By: Brad Gallagher
There are many numbers which our minds associate with items, concepts, or events. Numbers such as the number 13, which is traditionally associated with bad luck, or 21, the number required to win at black jack. 53 is the number of cards in a standard card deck, and 50 is the number of states in the United States of America. There are also numbers associated with rock music, like the Beatles’ songs “Revolution Number 9” and “8 Days a Week”, and of course Tommy Tutone’s classic “867-5309”. But there is one number associated with music that holds a very ominous meaning. The number “27”.
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The number 27 has for years been a part of rock and roll folk lore. You see, there have been quite a few music artists over the years who have passed away at the age of 27. Enough in fact that there are many people, both within the music community and outside the music community, who believe that these deaths are more than just coincidences. After all, 27 is a rather young age to die when the average life span is almost 79 years old. There are many theories as to why so many artists died at 27, from complex mathematical or scientific theories all the way down to simple theories based on how many of them owned white lighters (believe it or not).
The first musician ever recorded to have died at 27 was actually a composer who died way back in 1892. His name was Alexandre Levy. And there were many more as time went on such as Louis Chauvin, a ragtime musician who died in 1908 at 27 years old. And Robert Johnson, a Blues singer who dies at 27 years old in 1938. But for our purposes I want to focus on some of the more prominent musicians who made their mark on rock and roll and pop music.
On July 3, 1969, Brian Jones, a founding member and guitarist for the Rolling Stones died of drowning in a swimming pool. He had battled drug addiction for several years prior, which may have been a factor in his death, but the coroner’s report just listed it as “death by misadventure”. The next year on September 30, 1970, Alan Wilson, who was the lead singer and composer for Canned Heat died of a drug overdose. Some say that it was a suicide, but there was never any proof. Even though he was found alone, he did not leave note, and there were pills left over when he was found. The official autopsy just stated that his death was accidental.
Over the next ten months, three more famous musicians died at the age of 27. Jimi Hendrix, who died of asphyxiation due to a drug overdose on September 18, 1970. Janis Joplin, who died on October 4, 1970 from a drug overdose. And Jim Morrison, who died of heart failure in a hotel room in Paris on July 3, 1971. However, there were rumors that Jim Morrison’s death was also due to a drug overdose.
As time went by, many more famous musicians passed away at 27 years old, like Ron Mckernan, a founding member of the Grateful Dead who died of a gastrointestinal hemorrhage due to alcohol abuse on March 8, 1973. And Pete Ham, the leader of Badfinger, who committed suicide on April 24, 1975. And of course, who can forget Kurt Corban, the founder and lead singer of Nirvana, who took his own life by suicide on April 5, 1994. And Amy Winehouse who died of alcohol poisoning on July 23, 2011.
And the list goes on. In all, there are over 60 notable musicians who passed away at the age of 27. Not to mention the many more famous 27 year olds who were noted for accomplishments other than music, such as famous actors Anton Yelchin or Jonathan Brandis. Whether the number 27 really has any control over life and death is up for debate, but you have to admit that it is quite the coincidence.
Below is a mural on a wall in Tel Aviv depicting a few of the more famous members of the 27 club.
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