Throwback Tunes You Should Get To Know: 27 Club

By: Becca Carlson & Kelli Green

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Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse

September 14, 1983- July 23, 2011

Amy Jade Winehouse is best remembered for her soulful blending of Jazz, Pop and R&B into her own unique sound. In 2006, Winehouse received critical acclaim for her Back to Black album which won 5 Grammy’s including Best New Artist, Record of the Year and Song of the Year. The album features songs such as “Back to Black,” “Rehab” and “Tears Dry on Their Own.” After a long and bitter battle with addiction and bulimia, Winehouse died in 2011 of apparently unintentional alcohol poisoning.

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Brian Jones

February 28, 1942 – July 3, 1969

Brian Jones was one of the founding members of the Rolling Stones. He was the band’s manager and he played several instruments. While Jones was still with the band they had hits like “Sympathy For the Devil,” “Paint it Black” and “Get Off Of My Cloud.” Due to conflicts over his drug use, he was asked to leave the band. Jones was found dead in his swimming pool only a month after leaving the band. Though his death is listed as an accident, there is speculation amongst his fans of foul play.

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Jimi Hendrix

November 27, 1942 – September 18, 1970

Jimi Hendrix had a turbulent childhood but found refuge in music.His father encouraged him to teach himself how to play guitar. Since Jimi was left handed, he had to flip his guitar upside down to play. Jimi was a part of several groups and bands before gaining success with the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Some of his most notable songs include “All Along the Watchtower” and “Purple Haze.” He died from drug related complications in his sleep. His girlfriend of the time, Monika Dannemann, was the last person to see him alive. Many people speculated that his death was due to some type of foul play, and those suspicions resurfaced after Dannemann committed suicide in 1996.

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Jim Morrison

December 8, 1943- July 3, 1971

Morrison was a Singer, Poet, and Songwriter born in Melbourne, Florida. As front man of the now legendary band The Doors, Morrison penned such hits as “Riders on the Storm,” “Light My Fire,” and “Hello, I Love You.” Drinking and drug usage fueled his onstage persona as well as inspired the intensely emotional lyrics of The Doors’ music. However, at age 27, Morrison was found dead in the bathtub of a French apartment, seemingly of heart failure.

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Janis Joplin

January 19, 1943-October 4, 1970

Joplin was a small-town, Texas girl who struggled to fit in with her peers. She soared to popularity in the late 1960’s with her signature raspy blues sound. Working with Big Brother and the Holding Company, Joplin released hits such as “Piece of My Heart” and “Summertime.” Under the Kozmic Blues Band “Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)” and “To Love Somebody” were released as well as “Move Over” and “Mercedes Benz” with the Full Tilt Boogie Band. Joplin died of an accidental heroin overdose in Hollywood, California.

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Kurt Cobain

February 20, 1967 – April 5, 1994

Kurt Cobain got his first guitar at the age of 14, and music immediately became a passion. His childhood was troubled, and he began experimenting with drugs at a young age. He fell in love with punk rock music, and in 1988 he started Nirvana, a grunge band. Some of their most notable songs include “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “Come As You Are” and “Heart Shaped Box.” Kurt Cobain passed away from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot. He left behind a suicide note, but to this day fans still speculate whether he committed suicide or not.
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Robert Johnson

May 18, 1911, – August 16, 1938

Robert Johnson was a blues singer. His most famous songs include “Crossroad Blues” and “Sweet Home Chicago.” Rumor has it that Johnson sold his soul to the devil to get good at playing the guitar. Of course, there is no way to assess that claim. Johnson died under mysterious circumstances in 1938. The most commonly accepted story is that his glass of whiskey was poisoned. He is often cited as the first unfortunate member of the, 27 Club.

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