Way too many to consider! I'd want them ALL back (I co-sign all those already mentioned). And while I'm making wishes, I'd wish that no one ever had to leave!

But I'm also thinking about:

• John Denver
• Jim Croce
• Ray Charles
• Garry Shider
• Eddie Hazel
• Teena Marie
• Rick James
• Freddie Mercury
• Sylvester

...and so many others that didn't quite reach "Legendary" status, like:

• Big Pun
• 2pac (I know, for some he WAS a legend)
• The Notorious B.I.G.
• Jonathan Larson (RENT)

...and too many more to even list.

But I have to admit, I've spent an awful lot of time wishing I could turn back the clock, and change the course of events, to bring back Michael Jackson.

May they all be resting peacefully.

Of all the artists who have already died I am most like Freddy, John and Michael. But I would not return them because they gave the music all they could, they fully realize their talent. I do not believe in some kind of big break from them.

So I would back those who could still do a lot: Hendrix, Kurt (names that first come to mind)

A coin toss between Michael Jackson & 2pac.

Cosmopolitan songwriter par excellence Cole Porter.

If I had to choose one....defintily Michael Jackson

others not far from my list would be Marvin Gaye and Bob Marly

vainandy said:

No need to bring them back because if they were alive, they would be either retired or selling out and making music that sounds like today's music. At least they are in a better place now......hopefully.

I can understand that. I also wonder how different the music scene would be today had these people lived and continued to evolve.

minneapolisFunq said:

Mr. Troutman

ahhhhh

[Edited 8/23/11 13:26pm]

RKJCNE said:

Oh Also...

She's no more a legend than the ganglion cyst I had removed last year. An Icon, perhaps, given the glut of female artists that jumped aboard the bandwagon clearly influenced and inspired by her (sadly not enough to have spiked up).

"Mmm-erghh -she died let her have her praise."

PDogz said:

Way too many to consider! I'd want them ALL back (I co-sign all those already mentioned). And while I'm making wishes, I'd wish that no one ever had to leave!

But I'm also thinking about:

• John Denver
• Jim Croce
• Ray Charles
• Garry Shider
• Eddie Hazel
• Teena Marie
• Rick James
• Freddie Mercury
• Sylvester

...and so many others that didn't quite reach "Legendary" status, like:

• Big Pun
• 2pac (I know, for some he WAS a legend)
• The Notorious B.I.G.
• Jonathan Larson (RENT)

...and too many more to even list.

But I have to admit, I've spent an awful lot of time wishing I could turn back the clock, and change the course of events, to bring back Michael Jackson.

May they all be resting peacefully.

Between Lennon and Mercury for sure, both were very young, 40 and 46, and both could have easily done tons more music, i mean "imagine" if Lennon had seen Live Aid, with the way he was feeling in the later 70's talking Beatles music, you would have seen them there for sure.

Unholyalliance said:

TylerHippie said:

I'll go with Jimi. I think rock/pop music would be much heavier. In sound wise.

If he was still alive do you know how many people would be complaining about his new work? He'd be off somewhere and no one would have heard from him again.

If he was still alive he'd be 67.....I think the effect he would have had on music by now would be incalculable, he's the most tragic case that we know of how much incredible music may've been lost to the world.

Michael Jackson, can't live with the fact that I never saw him live, although I had tickets for This Is it.

theAudience said:

Sorry, but i'd have to go with two so that my ultimate collaboration could be realized...

You don't need include Miles, I think they would have gotten something done in the '70s, though there was that rumour that Hendrix slept with Betty Davis, so perhaps not. However Miles' arranger Gil Evans had met with Hendrix supposedly to discuss plans to work together in the future, now that would've been awsomeness encapsulated. Evans did later do an album of Hendrix covers.

Johnny Cash

The Ramones

Randy Rhoads

Ronnie James Dio

Freddie Mercury

Cliff Burton

Bob Marley

These two:

Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell

[Edited 8/24/11 5:28am]

There are a few who I often wonder what direction they would have gone musically and believe that they genuinely died too early:

John Lennon

Bob Marley

Marvin Gaye

Not sure about Jimi Hendrix. One of the most influential musicians ever but I can't put my finger on why I think his flame would have been short lived whatever happened.

[Edited 8/24/11 5:49am]

missfee said:

These two:

Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell

[Edited 8/24/11 5:28am]

Tammi was so pretty its ashame she passed sooooo young...

elmer said:

RKJCNE said:

Oh Also...

She's no more a legend than the ganglion cyst I had removed last year. An Icon, perhaps, given the glut of female artists that jumped aboard the bandwagon clearly influenced and inspired by her (sadly not enough to have spiked up).

"Mmm-erghh -she died let her have her praise."

Her death is not her legacy, this is:

missfee said:

These two:

Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell

[Edited 8/24/11 5:28am]

I'm sure they've since reunited and creating some classics in the afterworld. But yeah I'd bring both back.

[Edited 8/24/11 11:26am]

funkycat00 said:

MickyDolenz said:

^^^In that case, Bruce Lee.

I hope im am not the only one that got teary eyes from this thread?

Michael Jackson, Teena Marie, Tupac, and Marvin Gaye

Who needs a ''hit'' record to come back: Stevie Wonder, Prince, and Diana Ross.

Also Berry Gordy and Quincy Jones. I can't remember the last time they produced anything good or made someone a star

[Edited 8/24/11 13:36pm]

I'd generally lean towards artists whose early death cut short their careers substantially. While there are any number of artists who I'd love to hear again, these early-death arists intrigue me the must as I could see what could have been.

Cobain, Aaliyah, and Hendrix are good examples of this. I'd nominate Tammi Terrell.

Marlena58 said:

Michael Jackson, Teena Marie, Tupac, and Marvin Gaye

Who needs a ''hit'' record to come back: Stevie Wonder, Prince, and Diana Ross.

Also Berry Gordy and Quincy Jones. I can't remember the last time they produced anything good or made someone a star

Stevie, Prince & Diana just need to make great albums again but with Diana I don't know if anyone besides the late Nick Ashford and the surviving Valerie Simpson could do her wonders. With Stevie, he's so focused on enjoying his elder statesmenship that he just chooses to rest on his laurels when there's evidence he still can work magic in his music but he's yet to release it. Same with Prince.

Michael Jackson

John Lennon

Louis Armstrong

Marvin Gaye

Tupac

Kurt Cobain

George Harrison

Freddie Mercury

[Edited 8/24/11 16:01pm]

ELVIS PRESLEY and JIM MORRISON and every artist every one mentioned.

I think it would have been interesting to hear where the Allman Brothers Band would have went had Duane lived. It's pretty obvious that they were a different band after he died.

I realise that this place is not generally very high on country music but I'm still a bit surprised that no one mentioned Hank Williams. He was only 29 when he died and still had a ton of great music in him. He was arguably the single most influential artist in the history of the genre, it's hard not to wish that we got much more music from him.

[Edited 8/24/11 17:34pm]

Zappa for sure.

Bob Marley.

I agree with Hank Williams for this song alone:

You'll meet many just like me upon life's busy street
With shoulders stooped and heads bowed low and eyes that stare in defeat
Or souls that live within the past where sorrow plays all parts
Where a living death is all that's left for men with broken hearts
You have no right to be the judge to criticize and condemn
Just think but for the grace of God it would be you instead of him
One careless step a thoughtless deed and then the misery starts
And to those who weep death comes cheap these men with broken hearts
Oh so humble you should be when they come passing by
For it's written that the greatest men never get too big to cry
Some lose faith in love and life when sorrow shoots her darts
And with hope all gone they walk alone these men with broken hearts
You've never walked in that man's shoes or saw things through his eyes
Or stood and watched with helpless hands while the heart inside you dies
Some were paupers some were kings and some were masters of the arts
But in their shame they're all the same these men with broken hearts
Life sometimes can be so cruel that a heart will pray for death
God why must these living dead know pain with every breath
So help your brother along the road no matter where he starts
For the God that made you made them too these men with broken hearts