Gram Parsons died at a very young age at 26.  Several years of alcoholism and drug abuse ended up severely deteriorated his health.  He died in 1973 from an overdose of morphine and alcohol.  He is best known for blending Country and Rock.

Hank Williams, Sr. died at only 29 years of age from heart failure induced by pills and alcohol.  During the short time he was alive, he had a major influence on country music.  He released 35 singles and has been inducted into many different music halls of fame.  His presence is remembered by his children and grandchildren, who share in his love of Country music.  Many of them still perform for us today.

Patsy Cline was 30 years young, when the plane she was flying in crashed.  All passengers inside were instantly killed.  Patsy had just completed a benefit concert for one of her family members. Cline was a major influence of many twentieth century vocalists, and was known for her rich tone.  Millions of records are still being sold since her death.

Keith Whitley died when he was 33 years old. He started drinking alcohol before the legal age and had a long history of drinking, trying to overcome alcoholism in rehab, only to relapse and return to alcohol.  Whitley suffered from depression and drinking alone, making it more difficult for him to quit.  His death was thought to be caused by alcohol poisoning. However, in 2009, the man who determined this fact had his license to practice Pathology revoked.  These events added to the confusion surrounding what exactly killed the singer to this day.

Mindy McCready was 37 years old when she took her own life by a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head on February 17, 2013.  She recorded five studio albums, not one single making it to the Top 100 Country or Pop charts since 2002.  Unfortunately, the media gave a little too much coverage to her recent years of her struggle with mental health and addiction issues.

Jim Reeves was 40 years old when he died, like Patsy Cline, in a plane crash.  Except in this instance, Reeves was piloting the plane.  He had the amazing ability to place 46 songs on the Billboard charts, before his death in the summer of 1964.  Jim was known for using the Nashville sound, which mixes classic Country music with hints of Pop.

He is a member of both the Country Music and Texas Country Music Halls of Fame.

John Denver, a Country-Folk singer and humanitarian, died at the age of 53, when his plane crashed in Monterey Bay, California. Who doesn't know his hits like “Rocky Mountain High” and “Take Me Home, Country Road.”  Denver was in support of space exploration and against nuclear power.  So much so that he even did a benefit concert in Russia after the Chernobyl disaster.  Friends and family admitted that he suffered from depression and insecurity throughout his life.  His ashes were spread over the Rocky Mountains.

Tammy Wynette was known as the First Lady of County Music, with her most popular song being “Stand by Your Man.”  After years of medical problems, many hospitalizations, around 15 major operations and an addiction to large doses of pain killers, Wynette died while sleeping on her couch in 1998 at age 55.  Her doctor said she died of a blood clot in her lung. Despite her illnesses, she performed right up until her death and even had other performances scheduled.

Eddie Rabbit was 56 years old when he died of lung cancer.  He had only learned his diagnosis less than a year earlier.  He started his career as a successful songwriter.  He wrote “Kentucky Rain” sung by Elvis Presley and is also known for “Drivin’ My Life Away” and “I Love A Rainy Night.”

Dottie West died in a car crash after she urged her neighbor, the driver, to pick up the speed because she was late for a performance at the Grand Ole Opry.
  The “Country Sunshine” singer was honored by many of her friends including Johnny Cash, Larry Gatlin and long-time fan President George Bush, Sr. after her death at age 58.

Conway Twitty at age 59 had 55 number one hit singles.  His well known songs included “Tight Fittin’ Jeans” and “Hello Darlin.”  Twitty died after performing in Missouri.  The last thing that happened to him was he felt pain on his tour bus and died shortly after from an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Unfortunately, there are many more Country stars that were taken from us before their time.  Many of them from car and plane crashes.  They are more likely to die from these instances due to increased travel plans for concerts, marketing, and benefits.

Others died from drug and alcohol abuse, but those are more common and more predictable or understandable.  Luckily, they have left us with ideas and perspectives through their music.  We will be able to enjoy their treasures for years to come.

To find more on these artists, you can visit: Rolling Stone.