Died On This Date (September 28, 1972) Rory Storm / ’60s British Rock Star

Rory Storm (born Alan Caldwell)
September 21, 1939 – September 28, 1972

There was a time when Rory Storm & the Hurricanes were more popular than the Beatles.  Also from Liverpool at the time, Storm and his band offered up a rollicking show mostly covering the popular American early rock ‘n roll and rockabilly, much like the Beatles were doing at the time.  In fact, Storm’s drummer at the time, was Ringo Starr who left him to replace Pete Best in the Beatles.  Although the band were a great live act, generally opening for popular American rockers that came through town, they never were able to parlay that into a recording career.  They made just two singles during their run.  Storm broke up the band in 1967 after original member Ty O’Brien died of complications from appendicitis surgery.  He had collapsed on stage, from the appendicitis.  Storm went on to become a local disc jockey and ski instructor.  In September of 1972, Storm was living back to take care of his mother after his father died.  Battling a chest infection, he took sleeping pills to get a good night’s sleep.  The next morning, both he and his mother were found dead.  It is believed that Storm died of an accidental overdose since there was also alcohol in his system.  It was suggested that Storm’s mother, who also had sleeping pills in her system, may have committed suicide after discovering her son dead.  Rory Storm was 33 when he died.