Music magic By John Cusatis Allen Krantz Classical guitarist performs in dorm "Who's Next?" cries the ghost of Keith Moon, the late great drummer of "The Who." Moon is one of a str ing of talented musicians struck down before their time. Tragedy seems to be a fatalistic finale of so, many great performers. For the best musicians, though, death is not so final. The music of John Lennon, Elvis Presley, and Harry Chapin can be accurately titled "immortal." The following performers were victims of untimely deaths. Buddy Holly (1953) whose contribution to rock-'n' roll included such tunes as "Peggy Sue" and "Maybe Baby" died in a plane crash that also claimed the life of Big Bopper. Holly was just 22. Janis Joplin (1970), heroine of the sixties counter culture, was noted for her screaming, energetic performances. She sang and lived the blues. Janis died of a drug overdose at age 27. Jimi Hendrix (1970), the psychedelic wizard of the electric guitar revised our national' anthem to suit the times. He died of a drug overdose at age 28. Jim Morrison (1971), poet laureate of the mindless... A gifted man who used and -abused his talent to equal degrees died from a lethal dose of blood in his alcohol stream at age 27. He was musically resurrected ten years later after the prin ting of "No One Here Gets Out Alive." Harry Chapin (1981), creator of such classic ballads as "Taxi" and "Thirty-Thousand Pounds of Bananas," died in an auto accident. John Lennon (1980), was possibly the greatest loss to rock music. Just when he was about to "Start Over," the legend was halted by the bullets of the deranged Mark David Chapman. Len non, a spokesman for peace and the "Make Love-Not War" policy was only 40 years old. Bob Marley (1981), Rastaman and master of reggae, whose style is being adopted by so many, died of a brain tumor. Elvis Presley (1977), the immortal king of rock whose powerful voice work ed wonders with so many classic numbers left the stage at age 42. His death spawned an incredible sale of memorial money-makers which people still get suckered into buying. Southern rock was deprived of great talent when a motorcycle accident claimed the life of Duane Allman (1971) and the private plane of "Lynyrd Skynyrd" crashed killing Ronnie Van Zant and others, (1977). Jim Croce, Page 12/13 he talented young singer song writer, also lost his life in a plane crash, (1973) . Who can forget Sid Vicious? Everyone. Sid's death was just part of his punk ritual; unfortunately no one was paying atten tion... Sorry, Sid, you died in vain... • Hank Williams (1952), Brian Jones (1967) of the Stones, John Bonham (1979) of Led Zeppelin, Terry Kath (1978) of Chicago and Sam Cooke were also stars who fell to premature death. The music these past per formers left the world will not die, and one thing is for certain: "If there's a rock 'n' roll heaven, you know they got a helluVa band."
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers