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Artists or bands that gained popularity after tragedy.
- Thread starter Don CT
- Start date
Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper.
The same question could be asked of Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens. (Forget the Big Bopper. He was a disc jockey who recorded novelty songs as a side gig.) In country music, Keith Whitley went from promising newcomer to legend -- and future Hall of Famer -- after his death in 1988.
Willie Nelson might never have been a major recording artist if Patsy Cline hadn't died young. Nelson had written a few big country hits, including Cline's biggest hit "Crazy." Shortly after Cline's plane crash, Nelson was signed to his first major record deal with RCA Victor. The partnership with RCA was contentious behind the scenes, but it did produce some hits, most notably "The Party's Over" in 1967. Nelson's stock rose significantly in the 1970s with the "Outlaw" sound, and his first #1 hit "Blue Eyes Cryin' in the Rain" was released on Columbia Records.
Then there is Jim Croce.
And a large number of members of the "Forever 27" club.
And a large number of members of the "Forever 27" club.
Otis Redding's biggest hit, "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay," was released after his death.
He would have been famous as a songwriter, but I wonder if he'd been as big a performer had Waylon Jennings been on that plane instead of Buddy Holly.
Selena has to be up there with artists whose songs became more known after they died. Her death was compared to how John Lennon died given that they were both shot and their music library became more recognized after they left.
www.chicagotribune.com
THE UNFORESEEN LEGACY OF SELENA QUINTANILLA PEREZ
Many young Latinas apparently see part of themselves in Selena Quintanilla Perez, a dark-haired, full-figured beauty with wide nose and wine-colored lips whose murder two years ago this Monday elevated the 23-year-old Tejana singing…
www.chicagotribune.com
Nirvana was probably at their peak. They were arguably the biggest band in the world when Cobain died.
Led Zeppelin had already peaked, and reached legend status. They probably would have broken up in the early 80s. They were starting to drift apart while recording In Through The Out Door, which was not as well-received as their previous albums.
The Carpenters peaked long before Karen passed away. And the light pop music that they specialized in had faded in popularity by that point as well. They would have still stayed together, toured and made more records, but they would have been niche artists.
As for other artists, 2Pac immediately comes to mind. He would have had a lengthy career like Jay-Z, if he stayed out of trouble. Otis Redding would have become Stax's answer to Marvin Gaye. Stevie Ray Vaughan would have become even bigger. Sublime would have enjoyed a long career. Jimi Hendrix would have probably moved into funk and put out music that would make George Clinton rethink his life. Buddy Holly would have drifted toward country music, and would still be an icon.
No doubt Ritchie Valens would have continued mixing Mexican and Rock... maybe like a precursor to Carlos Santana.
While his musical career had already peaked by the time he was shot in Los Angeles in 1964, I think that Sam Cooke, had he lived, would have become a civil rights hero much in the vain of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. "A change Is Gonna Come," was, for its time, a very forward-thinking song lyrically (and probably should be considered an answer to the rollbacks in civil rights we are seeing right now).
I also think that the singing careers of both Jesse Belvin and Percy Mayfield would have blossomed if both had not been involved in very tragic car accidents. (Belvin was immediately killed and Mayfield became a paraplegic for the rest of his life.)
They are still performing with nobody original left.
In fact, she managed to make Tejano music cross over briefly in the wake of her death.
The year before she died, I was the PD of the only CA station to play one of her songs, but after she was killed every LA Spanish station from KLAX to KLVE played some of her material.
The same thing happened all over the Southwest, even in areas where Tejano had never been of any interest.
Too soon….unless it’s not
I hadn't even heard of Selena until I heard about her death. I remember her first English single coming into the radio station I was working for at the time. Haunting.Selena has to be up there with artists whose songs became more known after they died. Her death was compared to how John Lennon died given that they were both shot and their music library became more recognized after they left.
THE UNFORESEEN LEGACY OF SELENA QUINTANILLA PEREZ
Many young Latinas apparently see part of themselves in Selena Quintanilla Perez, a dark-haired, full-figured beauty with wide nose and wine-colored lips whose murder two years ago this Monday elevated the 23-year-old Tejana singing…
She was working on her first English language album at the time of her death, and I don't know if she'd have been the next Gloria Estefan but she could well have become a star outside the Tejano niche
A big "if" as, up until her death, she could not get her music played on any stations outside of Texas. Yes, she was very talented and a delightful person (I met her at a label gathering in LA and again on a tour in Texas) but there are many artists with talent who should become a star...