From bluesy licks to extreme shredding
If you’re curious to discover the tragic stories behind these artists, from health challenges to mental illness, click through this gallery now.
Blind Melon gained popularity in the early 1990s and because known for their eclectic sound blending alternative rock, psychedelic influences, and elements of folk. Their most famous song 'No Rain' turned Blind Melon into a household name.
The band's success was cut short when lead singer Shannon Hoon died from a drug overdose in 1995, just months after the release of their second album, 'Soup.' The tragedy significantly impacted the band's trajectory.
Soul and R&B duo Charles and Eddie shot to fame with their chart-topping hit 'Would I Lie to You?' The pair followed up with a second album, but it didn't achieve the same level of success as their debut, and eventually, Charles and Eddie parted ways.
In April 2001, Charles Pettigrew (pictured left) died from cancer at the age of 37. At the time, he and Eddie had been sending demo recordings to each other, toying with the idea of reuniting, but Charles didn't tell Eddie about his diagnosis.
Hailing from New Zealand, OMC (Otara Millionaires Club) became best known for their single 'How Bizarre,' released in 1995. The song was an international hit, but the group struggled to replicate that success in subsequent years.
In January 2010, singer Pauly Fuemana reportedly died from respiratory failure just a few weeks before his 41st birthday. His death certificate listed progressive demyelinating polyneuropathy as the cause of death, a rare disease that is fatal to 10% of those diagnosed with it.
Scatman John, or John Larkin as he was formally known, burst into the charts in 1995 with his catchy hit 'Scatman (Ski-Ba-Bop-Ba-Dop-Bop).' While he released other songs, none achieved the same level of widespread recognition and commercial success as 'Scatman.'
Less than five years after his massive pop breakthrough, Scatman John died of lung cancer, which had reportedly spread to his brain. He was only 57 years old.
Hip hop duo Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock reached number one on the dance charts with 'Get On the Dance Floor,' but they are probably best known for their 1988 hit 'It Takes Two,' which is still sampled and used on soundtracks to this day.
Around the time the duo went their separate ways in 1994, DJ E-Z Rock (Rodney Bryce, pictured right) faced health complications related to his earlier diabetes diagnosis. The issues escalated, and Bryce died from complications of diabetes at the age of 46 in 2014.
In 1963, Belgian nun Jeanine Deckers, known as The Singing Nun (pictured far left), shot to the top of the US charts with her song 'Dominique,' sung entirely in French. In 1964, after an appearance on 'The Ed Sullivan Show,' Deckers suffered a crisis of faith and left her convent.
In 1978, she announced that she owed US$126,000 to the Belgian government in back taxes, which she couldn't pay because she'd given everything to her religious order. In April 1985, Belgian police discovered Deckers' body alongside her partner in their home with a note explaining the two had died by suicide.
British rock band Free were known for their hit song 'All Right Now,' which became a classic and is often associated with the early 1970s rock scene. While the band released other songs, none matched the iconic status and widespread recognition of 'All Right Now.'
Andy Fraser, the band's bass player, died in March 2015. He was diagnosed with AIDS in the 1980s and later developed Kaposi's sarcoma, a type of cancer that is common among HIV-positive and AIDS patients. Fraser was only 62 years old.
B.W. Stevenson is best known for his 1973 hit 'My Maria,' which reached number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. After achieving some success in the '70s, Stevenson's career waned in the '80s, but he continued to perform and write music.
Stevenson fell seriously ill in early 1988 and was diagnosed with heart disease. He underwent heart surgery to help fix his ongoing issues, but the condition killed him not long after the operation in April 1988. Stevenson was 38 years old, and his wife had given birth just five months earlier.
Ray Smith and his band, the Rock 'n' Roll Boys, achieved their first US hit with 'Rockin' Little Angel.' Follow-up songs flopped, and Smith and the band never had another hit single. Frustrated and dejected over his inability to find lasting work as a musician, Smith committed suicide at the age of 45 in 1979.
Jennifer Paige released her debut single 'Crush' in 1998, which reached number four in the UK and number three in the US. Although she released more music, it failed to make as much of an impact.
In the mid-2000s, Paige and her family moved to the Nashville area. Toward the end of 2007, her mother fell ill and died at the age of 58 after a 10-day hospital stay. About two weeks later, Paige's father also became unwell and passed away. She lost both of her parents in less than three weeks.
Blu Cantrell's debut single, 'Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!),' reached number six on the R&B chart and number two on the Hot 100 in 2001. Her follow-up songs didn’t achieve the same success, with only 'Breathe' making it into the charts, peaking at number 70 in 2002.
In 2014, Cantrell made headlines—not for her music this time, but for a serious health issue. She was spotted walking down the middle of a street in Santa Monica, California, claiming she had been exposed to "poisonous gas." Police were called, and Cantrell was escorted to a medical facility for a psychological evaluation.
Juxtaposing the psychedelic rock of the late 1960s, Tiny Tim (born Herbert Khaury) burst onto the scene with his shaky falsetto cover of the 1929 song 'Tiptoe Through the Tulips,' which reached number 17 on the charts. By 1970, the novelty had worn off for much of the American public, and his follow-up releases sold poorly.
While performing at a ukulele festival in 1996, Tiny Tim suffered a heart attack on stage. After an 11-day hospitalization, he returned to performing. Two months later, during a benefit concert, he fainted. Tiny Tim was rushed to the hospital, where he was declared dead from cardiac arrest aged 64.
Tommy Page topped the Billboard charts with his number-one single 'I'll Be Your Everything.' Page was instrumental in setting the stage for the boy band revolution of the '90s but never replicated the critical acclaim he received at the start of his career.
Page changed careers and became a successful businessman. During his time at Warner Bros. Records, he helped launch the careers of Alanis Morissette and Green Day. Unfortunately, Page struggled with his mental health and committed suicide at the age of 46 in 2017.
Del Shannon topped the charts with his smash hit 'Runaway,' which remained at number one for four consecutive weeks. Although Shannon's career was overshadowed by The Beatles, he went on to help launch many unknown talents, including Bob Seger.
In February 1990, Shannon committed suicide. After years of suffering from alcoholism and depression, Shannon was prescribed Prozac. It was shortly after this he took his own life with a .22 caliber rifle.
Minnie Riperton began her solo career in 1970 with her debut album 'Come to My Garden.' Despite her angelic five-octave vocal range, it wasn't until the release of the pop ballad 'Lovin' You' that made Riperton a household name.
Riperton released her self-titled album 'Minnie' in 1979, which was unfortunately her last. She had been diagnosed with breast cancer three years earlier and ultimately lost her battle at the age of 31 on July 12, 1979.
Sources: (Grunge) (Listverse) (Rolling Stone)
See also: Do you remember these one-hit wonders?
The tragic stories behind these one-hit-wonders
Heartbreaking tales of these fleeting stars
MUSIC Singers
Fame can be fleeting, especially in the music world where some artists achieve stardom with a single hit before fading into obscurity. Despite countless hours of dedication—taking lessons, developing a style, forming a band, and playing gigs—the abrupt end of their journey can feel like a tragedy. Sadly, for some one-hit-wonder artists, the heartache doesn’t stop there.
If you’re curious to discover the tragic stories behind these artists, from health challenges to mental illness, click through this gallery now.