asking "What's going on?" implies the need for an explanation. I think it's not just a matter of age. 71 is nowhere close to the average life expectancy in 2023.

When you look at a bell-shaped curve, the vast majority of samples cluster around the average, and the outliers at the edge (in this case, those who live shorter or longer lives than average) tend to be different for a reason. In the case of musicians dying at ages that are statistically premature, my guess is that the assignable causes are alcohol, drugs and touring. Even for the ones who curbed their habits years ago, their bodies were likely compromised already.

Quote:
Consider the Average Life Expectancy

The Social Security Administration maintains a life expectancy calculator that will tell you the average number of additional years a person with your date of birth and gender can expect to live. Using this calculator, a 65-year-old woman born on Jan. 1, 1955, has a life expectancy of 86.6 years. And if she makes it to age 70, her life expectancy increases to 87.6 years. A man the same age has an average life expectancy of 84.1 years.



Last edited by Pat Marr; 03/08/23 05:07 AM.