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The Death of Rock: Medical Causes

AIDS

Because the Medical Archive has the largest number of entries, I have divided it into several pages. Musicians who succumbed AIDS and comlications from AIDS are listed on this page. You can select different medical causes using the links, below.

Key

Robbin Crosby

complications from AIDS; 2002. Crosby, guitarist for the seminal 1980's hair-metal band, Ratt, abused heroin during the band's early success and contracted HIV. Ratt's 1984 video for their signature song, "Round and Round", featured a cross-dressing Milton Berle. Crosby was 42. "Round and Round," "Lay It Down"

Bobby DeBarge

(Robert Louis DeBarge, Jr.), AIDS; he was 39. DeBarge was the lead singer of Motown vocal group, Switch, and he was mentor/producer (and later member) of his siblings' group, DeBarge. DeBarge had trouble with drugs later in life, and he was incarcerated on drug trafficking charges. While in prison, the musician (who was bisexual) contracted HIV. He died of AIDS in 1995. DeBarge (the group) had several pop hits in the '80s, inlcuding "Rhythm of the Night," "You Wear It Well," and "All This Love"

Frank Esler-Smith

pneumonia (rumored to be AIDS-related) in 1991. Esler-Smith was an arranger and keyboard player for the soft rock band Air Supply in the '70s and '80s. He was 42. "Lost in Love," "All Out of Love," "Every Woman in the World," "The One That You Love"

*Tom Fogerty

1990. There are conflicting reports of cause of death. Some versions state AIDS as the reason; some say a heart attack or tuberculosis were to blame. Fogerty was 49. Member of Creedence Clearwater Revival and brother to legendary songwriter/musician John Fogerty. Creedence was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. "Fortunate Son," "Bad Moon Rising," "Proud Mary"

Ray Gillen

AIDS-related illness in 1993. He was 34. Gillen was briefly the singer for Black Sabbath. He recorded 1987's The Eternal Idol album, but after leaving the group, his vocals were replaced. Gillen formed the Badlands, recording the albums, Badlands, Voodoo Highway, and Dusk.

Ofra Haza

(Bat-Sheva Ofra Haza), AIDS in 2000. She was 42. There is some controversy as to how the artist contracted the disease. Many people blamed her husband for infectng her; her husband claimed she got the disease during a blood transfusion she received after a miscarriage. Haza was a Grammy-nominated singer, a songwriter and an actress, and she appeared on several soundtracks. Her albums include, Fifty Gates of Wisdom, Desert Wind, and Kirya. She had a hit with the song, "Im Nin'alu".

Billy Lyall

Billy (William) Lyall died of AIDS-related causes in 1989, aged 36. Lyall was keyboard player, vocalist and occasional flautist with Pilot, and an early member of the Bay City Rollers. He was keyboard player for Dollar for a few years and also contributed to The Alan Parsons Project. He released a solo album, Solo Casting.

Jimmy McShane

(James Harry McShane), AIDS in 1995. He was 37. McShane was the lead singer of Baltimora, who had a hit in the '80s with "Tarzan Boy" which still features in commercials.

Freddie Mercury

*Freddie Mercury

(Farrokh Bulsara), AIDS; 1991. Mercury was music's first superstar-turned-AIDS casualty; his homosexuality was a bit of an open secret. He was 45. Mercury was the charismatic showman who fronted Queen. The group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2004. They were also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. "Another One Bites the Dust," "We Are the Champions," "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Fat Bottomed Girls," "I Want to Break Free," "Killer Queen," "The Show Must Go On," "Somebody to Love," "Under Pressure"

Klaus Nomi

Klaus Nomi

(Klaus Sperber), AIDS (1983); he was 39. Nomi was an eclectic performance artist, who often combined opera, disco and rock. His theatrical presentations involved stage effects, flamboyant costumes and outrageous make-up. Prior to his career as a performer, Nomi supported himself as a pastry chef, supposedly working at the World Trade Center. Albums include: Klaus Nomi, Simple Man, and Encore.

Jermaine Stewart

(William Jermaine Stewart), AIDS (1997); he was 39. Back-up vocalist for Shalamar, The Temptations, and Boy George and singer of the '80s top ten single, "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off."

Sylvester

(Sylvester James), AIDS (1988). He was 41. Started as a gospel singer and became disco's first openly gay performer. "Down Down Down," "Dance (Disco Heat)," "Over and Over," "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)"

Ricky Wilson

complications from AIDS (1985). He was 32. Wilson was a member of the quirky, new wave/punk/pop B-52's. "Rock Lobster" Post-Wilson: "Roam," "Love Shack," "Deadbeat Club"