Jean-Michel Basquiat, an artist whose roots in graffiti made his work stand out among others, left a legacy of stunning paintings. But his sudden popularity in his 20s caused him to spiral into a drug habit that eventually cost him his life. His death cemented his status as an art world rockstar.
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Hank Williams Jr. found some success, working more or less as a tribute act and playing plenty of his old man's standards. Critical reception was lukewarm -- The New Yorker pointed out that he "was raised to be an echo, not an influence," changing his name to better pull a nostalgic crowd.
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Unfortunately, The Ramones only seemed like a tight unit from the outside. They may have made rock history, but the band's internal affairs were full of arguments, feuds and disappointment ... and ultimately, several untimely deaths.
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For a band as longstanding and storied as Metallica, they have not been without ups and downs. No event had such a dramatic impact on Metallica's history, though, as the death of the bassist Cliff Burton.
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On July 6, 1992, Johnson's lifeless body was pulled from New York's Hudson River. The police classified it a suicide. None of her friends accepted that.
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Few if any figures in rock and roll history are as timeless -- or controversial -- as Elvis Presley.
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You could do worse than marrying the King of England. That had to have gone through her mind... at least until she was beheaded.
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Emmett Till loved to laugh."He would pay people to tell him jokes," according to his cousin, Wheeler Parker. He also "loved to tell jokes," said childhood friend Richard Heard, who remembered Emmett being "a funny guy all the time."
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Every time a metalhead throws up the devil horns and casts a protective ward against the evil eye, we're saying a small thank you to Ronnie James Dio. Here's how he passed.
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Robert Plant is one of the most legendary rock singers in history, but his life hasn't been all hit records and world tours.
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Moe, Larry, and Curly grew up in the school of hard knocks. The knocks didn't stop coming once they hit it big. Here's the tragic story of the Three Stooges.
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Pink Floyd evolved into one of the most adventurous and introspective bands of all time, but the band's history is shrouded in both mystery and tragedy.
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Bing Crosby was a beloved entertainer, dominating the silver screen, music charts, and infiltrating radios across the country from the 1930s to 1960s. Yet despite all his success, Crosby's personal life was filled with hardship. This is the tragic real-life story of Bing Crosby.
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Time was, Howard Stern's name wouldn't appear without the qualifier "shock jock." Stern, born in 1954, took audio entertainment -- radio; first, terrestrial, then satellite -- to new heights. Or new depths, depending on your point of view.
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The best indicator of Steve Clark's importance within Def Leppard might be the fact that he was never fired. He stayed with the band until his tragic death.
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Frank Sinatra will always be a legend, but few realize just how painfully human Ol' Blue Eyes was. This is the tragic real-life story of Frank Sinatra.
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Those of a certain age might be forgiven for confusing Davy (though he preferred David) Crockett and Daniel Boone. Their timelines overlap, though Boone, born in 1734, could have been a grandfather to Crockett, born in 1786. Here's how Boone lived, and eventually, died.
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Emily Dickinson is one of the most famous American poets, but you might not know that her poetry stems from a life filled with sadness and loss. T
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Most would say country legend Loretta Lynn leads an enviable life. But she has seen her fair share of tragedy. Chief among those tragedies -- the deaths of her children.
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The fanfare and fantasies surrounding rock stars often produce rumors that aren't remotely true. But The Who's late drummer and Dionysian spirit animal, Keith Moon, might have been the rare exception where the man outdid the myth.
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Che Guevara is legendary today, but his life was one of struggle and repeated defeat. This is the tragic real-life story of Che Guevara.
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An evening out at the nightclub can turn tragic should a fire break out. These are the most tragic nightclub fires in history.
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Ella Fitzgerald gained a devout audience for over six decades, though her troubled history isn't usually mentioned. This is the tragic real-life story of Ella Fitzgerald.
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The Andrews Sisters -- Patty, LaVerne, and Maxene -- broke onto the music charts in 1937. By the time they were done selling records, they'd moved some 100 million units, and racked up a whopping 46 Top 10 hits. But there was a dark side. This is the tragic real-life story of The Andrews Sisters.
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Jerry Garcia and The Dead arose out of San Francisco's music scene in the mid-1960s. Drugs were plentiful; music was powerful; a youth culture was flexing its muscles and making itself heard throughout the country. But Garcia's responsibility as the figurehead of a movement would take its toll.
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Sylvia Plath remains a singular voice in American literature decades since her death, and her tragic story continues to resonate with readers today.
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When it comes to movie stars, Keanu Reeves is as big as they get. While it might seem like he's lived a charmed life, he's had ups and downs.
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