David Bowie and Glenn Frey are large icons in classic rock history. This is one of the many reasons why fans were upset to hear that the people they grew up listening to had died. On January 10th, 2016, David Bowie passed away due to liver cancer at 69 years old in Manhattan, just two days after his twenty-fifth album Blackstar was released. On January 18th, 2016, Glenn Frey passed away due to pneumonia at 67 years old, also in New York City,  just six months after playing in one of his last shows as part of The Eagles’ tour History of the Eagles – Live in Concert.

Bowie was an English singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, painter, and actor. He was most known for his musical career, with his album Hunky Dory that peaked at number three in 1972 on the UK Albums Charts. Frey however, was an American singer, songwriter, producer and actor, best known as a founding member of rock band the Eagles during the 1970’s. Frey has played guitar with the band, as well as piano and keyboards occasionally, all the way until his recent death.

“When I heard that Bowie died, I was sad, but when I heard that Frey died, it was really the day my music – at least part of it – died. He was part of one of my generation’s greatest songwriting teams and a revered band leader as well,” said WHHS teacher Donna Del Moro.

The death of Frey and Bowie are just two recent deaths in the rock music world along with Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead and Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots passing away in late 2015.