9 Musicians Who Died While Performing

9. Tiny Tim

Tiny Tim was a bit of an oddity, but in the very best way. He was a gangly-yet-round-faced ukelele player who performed children's songs to adult audiences, singing in a nearly impossible falsetto. His rendition of "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" quickly became the most famous version of the song, earning the album it was released on, For All My Little Friends, a Grammy nomination. 

For someone who was generously called a novelty act, Tiny Tim was incredibly talented and even more dedicated to his "schtick." And he proved it in September of 1996, when he suffered a heart attack while playing at a ukelele festival at Montague Grange Hall in Massachusetts. 

Rather than take his doctor's advice to stop performing at once due to his heart condition and additional diabetes complications, Tiny Tim pressed on. He got back up on stage two months later for a gala benefit, where he suffered another massive heart attack, reportedly during his biggest song, "Tiptoe Through the Tulips." The ukelele rockstar died shortly thereafter.