20 Celebrities Who Died Before Age 35

Amy Winehouse's recent death at age 27 has sparked conversations about her joining "Club 27" -- meaning she has unfortunately joined several other celebrities who died when they were just 27 years old.

It's an eerie coincidence that Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain all passed away three years shy of 30, but they're certainly not the only celebrities to have died well before their time.

From Heath Ledger and Brittany Murphy's recent untimely deaths to Buddy Holly and James Dean, young celebrity deaths are tragic at any age.

PHOTOS:

Amy Winehouse

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • September 14, 1983 - July 23, 2011 Age: 27

Comments

[JazzyJim]

01:09 PM on 07/27/2011

So you want to be in entertainment eh?....

[Lisa Parker Hendricksen]

11:06 AM on 07/27/2011

Robert "Rob" Pilatus from Milli Vanilli too

[JShankel]

01:02 AM on 07/27/2011

Jesus.

[Hot celeb]

12:49 AM on 07/27/2011

Really sad Too young to die :(((((((((((((((((
http://hot­stuffceleb­rity.blogs­pot.com

[ladyvader]

12:41 AM on 07/27/2011

What about Shannon Hoon lead singer of Blind Melon? He was only 28.

[Kimberly BanhamAlbertson]

01:27 AM on 07/27/2011

God it pisses me off when he is overlooked. Shannon was a genius!

[Hypocrites are Watching]

09:01 PM on 07/26/2011

William Melvin "Bill" Hicks December 16, 1961 – February 26, 1994
Andrew Geoffrey "Andy" Kaufman January 17, 1949 – May 16, 1984
John Henry Bonham 31 May 1948 – 25 September 1980
Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott July 9,1946 – February 19, 1980
4 huge omissions!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sparkybrown7877]

08:34 PM on 07/26/2011

Boy, I am lost with you guys!!!!! LOL

[regrom77]

08:21 PM on 07/26/2011

Pre-mature, drug related deaths always bring to my mind Layne Staley. I can't imagine how hard it is for someone to watch a loved one self destruct, and are hopeless to help them.

[Keira Fritzen]

12:38 AM on 07/27/2011

Layne Staley was terrible tragic loss of life. Such a sad one.

[Patricia013]

07:05 PM on 07/26/2011

Buddy Holly? James Dean? They both died from plane and car crashes....not from drugs or alcohol.

[ejcop77]

10:54 PM on 07/26/2011

this is just for celebs who died before 35 not how they died

[Dan de Lench]

05:57 PM on 07/26/2011

Amy, what can I really say except that her music was soul, with a hint of whiskey, and a tequila chaser!
I am 50, and travel all over the gambit of the world of music, and Amy reminds me a lot of Billie Holiday. I luv both of them, and like so many others I am saddened by her loss, and pray she will still be making great music in the giant gig in the sky. God bless all, and bless those that are feeling a bit more empty on the inside for the loss of this special Angel that left us all far to soon xo Danno.

[sparkybrown7877]

08:26 PM on 07/26/2011

Well said!

[bernard0]

03:57 PM on 07/26/2011

Also, Ritchie Valens.

[bernard0]

03:56 PM on 07/26/2011

You forgot Selena.

[modrocker]

03:02 PM on 07/26/2011

Country rock pioneer Gram Parsons at 26, Who drummer Keith Moon at 28, jazz greats Bix Beiderbecke at 28 and Charlie Parker at 34 (too many jazz greats to count), Summertime Blues singer Eddie Cochran in his early 20's, Sid Vicious in his 20's, Richie Valens in his teens, Big Bopper in his 30's, Patsy Cline at 30, Canned Heat singer Al Wilson, 20's, Comic Freddie Prinze, 20's, rocker Marc Bolan of T-Rex, 29, Brian Jones of the Stones, 27, R&B great Johnny Ace at 29 (Sam Cooke, Tammi Terrell, Little Willie John mentioned below), and if you want to go waaaay back, Wolfgang Mozart and Franz Schubert, 20's. That's enough death for one day.

[veritas88]

01:40 PM on 07/26/2011

I miss Aaliyah. I had no idea Otis Redding died so young.

[LutherBrixton]

01:21 PM on 07/26/2011

Sam Cooke - who defined Soul music in the 1960's - seems like a glaring omission.

Not to mention Tammi Terrell & Little Willie John