We asked our poets why they chose the artists they chose. They had a lot to say about that.

Here are some of their answers:

“His Golden Voice” by Faith Canright

I was unaware of Jesse Belvin until I found his name in The 27 Club. A famous singer and songwriter in the fifties, Jesse Belvin wrote “Earth Angel” and “Goodbye, My Love,” and was Elvis’ vocal coach. He was nominated for the first ever Grammy Awards, and Etta James called him the best singer of her time. Heading to Texas in 1960, he was killed in a suspicious car crash near Hope, Arkansas, after a controversial concert in Memphis. And over there in Texas, oblivious to the fate of a black singer, my mother was pregnant with me. His songs are now in my music lexicon.

‘Bee[Side], for Amy’ by Alison Lubar

In early 2024, I was part of a collaborative poetry and dance performance that centered on Amy Winehouse's "Valerie." I've always been a fan of Amy's music, and remember her rise and fall. She's two years older than me, so I felt a generational kinship (and winged-eyeliner camaraderie) as I followed her career and loved her music. Her might and magic were palpable, and so much of the discourse about her is centered on her private life and appearance; as a fellow femme in the early 2000s, I connected with the juxtaposition of her grittiness and grace, and the soulfulness of her art and expression. “Valerie” feels undeniably sapphic. “Me and Mr. Jones” was on my first wedding’s playlist. “Love Is a Losing Game” still resonates. I feel her lyrics and voice in my guts. And I think that she, like many of us, deserved so much more softness and care than she received. It’s only in the last year or so (thank you, Chappell Roan) that the public has really metabolized the effects of the media and paparazzi culture on femme stars. I hope that we continue to honor Amy’s life, art, and humanity in a way that encourages us to keep protecting each other.

‘Beautiful Thief’ by Jayden Bird

My dad was an avid space opera reader. Taking forbidden peeks here and there, I was thrilled by the adventures, alien races and worlds depicted in those stories. Visits to the planetarium, followed by oodles of questions, only fueled my interest. Once I discovered the Star Trek universe, I was instantly hooked. I loved everything about it. Anton Yelchin as Pavel Chekov in Star Trek (2009), Star Trek into Darkness, and Star Trek Beyond was the icing on the cake. There was so much energy and enthusiasm about him. But he wasn’t just a brilliant actor. Anton Yelchin was also a talented musician, photographer, and filmmaker. But most of all he was a humble, kind, and generous person who preferred surrounding himself with family and close friends over being in the limelight. With my poem I want to pay tribute to him, and I can only hope that my words convey the respect I feel.

‘Becoming Ambrose Spellman’ and ‘On a Road in Upstate New York’

by Jennifer Schomburg Kanke

When the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina first started on Netflix in 2018, you couldn’t help but be enthralled by Chance Perdomo’s portrayal of Ambrose Spellman, the lusty and suave cousin of Sabrina. His presence filled every scene he was in. It didn’t surprise me when I found out that he’d been nominated for a BAFTA at only 22 for his role in the television movie Killed by My Debt. He had so much promise, so much drive. He was one of those young actors that you joyfully keep an eye out for, knowing that he’s meant for big things. When I found out that he’d died in a motorcycle crash this past March, my heart shattered. Writing these poems about him allowed me to process my grief and maybe bring a few more fans to his small, but powerful, body of work.

‘Rock and Roll and immortality’ by Rebecca Titchner

Why Janis? When I looked in the mirror as a young woman, I saw Janis Joplin. Someone not quite pretty enough, not part of the group, vulnerable and unsure. A beautiful, but broken soul. Her music, the music that I loved, has kept her by my side throughout my entire life. Janis embraced an unparalleled rawness, deep, and primal. In Ball and Chain, the song that thrust her into the spotlight at the Monterey Pop Festival, her delivery was powerful, tragic and transcendent, and her pain was palpable. It was the pain that made Janis who she was, and the pain that took her from us at only twenty-seven years old.

‘An Unextinguished Flame’ by Ngo Binh Anh Khoa

I choose Thuy Trang as the artist to whom I wish to pay tribute because, first and foremost, she was born in Vietnam, my homeland, and I am proud of her accomplishments as a Vietnamese immigrant in the US, most notably through her role as Trini Kwan, the original Yellow Power Ranger in the first season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. That series is a large part of my childhood. I was born in the 1990s, and even now, I can still remember a simpler time back then, when my family was not particularly well-off, but we did have an old VCR player, and one of my favorite things to do was renting some Power Rangers tapes to watch. As a child, I fell in love with the simplistic but entertaining narrative of the series, and learning that one of the lead actresses was Vietnamese was amazing. The nostalgia never faded away, and it is truly a shame that Thuy Trang’s life was cut short at the tender age of 27. That’s why I want to honor her life and work with a poem to express my thanks to this talented young woman who helped make my childhood more special.

‘Basquiat: No Profit for Prophet’ by Claire Conroy

There's a sadness associated with the short-lived greatness attained by those who have joined the 27 Club. Regarding Jean-Michel Basquiat, his art has become more costly than Warhol...yet he seems unknown by the masses. The struggle to hold onto the slippery slope of fortune and fame in one's youth is a game of sad percentages. The ironic reaching of iconic beings to only pull down the curtains of this life's stage, revealing the human. We can relate to the struggle in the artist's heart, soul, veins, throbbing in the perineal gland. It's what we do with the pain that makes a difference, and we have that power. And there's sadness found in those tortured by the beauty, and it feeds our feelings. Like Basquiat

‘Fickle Fame’ by Sandra Fortier

Profound admiration and infatuation explain why I decided to write a poem about Brian Jones for the 27 Club Book.  As I initially watched Brian perform with the Rolling Stones, I thought he was the most handsome man in the group with his blond hair in Beatle style, hence the reference to the phrase, “a flower among thistles.”  He portrayed an innocence which aroused within me strong nurturing feelings.  He performed enthusiastically without attracting attention to himself.  Therefore, he impressed me as a most easily approachable, humble person.  Knowing that his leadership in the group was eventually undermined, I grieved for his crushed spirit leading to his untimely death at age 27.  Though many years have gone by, I still have these same strong feelings. Writing and submitting a poem for the 27 Club collection in his memory assuaged that grief and provided me with the opportunity to give him the recognition I believe he deserved.

‘Burden to Survive’ by Mary Mahlstadt

I chose to write about Joseph Merrick, the Elephant Man for the “27 Club” publication. I felt his story wouldn’t appeal to another writer of this publication full of poems of well know celebrities. In addition, it had a universal message of all mankind. We have all experienced some kind of rejection throughout our life and remember the pain we suffered. Our experiences are minimal compared to Joseph who suffered rejection his entire life. Due to the incurable disease, Neurofibromatosis, his deformity frightened anyone that saw him. They just didn’t understand but Joseph understood their reactions and forgave them. He found comfort in solitude where art and writing gave him a reason to go on. He wasn’t depressed and on the contrary was a happy man. His doctor gave him hope as a friend and his medical consultant. Joseph was courageous and forgiving and had a full life even though it was only twenty-seven years.

‘Forever England’s’ by Kathrine Bancroft

Now overshadowed by other First World War poets such as Wilfrid Owen and Siegfried Sassoon, Rupert Brooke was once incredibly famous in Britain, his poetry capturing a very particular kind of England and at a very particular time in history.

Friends with the Bloomsbury group of writers and artists including Virginia Woolf, who he may or may not have gone skinny dipping with whilst at Cambridge, and with the poets Robert Frost and Edward Thomas, his poetry had many admirers at the start of the twentieth century, including the young Winston Churchill.

Fiercely patriotic, Brooke enlisted immediately when the First World War broke out – in August 1914. 

His war poetry garnered a lot of attention in 1915 – sadly, this was also the year of his death from septicaemia following a mosquito bite in route to one of the Greek islands. 

Complex and beautiful, to me Brooke truly represents the lost of the ‘Lost at 27’ and so I wanted to write something that pays tribute, in however small a way, to the life of a talented young man who once shone so brightly - before he slipped under the waves of time, and of memory. 

‘Email on a Postcard’ by Sarah Mayo

In the mid-90s I was a messed-up teen craving understanding and a sense of belonging in my South Wales Valleys’ town. Discovering Valleys’ raised Richey Edwards, lyricist, guitarist, and visionary of the Manic Street Preachers was like receiving a bolt of connection, igniting a cultural and radical fire within me and many others.

Richey and the Maniacs soundtracked our despair and anger at the U.K. Tory government’s defeat of the miners and at class exploitation in general through ashamedly cerebral, socially, and culturally informed rock music, with heavier, alternative and post punk rock influences, which later become more melodic & crowd-pleasing.

In the 90s Richey and band member Nicky Wire were gender non-conforming stylists defying sexist rules about how men should dress, adorned in feather boas and makeup. The Manics celebrated working class education and as lyricists Richey and Nicky introduced fans to many writers, artists, and thinkers. Less of a musician, Richey was the band’s artistic driving force.

Richey’s disappearance in 1995 shocked me as much as Kurt Cobain’s suicide a year before. Richey, like Kurt, deserved the mental health treatment he needed to be here now. Hopefully, this poem is respectful of Richey’s surviving family and friends and treats him with the appreciation he deserves.

‘Pigpen’ by Carol Wean

I wrote about Ron McKernan because he was the founding member of my favorite band, The Grateful Dead. I love the poetry and philosophy in their words. Ron was an avid blues aficionado. He grew disillusioned with The Dead because they strayed away from playing the blues as they become more popular. Their song, ‘Ripple’ (1970) is especially poignant. I hope to have that song played at my funeral. The world lost a great talent when Ron (Pigpen) McKernan died. 

‘Your Sorrow Showed’ by Mark Alan

The song Without You, has a memorable line “can’t live if living is without you.” The words aren’t literally true, of course, but most of us have felt those feelings of pain. Pete Ham and his collaborators expressed those feelings for us in a song. Harry Nilsson, and later Mariah Carey, helped make that song famous. Sadly, Pete Ham’s life was cut short at 27 years old. He and his family’s loss. And our loss, too.

‘Jonathan’ by Jayden Bird

Life wasn’t easy growing up, but there was one thing I looked forward to every weekend, and that was the two back-to-back episodes of SeaQuest DSV with Jonathan Brandis. It was the mix of scientific adventure, quest for peace, and exploration of the oceans that reeled me in. And of course there was Jonathan, a young adult my own age who seemed to be so much better in tune with life than I was. Not that I could really tell, but my teenage mind was convinced he had it all sorted out. After SeaQuest DSV was cancelled in 1996, I lost track of him, and it came as a shock to learn that he took his life at age 27 due to depression. Writing a poem about him seemed to be the best way to honor the positive impact he had on my teenage life. Rest in peace, Jonathan. You gave me hope in a time when my world went to pieces.

‘A Flash in the Pan’ By Sandra Fortier

Several causes propelled me to write a poem for the 27 Book Club in memory of Malcom Hale, instrumentalist and lead guitarist for “Spanky and Our Gang.” The band revived the fondness of my parents reminiscing about Our Gang Comedies.  I especially enjoyed his light easy listening, sunshine music, when I tired of rock and classical music, and needed something in between to help me relax during college study breaks. 

Sadly, Malcom Hale’s death so young prevented him from writing more uplifting music of lazy days and pleasant Sundays.  I am very blessed to have heard their records and seen the group on TV.  May happy memories of “Spanky and our Gang” continue to live on! 

‘Manic Street Preacher 4Ever’ by Peter Devonald

 One of my friends at Lancaster University was obsessed by Richey Edwards, as an inspiration, a beacon of light in a culture that often chooses the banal and clichéd. Nothing Richey Edwards ever did was simple or trite, he pushed the lyrics of the Manic Street Preachers to the erudite extreme. On 15th May 1991 Richey Edwards gave his infamous NME interview, cutting ‘4 real’ into his arm with a razor during a chat with Steve Lamacq. It was in a response to the interviewer questioning whether they were real, poking all that he held sacred.
Edwards has stayed with me because of my friend - what he meant to her. The ambiguity of him going missing provided a strange turning point to a life that meant so much to so many. I don't think the Manic Street Preachers ever recovered - they lost their heart, their essence, their centre. For years they were a glorious beacon of how far music can push our culture into something deeper; how lyrics can be pure poetry. That is Richey Edwards' legacy to this world.
It felt odd delving into his life, not enough space or room to really do justice to an icon of our times. Decades have passed - this made it easier, I wouldn't feel comfortable doing this earlier. Over the years I have been offered commissions on stories that I have declined --- too soon, too raw, too impossible to write and be a fitting memorial to all those who have passed. I hope my poem is a paean of praise - Richey Edwards so deserves it, and still lives on for so many.

‘Bread, Drugs, and Rock & Roll’ by Dawn Levitt

When I first learned about the “Lost at 27” project, I immediately knew Kurt Cobain would be the subject of my poem because I already had a half-written poem about the intersection of our lives and deaths.  Kurt and I had many things in common – both born in 1967, divorced parents, dropped out in our senior years, homeless as teenagers, artistic, and overly sensitive to life in general. We also both played guitar left-handed although we wrote right-handed. His songs were his expression of pain just as my poems were for me.  Even our attempts at leaving this life had parallels, although I went first with Jack Daniels and sleeping pills while he chose champagne and Rohypnol a year later.  The synchronicity ends there.  I’m still alive because I accepted help.  Intervention and support save lives.  If you need help, dial 988 for the Suicide Hotline.

‘Enigma in Amazing Greatness’ by Sandra Fortier

My rebellious nature as a late teen especially attracted me to Jimi Hendrix’s music.  It mesmerized me as he experimented with different methods of playing and genres. I greatly admired him for his pioneering spirit which persevered despite negative public opinion and pigeonholing.   As an icon, he symbolized unrest in America during the late ’60’s and 1970’s with the Viet Nam War, civil rights,  and social justice. I deeply regret his death at such a young age.   Thus, in my own way,  writing a poem for the 27 Club book preserved his memory and that aspect of our history.

‘Southern Comfort’ by Gabby Gilliam

I have always loved Janis Joplin's voice. The husky richness of it helped make "Me and Bobby McGee" my go-to karaoke choice. I think I got a copy of Pearl through Columbia House as one of my CDs for a dollar (for those of you who remember mail-order CDs!). I'd crank my windows down and the volume up as I commuted between home and college, nearly shouting along with her. I listened to that CD until it was so scratched that the CD player in my car wouldn't play it anymore. I didn't find out until adulthood that she was also a favorite of my dad's. There are a few pictures of Janis where she resembles my mom, and I've always wondered if that influenced my dad's attraction to her music. I've listened to a few tracks of Janis live at her shows, and most of what I included in my poem comes from listening to her banter with the crowd and the knowledge of her struggle with addiction that eventually lead to her early death. 

‘Down in the Delta’ by Davion Moore

Robert Johnson was an immense talent who had a sense of mystery around him and his career. He is a member of the "27 Club" but the cause of his death is unknown. It is said his death certificate had information like the date and location but not the cause. Then, there is the legend at the crossroads and how he "sold his soul" for mastery of the guitar but even that story was tied to another blues musician named Tommy Johnson before it was tied to Robert. There was a belief that there were no pictures of him until a few were found later. There is so much mystery around him, but he made an impact on blues and music in general. Years after his death, he is considered one of the greatest guitarists of all time, he is a part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and had a commemorative stamp at one point. His life and career is so fascinating, that I felt it was a good way to honor him but also explore his story. 

‘Ragtime Blues on 27th Street’ by Kelly Taylor

I chose to write about the composer Louie Chauvin because I immediately felt a connection between when he left school at age thirteen to join the Alabama Jubilee and when you listen to the song “Heliotrope bouquet.” I could hear his adventure in the sounds of the medley.  I was enthralled by this connection.