"If you believe in forever,
Then life is just a one-night stand.
If there's a rock and roll heaven,
Well you know they've got a hell of a band."

• Buddy Holly (born 7 February 1936, died 3 February 1959 in a plane crash, aged 22)
• Richie Valens (born 13 August 1941, died 3 February 1959 in a plane crash, aged 17)
• Eddie Cochran (born 3 October 1936, died 17 April 1960 in a car crash, aged 23)
• Johnny Horton (born 3 April 1925, died 5 November 1960 in a car crash, aged 35)
• Sam Cooke (born 22 January 1933, died 11 December 1964 by accidental shooting, aged 31)
• Otis Redding (born 9 September 1941, died 10 December 1967 in a plane crash, aged 26)
• Frankie Lyman (born 1942, died 28 February 1968 from a heroin overdose, aged 25)
• Brian Jones (The Rolling Stones) (born 28 February 1942, drowned 3 July 1969, aged 27)
• Jimi Hendrix (born 27 November 1942, died 18 September 1970 by suffocation, aged 27)
• Janis Joplin (born 18 January 1943, died 4 October 1970 of a heroin overdose, aged 27)
• Jim Morrison (The Doors) (born 8 December 1943, died 3 July 1971 of heart failure, aged 27)
• Gene Vincent (born 11 February 1935, died 12 October 1971 of heart failure, aged 36)
• Clyde McPhatter (The Drifters) (born 1932 or 33, died 13 June 1972 of a heart attack, aged 39)
• Bobby Darin ( born 14 May 1936, died 1973 during heart surgery, aged 37)
• Cass Elliott (The Mamas & Papas) (born 1942, died 1974 of a heart attack, aged 32)
• Florence Ballard (The Supremes) (born 39 June 1943, died  22 February 1976 from an overdose of medicinal drugs and alcohol, aged 32)
• Elvis Presley (born 8 January 1935, died 16 August 1977 from an overdose of medicinal drugs, aged 42)
• Keith Moon (The Who) (born 23 August 1946, died from a prescription drug overdose on 7 September 1978, aged 32)
• Johnny O'Keefe (born 19 January 1935, died 6 October 1978 of a heart attack, aged 43)
• Bob Marley (born 6 February 1945, died 11 May 1980 of cancer, aged 35)
• John Lennon (The Beatles) (born 9 October 1940, murdered 8 December 1980 by shooting, aged 40)
• Bill Haley (born 6 July 1927, died 9 February 1981 of a brain tumour, aged 53)
• Marty Robbins (born 26 December 1925, died 8 December 1982 of heart disease, age 56)
• Marvyn Gaye (born 2 April 1939, shot by his father 1 April 1984, aged 44)
• Dennis Wilson (The Beach Boys) (born 4 December 1944, died December 1983 by drowning, aged 38)
• Ricky Nelson (born 8 May 1940, died 31 January 1985 in a plane crash, aged 44)
• Brook Benton (born 1931, died from spinal meningitis in 1988, aged 57)
• Roy Orbison (born 23 April 1936, died 6 December 1988 of a heart attack, aged 52)
• Del Shannon (born 30 December 1934, shot himself on 8 February 1990, aged 55)
• Carl Wilson (The Beach Boys) (born 21 December 1946, died 6 February 1998 of lung cancer, aged 51)
• George Harrison (The Beatles) (born 25 February 1943, died 30 November 2001 of cancer, aged 58)
• Waylon Jennings (Buddy Holly's Crickets) (born 16 June 1937, died 13 February 2002 from diabetes-related health problem, aged 64) 
• Maurice Gibb (The Bee Gees) (born 22 December 1949, died 12 January 2003 after suffering a heart attack during surgery, aged 53)
• Johnny Cash (born 26 February 1932, died 12 September 2003 from complications arising from diabetes, aged 71)
• Ray Charles (born 23 September 1930, died 10 June 2004 from liver disease, aged 73)

This is not, by any means, a complete list.
It includes only major stars of the Menzies era who have died.
Sadly, stars of later years have kept up the "tradition" of dying too young.