Buddy Miles Died in Threes

Buddy Miles, the rock and R&B drummer, singer and songwriter who led the Buddy Miles Express, played with Jimi Hendrix, wrote Them Changes and was the voice of the California Raisins, died Tuesday of congestive heart failure at his home in Austin, Texas. He was 60.

Mike Smith, the lead singer, keyboardist and face of the Dave Clark Five at the height of the British band's popularity, died Thursday of pneumonia, two wees before his group was to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was 64.

Larry Norman, a pioneer of Christian rock music and a member of the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, earned his biggest commercial hit as lead singer of the folk-rock band People! and whose 1969 solo album is considered the first Christian rock album, died of heart failure Sunday at his home in Salem, Oregon. He was 60.

Celebrities always Die in Threes. See our They Die in Threes archives for confirmation.