1. Chet Baker
The James Dean of Jazz. Baker was a waifish country-dweller from Yale, Oklahama, a white kid in love with a black mans world, but boy could he play. As a trumpeter, Baker is regarded as one of the finest musicians in the history of jazz, his romantic, simple style able to render the hearts of men and women alike. Baker was also a fine singer, with a tenuous, boyish tone that would produce the finest version of the classic tune My Funny Valentine. On top of his conspicuous talent, he was blessed with style and movie-star looks, making him an icon of the West Coast cool school of jazz in the mid-1950s. For a time, he made remarkable waves in the jazz scene, whilst also featuring in a few films. However, it was not to last, as Baker had a crippling heroin addiction that took priority over everything as time went by. In the early 60s, he served more over a year in Italy for drug charges, which resulted in his expulsion from certain countries in Europe, including the UK. To further compound the tragedy, Baker lost most of his teeth in a savage fight over an alleged drug deal, though the accounts varied. With his mouth ruined, he purchased dentures, and began to learn how to play the trumpet again almost from scratch. Despite a career resurgence in the 80s, Baker could not kick heroin, and he used it on and off until his death, falling from his second-story room in a hotel in Amsterdam. Both heroin and cocaine were found in his system during the autopsy.
Which hedonistic musicians have we left off the list? Let us know below.