20, 1973	Natchitoches, Louisiana, US	Plane accident
Maury Muehleisen Jim Croce's lead guitarist	24	September 20, 1973	Natchitoches, Louisiana, US	Plane accident
Sister Rosetta Tharpe	58	October 9, 1973	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US	Stroke[10]
Gene Krupa	64	October 16, 1973	Yonkers, New York, US	Leukemia
John Rostill The Shadows	31	November 26, 1973	Radlett, Hertfordshire, England	Suicide
Bobby Darin	37	December 20, 1973	Los Angeles, California, US	Complications following heart surgery
Packy Axton The Mar-Keys	32	January 20, 1974	Memphis, Tennessee, US	Cirrhosis or heart attack
Bobby Bloom	28	February 28, 1974	US	Suicide
Bobby Timmons	38	March 1, 1974	New York City, New York, US
Harry Womack The Valentinos	28	March 9, 1974	Los Angeles, California, US	Stabbing
Roy Hawkins	71	March 19, 1974	Compton, California, US	Cirrhosis
Arthur Crudup	68	March 28, 1974	Nassawadox, Virginia, US	Complications of heart disease and diabetes
Graham Bond The Graham Bond Organisation, Ginger Baker's Air Force	36	May 8, 1974	London, England	Suicide
Duke Ellington	75	May 24, 1974	New York City, New York, US	Pneumonia
Don Rich The Buckaroos	32	July 17, 1974	San Luis Obispo, California, US	Traffic accident
Gene Ammons	49	July 23, 1974	Chicago, Illinois, US	Cancer
Lightnin' Slim	61	July 27, 1974	Detroit, Michigan, US	Stomach cancer
Cass Elliot The Mamas & the Papas	34	July 29, 1974	London, England	Heart failure
Bill Chase Chase	39	August 9, 1974	Jackson, Minnesota, US	Plane accident
Robbie McIntosh Average White Band	24	September 23, 1974	Los Angeles, California, US	Drug overdose
Pink Anderson	74	October 12, 1974	Spartanburg, South Carolina, US	Heart attack
Victor Olof Record producer for Decca Records and HMV Records	76	November 3, 1974	US
Ivory Joe Hunter	60	November 8, 1974	Memphis, Tennessee, US	Lung cancer
Nick Drake	26	November 25, 1974	Tanworth-in-Arden, Warwickshire, England	Suicide by acute amitriptyline poisoning[11]
Louis Jordan Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five	66	February 4, 1975	Los Angeles, California, US	Heart attack
Dave Alexander The Stooges	27	February 10, 1975	Ann Arbor, Michigan, US	Pneumonia
J. B. Long	71	February 25, 1975	Elon, North Carolina, US
T-Bone Walker	64	March 16, 1975	Los Angeles, California, US	Stroke
Pete Ham Badfinger	27	April 24, 1975	Surrey, England	Suicide
Tom Donahue Rock and roll radio disc jockey	46	April 29, 1975		Heart attack
Tim Buckley	28	June 29, 1975	Santa Monica, California, US	Drug overdose
Chan Daniels The Highwaymen	35	July 2, 1975		Pneumonia
Otto Jeffries The Five Royales	63	July 8, 1975	Winston-Salem, North Carolina, US
Don Robey Record producer	71	July 16, 1975	Houston, Texas, US	Heart attack
Lefty Frizzell	47	July 19, 1975	Nashville, Tennessee, US	Stroke
Cannonball Adderley	46	August 8, 1975	Gary, Indiana, US	Cerebral hemorrhage
Al Jackson, Jr. Booker T. & the MG's	39	October 1, 1975	Memphis, Tennessee, US	Murder by gunshot
Fiddlin' Joe Martin	75	November 2, 1975	Walls, Mississippi, US
Gary Thain The Keef Hartley Band, Uriah Heep	27	December 8, 1975	Norwood Green, England	Drug overdose[12]
Hound Dog Taylor	60	December 17, 1975	Chicago, Illinois, US	Lung cancer
Howlin' Wolf	65	January 10, 1976	Hines, Illinois, US	Congestive heart failure
Chris Kenner	46	January 25, 1976	New Orleans, Louisiana, US	Heart attack
Rudy Pompilli Bill Haley & His Comets	51	February 5, 1976	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US	Lung cancer
Florence Ballard The Supremes	32	February 22, 1976	Detroit, Michigan, US	Coronary thrombosis
Arthur Gunter	49	March 16, 1976	Port Huron, Michigan, US	Pneumonia
Luther "Snake Boy" Johnson	34	March 18, 1976	Boston, Massachusetts, US	Lung cancer
Paul Kossoff Free, Back Street Crawler	25	March 19, 1976	Flight from New York to Los Angeles, US	Drug-related heart attack[13]
Phil Ochs	35	April 9, 1976	New York City, New York, US	Suicide by hanging
Keith Relf The Yardbirds	33	May 14, 1976	London, England	Electrocuted by guitar[14]
Charles Stepney Record producer and arranger	45	May 17, 1976	Chicago, Illinois, US	Heart attack
Melvin Jackson	60	May 30, 1976	Dallas, Texas, US	Traffic accident
Jimmy Reed	50	August 29, 1976	Oakland, California, US	Epileptic seizure
L. C. Robinson	61	September 26, 1976	Berkeley, California, US	Heart attack
Leo Mintz Record store and music promoter	65	November 4, 1976	Cleveland, Ohio, US
Tommy Bolin Deep Purple, The James Gang, Zephyr	25	December 4, 1976	Miami, Florida, US	Drug overdose
Freddie King	42	December 28, 1976	Dallas, Texas, US	Heart attack
Buddy Johnson	62	February 9, 1977	US	Brain tumor and sickle cell anemia
Bukka White	67-70	February 26, 1977	Memphis, Tennessee, US	Cancer
Achim Kirchhoff Scorpions	30	April 1, 1977	Germany
Annette Snell	32	April 4, 1977	New Hope, Georgia, US	Southern Airways Flight 242 plane accident
Helmut Köllen	27	May 3, 1977	Cologne, Germany	Carbon monoxide poisoning
Lafayette Thomas	48	May 20, 1977	Brisbane, California, US	Heart attack
Sleepy John Estes	77-78	June 5, 1977	Brownsville, Tennessee, US	Stroke
Peter Laughner Pere Ubu	24	June 22, 1977	Cleveland, Ohio, US	Acute pancreatitis from alcohol and drug abuse[15]
Baby Boy Warren	57	July 1, 1977	Detroit, Michigan, US	Heart attack
Big John Wrencher	54	July 15, 1977	Clarksdale, Mississippi, US	Heart attack
Elvis Presley	42	August 16, 1977	Memphis, Tennessee, US	Heart attack[16]
Tarheel Slim	63	August 21, 1977	New York City, New York, US	Pneumonia brought on by chemotherapy
George Barnes	56	September 5, 1977	Concord, California, US	Heart attack
Mercy Baby	47	September 10, 1977	Dallas, Texas, US	Gunshot wound
Marc Bolan T. Rex	29	September 16, 1977	London, England	Traffic accident[17]
Bing Crosby	74	October 14, 1977	Alcobendas, Spain	Heart attack
Cassie Gaines Lynyrd Skynyrd	29	October 20, 1977	Gillsburg, Mississippi, US	Plane accident
Steve Gaines Lynyrd Skynyrd	28	October 20, 1977	Gillsburg, Mississippi, US	Plane accident
Ronnie Van Zant Lynyrd Skynyrd	29	October 20, 1977	Gillsburg, Mississippi, US	Plane accident
Peg Leg Sam	65	October 27, 1977	Jonesville, South Carolina, US
Big Chief Ellis	63	December 20, 1977	Birmingham, Alabama, US	Heart failure
St. Louis Jimmy Oden	74	December 30, 1977		Bronchopneumonia
Terry Kath Chicago	31	January 23, 1978	Los Angeles, California, US	Accidentally shot himself
Gregory Herbert	30	January 31, 1978	Amsterdam, Netherlands	Drug overdose
Bill Kenny	63	March 23, 1978	New Westminster, Canada	Respiratory illness[18]
Money Johnson	60	March 28, 1978	New York City, New York, US
Sandy Denny	31	April 21, 1978	London, England	Cerebral hemorrhage after accidental fall
Gerry Shury	33	May 24, 1978	Surrey, England	Traffic accident
Juke Boy Bonner	46	June 29, 1978	Houston, Texas, US	Cirrhosis
Glenn Goins Parliament-Funkadelic	24	July 29, 1978	US	Hodgkin's lymphoma
Joe Negroni Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers	37	September 5, 1978	New York City, New York, US	Cerebral hemorrhage
Al Benson Radio disc jockey, music promoter and record label owner	70	September 6, 1978	Three Oaks, Michigan, US
Tom Wilson Record producer	47	September 6, 1978	Los Angeles, California, US	Heart attack
Keith Moon The Who	32	September 7, 1978	London, England	Drug overdose[19]
Johnny O'Keefe	43	October 6, 1978	Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia	Heart attack
Chris Bell Big Star	27	December 27, 1978	East Memphis, Tennessee, US	Traffic accident
Donny Hathaway	33	January 13, 1979	New York City, New York, US	Suicide or accidental fall
Grant Green	43	January 31, 1979	New York City, New York, US	Heart attack
Sid Vicious Sex Pistols	21	February 2, 1979	New York City, New York, US	Suicide or drug overdose
Roy Montrell	51	March 16, 1979	Amsterdam, Netherlands	Drug overdose
Joe Willie Wilkins	56-58	March 28, 1979	Memphis, Tennessee, US	Meningitis
James Leroy	32	May 10, 1979	Ottawa, Ontario, Canada	Suicide
Lowell George	34	June 29, 1979	Arlington, Virginia, US	Heart attack
Van McCoy	39	July 6, 1979	Englewood, New Jersey, US	Heart attack
Minnie Riperton Rotary Connection	31	July 12, 1979	Los Angeles, California, US	Breast cancer
Dorsey Burnette the Rock and Roll Trio	46	August 19, 1979	Los Angeles, California, US	Coronary thrombosis
Jimmy McCulloch Paul McCartney & Wings	26	September 27, 1979	London, England	Morphine poisoning
Gus Cannon	96	October 15, 1979	Memphis, Tennessee, US
Tiki Fulwood Parliament-Funkadelic	35	October 29, 1979	US	Stomach cancer
John Glascock Carmen, Jethro Tull	28	November 17, 1979	London, England	Congenital heart defect
Jackie Brenston	49-51	December 15, 1979	Memphis, Tennessee, US	Heart attack
Voyle Gilmore Record producer from Capitol Records	67	December 19, 1979

See also

• List of deaths in rock and roll (1950s)
• List of deaths in rock and roll (1960s)
• List of deaths in rock and roll (1980s)
• List of deaths in rock and roll (1990s)
• List of deaths in rock and roll (2000s)
• List of deaths in rock and roll (2010s)
• List of deaths in rock and roll (2020s)

References

1. "The Darrell Banks Story : Chronicle Exclusive". Soulfuldetroit.com. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
2. "Tammi Terrell - Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
3. "Otis Spann - Biography & History - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
4. Davis, Rebecca (2013). Blind Owl Blues: The Mysterious Life and Death of Blues Legend Alan Wilson. Blind Owl Blues. pp. 229, 243. ISBN 978-0-615-79298-9.
5. Cannon, Geoffrey (18 September 2012). "From the archive, 19 September 1970: In memory of Jimi Hendrix, the Electric Rebel". Theguardian.com. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
6. Hann, Michael (11 June 2011). "Janis Joplin dies". Theguardian.com. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
7. "45 Years Ago: Last Known Photos Taken of Jim Morrison". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
8. "David Seville - Biography & History - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
9. Edward M. Komara (2006). Encyclopedia of the Blues. Psychology Press. pp. 686–. ISBN 978-0-415-92699-7.
10. "Sister Rosetta Tharpe - Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
11. "About Nick Drake". Mtv.com. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
12. Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 283. CN 5585.
13. "Paul Kossoff - Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
14. "Keith Relf - Biography & History - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
15. Richie Unterberger (1952-08-22). "Peter Laughner | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-05-27.
16. "Dead Famous DNA – 4oD". Channel 4. March 26, 2014. Retrieved March 30, 2014.
17. Walker, Martin (17 September 2015). "Marc Bolan dies in car crash: from the archive, 17 September 1977". Theguardian.com. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
18. "Original Inkspot Dies". The Calgary Herald. March 25, 1978. p. 4. Retrieved 2011-12-26.
19. "The Day Keith Moon Died". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 3 December 2017.