May 29
Alternative rock lost its most promising voice on this day in 1997 when Jeff Buckley drowned at 30 after taking a swim in the Mississippi River fully clothed, the tragic death of the Leonard Cohen interpreter ending a career that had just begun with 'Grace,' one of the decade's most acclaimed debuts… Psychedelic rock lost its most innovative guitarist on this day in 1989 when John Cipollina died at 51 from alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, ending the Quicksilver Messenger Service co-founder's career whose jazzy playing and psychedelic explorations influenced everyone from Carlos Santana to modern jam bands… Country-pop lost its smoothest crossover voice on this day in 2021 when B.J. Thomas died at 78 from complications of lung cancer, ending the career of the "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" singer whose ability to bridge Nashville and Las Vegas made him one of the era's most versatile entertainers… Rock's most prolific songwrite...
