Tragic Real-Life Stories - Grunge

Jeff Somers

The Tragic Real-Life Story Of The Romanovs

The Romanovs were assassinated in 1918, but that’s just the final act of their heartbreaking story. From troubled romances to major health issues, here’s the tragic real-life story of the Romanovs, the last imperial rulers of Russia.

Pauli Poisuo

The Tragic Story Of Randy Rhoads' Death

If you're not familiar with the name Randy Rhoads, chances are you've still heard him play. Rhoads was the virtuoso guitar player who shredded on Ozzy Osbourne's first two solo records, and a major part why the Ozzman managed to pick himself up from the slump he'd been in ...

Pauli Poisuo

The Tragic Real-Life Story Of Chris Farley

As hilarious as his public persona was, in many ways he was the archetypal sad clown. This is the tragic real-life story of Chris Farley.

Aimee Lamoureux

The Tragic Real-Life Story Of Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo is one of the most admired artists of the 20th century. But Kahlo's artistic genius came at a price. Her personal life was marred with tragedy, loss, illness, infidelity, and chronic pain that plagued her throughout her time on Earth. This is the tragic real-life story of Frida Kahlo.

Aimee Lamoureux

The Tragic Life Of Florence Nightingale

Florence Nightingale invented the modern nursing profession and changed the course of public health forever. But the woman who did so much to improve health care spent much of her own life sickly, reclusive, and averse to media attention. This is the tragic life of Florence Nightingale.

Jeff Somers

The Tragic Real-Life Story Of Mozart

Mozart was a genius with a gross sense of humor, an inability to handle money, and a life filled with tragedy right up to his dying moments. Here are a few heartbreaking facts about him you might not know.

Eric Meisfjord

The Story Of Sam Cooke's Tragic Death

Sam Cooke gave us such standards as "Another Saturday Night" and "Wonderful World." And then in the space of a single evening, it all went south.

Brian Boone

The Tragic Real-Life Story Of Randy Travis

It's cliche to compare the life of a country music star to the events of a country music song, but the real-life life story of Randy Travis sounds like it was ripped from a tragic ballad.

Pete Townshend with his arm around Roger Daltrey

Brian Boone

The Tragic Real-Life Story Of The Who

There are few bands as iconic as The Who. Here is the tragic real-life story of The Who.

Nicholas Conley

The Tragic Life And Death Of The World's First Movie Star

Florence Lawrence is often labeled as the first movie star in history, but in her personal life, she struggled against depression, heartbreak, and disease.

Brian Boone

The Tragic Real-Life Story Of Bon Jovi

Bon Jovi is a household name. But the members of this group have suffered their fair share of setbacks. Here’s the tragic real-life story of Bon Jovi.

Eric Meisfjord

The Tragic Death Of Ernest Hemingway

There's no question that Ernest Hemingway was one of the 20th Century's professional manly men. So it's a shame that he met such a sad end.

Eric Meisfjord

The Tragic Death Of George Gershwin

Born in 1898 in Brooklyn, Jacob Bruskin Gershowitz (for such was his name) was identified early as a genuine musical prodigy. Here's how he died.

Brian Boone

The Tragic Real-Life Story Of Rush

Rush's songs speak to the mind and the heart. The band also sings from a place of empathy, as its individual members have endured a lot of pain and struggle over the years. Here's the tragic real-life story of Rush.

Eric Meisfjord

The Tragic Death Of Margaret Tudor

Who among us, some idle summer afternoon, hasn't thought, "Wouldn't it be cool to be King (or Queen)?" Or just royal. For Margaret Tudor, it may have contributed to her death.

Brian Boone

The Tragic Real-Life Story Of Phil Hartman

You might remember Phil Hartman from SNL, The Simpsons, or NewsRadio. But his life was beset with heartbreak, and it ended with an unspeakable tragedy. Here's a look at the all-too-brief and incredibly tragic life of Phil Hartman.

Eric Meisfjord

The Tragic Life And Death Of Guy Fawkes

Apparently he was a pretty fair soldier, but as a domestic terrorist, he was lacking. Guy Fawkes, born in 1570 in York, England, didn't even start out Catholic -- but by the end of his tragic life, he would be sentenced to death as one.

Becki Robins

The Tragic Life Of Charles Darwin

You know Charles Darwin as the father of evolution, but he was also a complex person who lived a life of tragedy, suffering, and self-doubt.

Zach Lisabeth

The Story Of Elvis Presley's Tragic Death

He was the King of Rock n' Roll in life, but his death was anything but distinguished. According to musical legend Leonard Bernstein, Elvis was the "greatest cultural force in the 20th century." But he died too young.

Jeff Somers

The Tragic Real-Life Story Of Oscar Wilde

Even though Oscar Wilde was skilled with words, he couldn't write enough to ward off death, disease, and betrayal.

Brian Boone

The Tragic Real-Life Story Of Carlos Santana

Life hasn't been easy for Carlos Santana. In fact, it's been a long and bumpy road to legendary status for the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer.

Eric Meisfjord

The Tragic Truth Of Hawaii's Leprosy Colony

Today we refer to leprosy as Hansen's disease, named for the Norwegian physician who first identified the causative agent back in 1873. But the disease itself has been around for millennia -- with indications found in human remains dating back to around 2000 BCE.

Robert Balkovich

The Tragic Death Of Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo’s work is known for portraying both magical realism and suffering. And speaking of suffering, Kahlo had an incredibly hard life, and while she was a talented artist, she died a pretty tragic death.

Robert Balkovich

The Tragic Truth Of Margaret Tudor's Marriage History

While King Henry VIII's infamous series of unhappy couplings often gets the lion's share of the spotlight, he wasn't the only Tudor who was getting into matrimonial trouble. His sister, Margaret Tudor, had quite the track record of her own when it came to scandal at the altar.