Sam Cooke

December 11, 1964. Age: 33. Killed in self defense.

Ironically, Sam Cooke started his career in a gospel group, but the story of his demise proves he was no saint and that he might not have been very understanding of "no means no." Cooke allegedly kidnapped a girl and checked in to a motel with her with possible intent on raping her. The girl decided to bolt when Sam went to the bathroom. When he came out, he searched the motel for her; but when he couldn't find her, he broke into the motel office. The manager of the motel just happened to live there as well, and she also packed some heat. So when Sam demanded that the manager tell him where the girl went and became a threat, the manager shot him. He still came at her, but she was able to fend him off and he collapsed on the floor and died. According to the police record, he was wearing one shoe and a sports coat. The girl and the manager told a couple of stories about the incident that had some holes in them, like Sam, and the details of his death aren't exactly clear. The girl he allegedly tried to rape was arrested for prostitution shortly after after the incident.

Image © ABKCO Music & Records, Inc

Patsy Cline

March 5, 1963. Age: 30. Plane crash.

We know country legend Patsy Cline wasn't a cyclops, but she pretty much foresaw her own death. And she didn't care. She was involved in two major car accidents, the first nearly killing her, and knew that the trifecta was in play and that it was just a matter of time before her nine lives were finished. She even began writing her will on airline stationary when she was flying.

After what would end up being her last concert, her friend Dottie West, another country legend - and hotter than Faith Hill and Shania Twain combined, begged her not to fly home and to ride with her and her husband instead. But Cline declined and got on a plane home to Nashville. Ironically, the last song she sang was called "I'll Sail My Ship Alone". After a brief stop to refuel, and despite harsh weather conditions, they took to the skies once again. But 13 minutes later the plane crashed, nose down, and all were killed. She too had been readying new material for release right before she died.

Image © Universal Records

Ritchie Valens / Buddy Holly / J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson

February 3, 1959. Ages: Valens:17; Holly: 22; Richardson: 28. Plane crash.

As if having to play 24 cities in the midwest in just 21 days wasn't enough, concert promoters somehow found room to schedule a 25th stop on "The Winter Dance Party" tour featuring Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson, aka "The Big Bopper." Naturally, this scheduling left little time for the guys to do the basic stuff like laundry, and Holly had just about had it with riding on a cold tourbus in the winter, as the heater on the bus broke pretty much about 11 seconds into the tour. So he told his band to go find him a plane after the show because he wanted to fly to the next stop so he'd have time to wash some socks.

Waylon Jennings, a member of Holly's band at the time - and scheduled to go on the plane, gave up his seat to Richardson, who had come down with the flu and wanted to get to the next stop in time for some well needed rest. Valens, who had never flown before, asked Tommy Allsup (another member of Holly's band) for his seat. Allsup offered to flip a coin for it and, sadly, Valens won the toss.

True story: Holly poked fun of Jennings when he found out he'd given up his seat, and said "Well, I hope your ol' bus freezes up"; to which Jennings regretfully replied, "Well, I hope your ol' plane crashes." Yeah, might want that one back. Five minutes after the plane took off, it crashed, killing all on board instantly. Singer wrote the song "American Pie" about the plane crash on February 3, 1959, or "The Day The Music Died".




Hank Williams

January 1, 1953. Age: 29. Overdose.

Hank Williams must've either hated long car rides or had trouble falling asleep during them. On New Year's Day, 1953, Hank wanted to fly to Canton, Ohio, for his scheduled performance, but because of bad weather he had to find a ride there from Knoxville, Tennessee. So he hired a 17-year-old kid to drive him. Before leaving the hotel Hank whipped up a nice cocktail of vitamin B-12 and morphine and shot himself up with it, perhaps to smooth the ride. While in the car, Hank popped a few beers and nodded off into a nice, deep sleep. Only thing is, he never woke up from that nice, deep sleep.

The driver of his ride stopped for gas in West Virginia, about halfway to Canton, and noticed that Hank wasn't just giving him the cold shoulder, he actually was pretty cold. And dead. He also discovered that rigor mortis had already begun to set in, which explained getting stiffed when it came time for the tip. The drugs in Hank's system led many to speculate that he pretty much died somewhere between getting in the car and the Knoxville city limits.



Related Slideshow: "Shocking Celebrity Deaths" / More Celebrity Slideshows


Story by Kevin Blair

Starpulse contributing editor

Click here to follow @Starpulse on Twitter!