From TMZ:

A super popular musician in Atlanta collapsed onstage Monday as the crowd celebrated his 70th birthday.

Col. Bruce Hampton -- known as the Granddaddy of the Jam Scene -- was in the middle of an encore -- "Turn on Your Lovelight" -- when he suddenly collapsed onstage.

The band kept playing, as if nothing happened ... people thought it was all part of the performance.

Sadly, it wasn't. When people realized it was for real, Hampton was rushed to a hospital where he died.

RIP.
___________

Video behind the link.

TrivialPursuit said:

From TMZ:

A super popular musician in Atlanta collapsed onstage Monday as the crowd celebrated his 70th birthday.

Col. Bruce Hampton -- known as the Granddaddy of the Jam Scene -- was in the middle of an encore -- "Turn on Your Lovelight" -- when he suddenly collapsed onstage.

The band kept playing, as if nothing happened ... people thought it was all part of the performance.

Sadly, it wasn't. When people realized it was for real, Hampton was rushed to a hospital where he died.

RIP.
___________

Video behind the link.

TMZ is on a roll today

laurarichardson said:

TMZ is on a roll today

Apparently, the grim reaper is, too.

You know what though? In a twisted way, it's poetic. Musicians are always musicians. They're always making music. The ones who were in it for some fame, or money, or pussy - they're not doing it at this point. It got old. But people who were truly musicians at the heart will do it until they die, or die doing it. It's that old addage of "he died doing what he loved". My first reaction used to be "Why would you do anything that killed you?!" But then I realized I meant skydivers.

It's a hell of a way to go out, but I suppose it beats dying in a hospital bed, surrounded by beeps of machines, strangers taking your pulse, and whispers of "he was so talented" or whatever. I would venture a bet to say most of these people's families would say "he'd have it no other way". And at least it's not the cliché "died of a heroin overdose" or "died from alcoholism", a la every other heavy metal rocker that is dead now.

I was just going to say "That's a helluva way to go out" but you beat me to it! Of course, he should have had many years left to celebrate but there's something to be said about a musician passing away on stage after a concert celebrating his birthday. Seems appropriate somehow...

May 17, 1996: After singing the 1st verse of His !976 classic, "Superman Lover", Johnny "Guitar" Watson clutched His chest & said "Ain't this a Bitch?" and collapsed. Folks THOUGHT it was part of the act. But, in fact, Watson suffered what proved to be a fatal Heart Attack in Yokohama, Japan.....ON STAGE!!!

"Ain't this a Bitch?" come on..

woogiebear said:

May 17, 1996: After singing the 1st verse of His !976 classic, "Superman Lover", Johnny "Guitar" Watson clutched His chest & said "Ain't this a Bitch?" and collapsed. Folks THOUGHT it was part of the act. But, in fact, Watson suffered what proved to be a fatal Heart Attack in Yokohama, Japan.....ON STAGE!!!

MD431Madcat said:

"Ain't this a Bitch?" come on..

woogiebear said:

May 17, 1996: After singing the 1st verse of His !976 classic, "Superman Lover", Johnny "Guitar" Watson clutched His chest & said "Ain't this a Bitch?" and collapsed. Folks THOUGHT it was part of the act. But, in fact, Watson suffered what proved to be a fatal Heart Attack in Yokohama, Japan.....ON STAGE!!!

SERIOUSLY!!!! Witnesses said THOSE were Watson's LAST words before collapsing.....

woogiebear said: