List of murdered musicians

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Many musicians have been killed during their active career. Some of them have received extensive media attention, including the murder of John Lennon in 1980, the murder of Selena in 1995 and the murders of rappers Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. in 1996 and 1997, respectively. Others have received less media attention, including the murder of Bryan Harvey, who was killed during the 2006 Richmond spree murders.

Murdered musicians[]

Below is a list of notable murders of musicians.

Name Known As Date killed Age Site of death Perpetrator Method of murder Credit Ref
Alessandro Stradella Alessandro Stradella February 25, 1682 42 Genoa, Italy Unknown Stabbing Classical composer [1]
Jean-Marie Leclair Jean-Marie Leclair October 22, 1764 67 Paris, France Unknown Stabbing Classical composer and violinist [2]
Clarence Smith Pinetop Smith March 15, 1929 24 Chicago, Illinois Unknown Shooting Boogie Woogie Pianist [3]
Anton Webern Anton Webern September 15, 1945 61 Vienna, Austria Pfc. Raymond Norwood Bell Shooting Classical composer [4]
John Williamson Sonny Boy Williamson June 1, 1948 34 Chicago, Illinois Unknown Shooting Blues singer [5]
Francis Blackwell Scrapper Blackwell October 7, 1962 59 Indianapolis, Indiana Unknown Shooting Blues guitarist, composer
Sam Cooke Sam Cooke December 11, 1964 33 Los Angeles, California Bertha Franklin 'Justifiable homicide' Soul singer [6]
Curtis Ousley King Curtis August 13, 1971 37 New York, New York Juan Montanez Stabbed Jazz saxophonist, Trumpet [7]
Lee Morgan Lee Morgan February 19, 1972 33 NYC,NY Helen Morgan Shooting jazz trumpeter
Robert Ramirez Bobby Ramirez July 24, 1972 23 Chicago, Ill. Unknown Beaten, Stabbed Drummer, with Edgar Winter [8]
Víctor Lidio Jara Martínez Víctor Jara September 16, 1973 40 Santiago, Chile Chilean military officers Torture and shooting Singer-songwriter
David Akeman Stringbean November 10, 1973 58 Ridgetop, Tennessee John A. Brown and Marvin Douglas Brown Shooting Country banjo player [9]
Albert Jackson, Jr. Al Jackson, Jr. October 1, 1975 39 Memphis, Tennessee Unknown Stabbing R&B, funk and soul drummer [10]
Eddie Jefferson Eddie Jefferson May 9, 1979 60 Detroit, Michigan Unknown Shooting Vocalese [11]
John Lennon John Lennon December 8, 1980 40 New York, New York Mark David Chapman Shooting Rock and roll artist
Claude Vivier Claude Vivier March 7, 1983 34 Paris, France Pascal Dolzan Stabbing Classical composer [12]
Felix Pappalardi, Jr. Felix Pappalardi April 17, 1983 43 New York, New York Gail Pappalardi Shooting Rock artist [13]
Walter Notheis, Jr. Walter Scott December 27, 1983 40 St. Peters, Missouri James H. Williams Sr. Shooting Rock 'n' roll singer
Marvin Gaye Marvin Gaye April 1, 1984 44 Los Angeles, California Marvin Gay, Sr. Shooting R&B Singer
Leonard Breau Lenny Breau August 12, 1984 43 Los Angeles, California Unknown Strangled Guitarist, Songwriter [14]
Carlton Barrett Carly Barrett April 17, 1987 36 Kingston, Jamaica Glenroy Carter and Junior Neil Shooting Reggae drummer
Winston Hubert McIntosh Peter Tosh September 11, 1987 42 Kingston, Jamaica Dennis Lobban and two other individuals Torture Reggae artist
John Pastorius, III Jaco Pastorius September 21, 1987 35 Fort Lauderdale, Florida Luc Havan Beaten (Barfight) Jazz bassist
Michael David Fuller Blaze Foley February 1, 1989 39 Austin, Texas Carey January Shooting Country, folk singer/songwriter [15]
Osbourne Ruddock King Tubby February 6, 1989 48 Kingston, Jamaica Unknown Shooting Sound engineer [16]
Cornell Gunter Cornell Gunter February 26, 1990 53 Las Vegas, Nevada Unknown Shooting R&B singer
David Rowbotham Dave Rowbotham November 8, 1991 33 Manchester, England, UK Unknown Bludgeoned by Hammer Post-punk guitarist
Rosalino Sánchez Félix Chalino Sanchez May 16, 1992 31 Tijuana, Mexico Unknown Shooting Narcocorrido singer [17]
Mia Zapata Mia Zapata July 7, 1993 27 Seattle, Washington Jesus Mezquia Strangling Punk and grunge singer [18]
Donald Myrick Don Myrick July 30, 1993 53 Los Angeles, California Police Officer Gary Barbaro Shooting Jazz saxophonist [19]
Øystein Aarseth Euronymous August 10, 1993 25 Oslo, Norway Varg Vikernes Stabbing Guitarist
Rhett Forrester Rhett Forrester January 22, 1994 37 Atlanta, Georgia Unknown Shooting Heavy metal artist [20]
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez Selena March 31, 1995 23 Corpus Christi, Texas Yolanda Saldivar Shooting Tejano singer
Stretch (rapper) Randy Walker November 30, 1995 27 New York, New York Unknown Shooting Rapper
Tupac Shakur Tupac Shakur;
2Pac;
Makaveli		 September 13, 1996 25 Las Vegas, Nevada Orlando Anderson (suspected) Shooting Rapper
Christopher Wallace The Notorious B.I.G.;
Biggie Smalls;
Frank White		 March 9, 1997 24 Los Angeles, California Wardell "Poochie" Fouse (suspected) Shooting Rapper
Patrick Hawkins Fat Pat February 13, 1998 27 Houston, Texas Unknown Shooting Rapper
Jaki Byard Jaki Byard February 11, 1999 76 Hollis, Queens, NYC,NY Unknown Shooting jazz pianist
Lamont Coleman Big L;
Corleone;
Mr. MVP		 February 15, 1999 25 Harlem, New York City Gerard Woodley (suspected) Shooting Rapper
Roger Troutman Roger Troutman April 25, 1999 47 Dayton, Ohio Unknown Shooting Musician
Jason William Mizell Jam Master Jay October 30, 2002 37 New York, New York Two men indicted[21] Shooting DJ
Darrell Abbott Dimebag Darrell December 8, 2004 38 Columbus, Ohio Nathan Gale Shooting Groove metal guitarist
Bryan Harvey Bryan Harvey January 1, 2006 49 Richmond, Virginia Ray Joseph Dandridge and Ricky Javon Gray Blunt-force trauma Singer/guitarist
DeShaun Holton Proof April 11, 2006 32 Detroit, Michigan Mario Etheridge Shooting Rapper
John Edward Hawkins Big Hawk May 1, 2006 36 Houston, Texas Unknown Shooting Rapper
Valentín Elizalde Valentin Elizalde November 25, 2006 27 Reynosa, Mexico Unknown Shooting Banda singer [22]
Winston Riley Winston Riley January 19, 2012 68 Kingston, Jamaica Unknown Shooting Rocksteady/reggae singer and producer
Natalia Strelchenko Natalia Strelle August 30, 2015 38 Manchester, England, UK John Martin Head trauma, strangulation Classical pianist [23]
Christina Grimmie Christina Grimmie June 10, 2016 22 Orlando, Florida Kevin James Loibl Shooting Pop
Amjad Sabri Amjad Sabri June 22, 2016 39 Karachi, Pakistan Pakistani Taliban Shooting Qawwali singer [24]
Jahseh Onfroy XXXTentacion June 18, 2018 20 Deerfield Beach, Florida Four men indicted[25][26] Shooting Rapper [27]
Travon Smart Jimmy Wopo June 18, 2018 21 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Unknown Shooting Rapper
Ermias Asghedom Nipsey Hussle March 31, 2019 33 Los Angeles, California Eric Ronald Holder Jr Shooting Rapper
Bashar Jackson Pop Smoke February 19, 2020 20 Los Angeles, California Corey Walker and Keandre Rodgers Shooting Rapper
Adolph Robert Thornton Jr. Young Dolph November 17, 2021 36 Memphis, Tennissee Unknown Shooting Rapper [28]
Vincent Cohran Slim 400 December 8, 2021 33 Los Angeles, California Unknown Shooting Rapper [29]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Gianturco, Carolyn. "Alessandro Stradella (1639–1682)". Hyperion Records. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
  2. ^ Sadler, Graham, Leclair, Jean-Marie, in Sadie, Stanley (ed.), The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, New York, Grove (Oxford University Press), 1997, II, pp. 1118–1119 (ISBN 978-0-19-522186-2)
  3. ^ Pinetop Smith
  4. ^ Moldenhauer, Hans (1961). The Death of Anton Webern: A Drama in Documents. New York: Philosophical Library. OCLC 512111.
  5. ^ "Sonny Boy Williamson". Biography.com.
  6. ^ "Shooting of Sam Cooke Held 'Justifiable Homicide'". The New York Times. 17 December 1964.
  7. ^ Kernfield, Barry Dean. New Grove Dictionary of Jazz. Grove's Dictionaries. p. 544.
  8. ^ 45 Years Ago: Former Edgar Winter Drummer Bobby Ramirez Killed
  9. ^ "Stringbean Akeman's killer free on parole". Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  10. ^ Lisle, Andria (25 November 2015). "Memphis sunset: The Mysterious death of Stax heartbeat Al Jackson, Jr". Retrieved 29 June 2017 – via The Guardian.
  11. ^ "Eddie Jefferson, 60, Jazz Lyricist, Slain After Leaving Detroit Club". The New York Times. May 10, 1979.
  12. ^ Gilmore, Bob (2014). Claude Vivier. A Composer's Life. University of Rochester Press. ISBN 978-1580464857.
  13. ^ Katel, Jacob (14 September 2010). "Top 10 Murdered Musicians You've Never Heard Of". Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  14. ^ Forbes-Robert, Ron. (2006). "One Long Tune: the life and music of Lenny Breau". Denton, TX. University of North Texas Press. ISBN 1-57441-210-8.
  15. ^ "Blaze Foley: Killing of a Songwriter". 7 October 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  16. ^ Thompson, Dave (2002) Reggae & Caribbean Music, Backbeat Books, ISBN 0-87930-655-6, pp. 138–141
  17. ^ POV (17 January 2006). "El Valiente: Chalino Sánchez - Al Otro Lado". PBS. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  18. ^ Tizon, Alex (August 23, 1998). "Who Murdered Mia Zapata? No Arrests, Few Clues 5 Years After Slaying". Seattle Times.
  19. ^ Chazanov, Mathis (15 August 1993). "Questions Cloud Life, Death of Saxophonist". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  20. ^ Katel, Jacob (14 September 2010). "Top 10 Murdered Musicians You've Never Heard Of". Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  21. ^ Southall, Ashley; Zaveri, Mihir; Feuer, Alan (2020-08-17). "2 Are Charged in Killing of Jam Master Jay, Hip-Hop Pioneer". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  22. ^ "Mexico: Musician killed for his drug related lyrics". 18 March 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  23. ^ "Natalia Strelchenko murder: 'Jealous' husband John Martin jailed", BBC News, March 21, 2016, retrieved March 22, 2016
  24. ^ Ali, Imtiaz (22 June 2016). "Famed qawwal Amjad Sabri gunned down in Karachi". Dawn.com. Retrieved 2016-06-23.
  25. ^ Reuters Staff (19 July 2018). "Four men indicted in murder of Florida rapper XXXTentacion". Reuters. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  26. ^ Neal, David J.; Teproff, Carli (19 July 2018). "Rapper XXXTentacion had $50,000. Four men have been indicted for killing him to get it". Miami Herald. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  27. ^ Margol, Andrea Torres, Amanda Batchelor, Ian. "Rapper XXXTentacion killed in Deerfield Beach shooting". local10.com. Retrieved 2018-06-19.
  28. ^ Romo, Vanessa (2021-11-17). "Rapper Young Dolph is shot and killed in Memphis". NPR. Retrieved 2021-11-18.
  29. ^ . December 9, 2021 https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/compton-rapper-slim-400-shot-killed-sharing-tribute/story?id=81658934. Retrieved December 11, 2021. Missing or empty |title= (help)
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