Published: July 02, 2009 10:13 am      

MUSIC: When superstars die young

Michael Jackson’s death has been the subject of much discussion and media attention in the last week, for good reason. At the height of his creative powers, Jackson truly earned his self-proclaimed title of King of Pop, with unstoppable pop songs and unbelievable dance moves.

Jackson was also a controversial figure, as charges of child sexual abuse and increasingly odd behavior kept him in the spotlight for reasons other than his music during the past 15 to 20 years.

Jackson’s death, at the young age of 50, got us thinking about the untimely deaths of other stars, as well. Here are some thoughts that ran through our heads when we first learned about the deaths of Jackson and other entertainers.



Phil Dzikiy — Michael Jackson

As I wrote in another recent column, I learned about Jackson’s death while on my driveway. Someone a few houses down from mine exclaimed, “Michael Jackson’s dead!” and actually laughed about it, loudly.

Though I had to go inside the house to check other sources (a very journalistic thing to do), deep in my heart, I knew that jerk was right. Jackson had died.

I’ll probably always remember that moment, but I never found the death shocking — it was hard to find anything Jackson-related shocking after the past few decades.

The death saddened me, but most of my thoughts went right back to his music. I think it was that way for most people my age. Instead of focusing on the man’s faults, we decided to remember why we liked him in the first place.



Paul Lane — Kurt Cobain and Jackson

I can still remember being glued to the couch April 8, 1994, my gaze unable to move from MTV’s Kurt Loder as he reported the news that Kurt Cobain had been found dead from an apparent gunshot wound.

I watched the coverage pretty much all night (with no Internet, that’s how I could stay informed) as tributes began rolling in, facts slowly were unearthed and makeshift memorials sprang up in Seattle and nationwide.

Nirvana was my first favorite band, and Cobain’s death is the only passing by someone whom I didn’t know that I actually felt. Michael Jackson’s death hasn’t had nearly that much impact on me, but his life should be remembered by everyone.

Musicians, like few other celebrities, connect with fans because their art truly represents them, as opposed to actors who only pretend, or rich people who haven’t done anything. A musician’s message can bond with listeners, forging a connection that often helps people when they’re in need of assistance.

Jackson’s message might not have been all that deep, but his songs were undoubtedly important for the evolution of his musical craft. He knew the value of entertainment, and he knew how to make each listener feel as though they were a part of his performance.

A person doesn’t become the most well-known singer on the planet unless they’re doing something right.

His later years saw Jackson’s personal life outshine the art that he’d created. If he, in fact, committed some of the acts he’d been accused of, there’s no excusing those crimes. But remember that he’s by now met his maker and received judgment from the only one whose opinion matters.

Regardless of how you feel about Jackson, you should take a moment (if you haven’t by this point) and listen to some of his music. Remember how it made you feel the first time you listened. Recall the phenom that he was. Let him rest in peace.



Bill Wolcott, Lockport US&J reporter — Elvis Presley

Thanks to a horse named Little Tracer, I got to see Elvis Presley perform at the Niagara Falls Convention Center.

Little Tracer never won a race and was 40-1 in the third race at the Fort Erie race track that afternoon. For some reason, I put $2 on his nose. Little Tracer took off like a bullet and led by seven lengths, but began to give way in the stretch. There was a photo finish and Little Tracer held on by a little nose, paying $80.

In Niagara Falls, the Elvis evening performance was sold out in minutes, so a matinee was added. With my winnings, I bought two $10 tickets to see the matinee.

Like many performers, Elvis focused on new songs rather than the songs everyone wanted to hear. He was good, but we wanted more. However, heavyweight bodyguards began to sit on the stage as Elvis sang. The lights went out and Elvis was still singing. The lights went on and Elvis was gone.

That’s the first time I heard, “Elvis has left the building.”

That was OK with me. I wanted more, but I saw the king of rock ‘n’ roll.

However, Elvis got a rather spotty review from the Niagara Falls Gazette and fans hated it — the review. I know of no story, before or after Elvis, that drew more criticism, more letters. After a week, the Gazette decided to end it all and fill a page with letters. The paper would accept no more.

When the king of rock’n roll died of a drug overdose, I was not shocked. When the “King of Pop” died, I was not shocked.

Presley and Michael Jackson played in another world, a world I’ll never understand. Now, they left it, the king and his son-in-law.



Lucia Spiritosanto, graphic artist — “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott and Shannon Hoon

The way I felt when I heard the news (about Jackson) reminded me of how I felt when Darrell Abbott (former Pantera and Damageplan guitarist) died. My true passion is music, and I am a huge Pantera fan.

I was driving my youngest son to school when we heard the news about “Dimebag” Darrell. The radio was on pretty low, but we could hear something about a musician being killed. I turned it up just in time to hear “Damageplan guitarist and Pantera founder ‘Dimebag’ Darrell Abbott was shot just minutes after Damageplan took the stage.”

I remember yelling out, “Oh my God” as I slammed on the brakes and pulled to the curb to turn the radio up louder. My son looked at me and said “Mom, isn’t that Pantera’s guitar player?” I couldn’t answer him as I was shocked by the news and trying to listen to every word they said. I dropped him off at school and raced home to tell my husband and older son.

My son was just as shocked as I was. It just felt very surreal. I think Darrell was a great musician and just kept thinking about his brother Vinnie, to be sitting only feet away and seeing this happen. My heart ached for him and his family. We were only fans who didn’t know this man personally and our lives were touched by him. To this day, I have a picture of him above my desk at work that reads, “RIP Dimebag Darrell.”

I was sitting in my living room watching MTV when I heard of (Blind Melon lead singer) Shannon (Hoon) being found on his tour bus dead from an overdose. I remember thinking, “Typical rock star.”

I was, and still am, a fan of Blind Melon, and Shannon’s death saddened me in a way that I feel he was cheated, not the fans. Here is a young man in his 20s, with such a powerful voice (one that resembles that of Janis Joplin), and his life was very short-lived. He’ll never be able to see his daughter grow up or live out his dreams.

To this day, I still feel sad when I hear any Blind Melon song and can’t help but wonder how far Shannon would have made it.