Unbelievable Facts
Many famous musicians have talents that most people never dreamed of. They are often able not only to sing and play musical instruments, but also to write music, texts, and teach others.
The music of many outstanding artists fascinates, relaxes and inspires, and its author deserves our respect for his work. However, while admiring talent, it is easy to forget that all musicians are ordinary people who are characterized by mistakes, rash actions and, in some places, terrible character traits.
In this article, we'll tell you about 20 famous and respected musicians who, despite their amazing talent and worldwide recognition, actually turned out to be terrible people.
The most famous musicians
Johnny Cash
There are many dark spots in the biography of this famous country music artist, but this article will focus on his relationships with women. Vivien Cash, the musician's first wife, told her heartbreaking love story in her autobiographical book, which lasted for many years, despite Johnny's numerous infidelities with June Carter and his addiction to alcohol and drugs.
Vivien was the one who gave birth to and raised his four daughters without turning her back on him during his arrests and accidents. However, despite this, Johnny's full gratitude was not dedicated to her, but to June.
At the same time, June Carter also had a hard time with the famous musician, which many did not even know, because the couple was exemplary in public. June also suffered cheating on Johnny's part. The roots of this behavior were in the childhood of the famous musician. Their son, John Carter, later admitted that his parents' marriage was not perfect and they were often on the verge of divorce.
Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry was a true legend who made rock and roll what we know it to be. When he passed away in 2017, The New Yorker described him as a “proud and complicated person”, mentioning that he was “also a genius.”
All talented people have quirks, and Berry was no exception. He once punched Keith Richards, a musician from the world-famous band The Rolling Stones, in the face for touching his guitar while preparing for Berry's birthday party. Such incidents often led to problems and quarrels with the musician.
It all started when, as a teenager, he went to a correctional school for car theft and robbery. In 1962, when he was 36 years old, he was convicted of violating a law related to “immoral” intentions towards women. The girl was 14 at the time. Berry served 20 months out of 3 years and was released because the judge working on the case allowed himself to make racist comments.
His crimes did not end there, and in 1989 he was accused of covertly filming women in the ladies' room of one of his restaurants. In June of the same year, his house was searched, during which weapons and illegal videos were found. Despite this, the musician's talent and fame are undeniable to this day.
Why weird people are talented
Carlo Gesualdo
The famous Italian composer of the 16th century, according to historians, was a very dark person when creating relevant works. A terrible tragedy that left its mark on the rest of his life and work occurred in 1590, when the composer found out that his wife was not faithful to him.
The bodies of his wife and her lover, Duke Andria, were found in bed with signs of brutal violence and multiple injuries. My wife's throat was slit. There could be no doubt about who was really responsible for the tragedy — Gesualdo was seen entering the apartment of the murdered, and he was heard screaming: “Kill this bastard and harlot!” Then, covered in blood, he left the building, but fearing that someone was still alive, he returned there.
Since the system at that time was significantly different from the modern one, and Carlo came from a noble family, he was not punished for what he did. He soon remarried, and his second marriage had no end to his infidelity, which had a significant impact on his wife's life.
Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra was a true style icon, a talented and unique musician. Not many people were able to surpass him in skill. At the same time, this great man had one huge flaw — his bad character. His wife even once said that Sinatra's character was like “Jekyll-e-Hyde”. The public is also aware of the musician's multiple quarrels with people around him, often turning into fights causing serious injuries to opponents.
In 1948, he hit a reporter, later settling the conflict. While at the Beverly Hills Hotel, the famous musician threw his phone at a nearby businessman, and also started a fight, during which he broke the man's skull. One day he threw a bottle of champagne at his then wife, almost killing her.
In fits of anger, Frank smashed everything he could get his hands on. He cut a picture of Norman Rockwell with a knife, threw the faulty TV through the hotel window, and broke the car radio when he heard a song by the popular band The Doors. Some priceless items were also damaged at his hands, such as an old Ming dynasty vase in a hotel in Hong Kong.
The most talented people
Jerry Lee Lewis
It's quite difficult to talk about Jerry Lee Lewis's sins and blunders for one simple reason: there are so many of them. The past of this talented musician, who forever changed the face of classical rock and roll, is highly questionable. From a 2015 interview with The Guardian, it's clear that it's not easy to tell the difference between legend and reality, as rumors are plausible, including those related to the famous musician's nickname: The Killer.
The great musician jokes that he got it after playing billiards, but many believe that Lewis got it after he tried to strangle his teacher — a fact the musician is not denies. Jerry had seven wives, two of whom died under strange circumstances: one drowned, the other died from an overdose.
The latest incident brought the musician to court, where he was soon found not guilty. However, the law was not on his side when Lewis shot his guitarist in the chest. He was required to pay $125,000 in compensation. Another famous scandal broke out when Jerry married his cousin Myra, who was only 13 years old at the time.
Elvis Presley
People will always remember Elvis Presley's influence on the history of art and, in particular, music. His incredible works are loved all over the world regardless of age. Even many years after his death, it's hard to find someone who hasn't heard of his incredible talent.
Along with fame and recognition, Presley never left the love and attention of women. However, according to biographer and historian Joel Williamson, Elvis liked very young girls.
Presley had the most frequent and close contact with girls aged 14. Historians do not dare to say what kind of relationship the famous musician had with them, but Elvis met his future wife Priscilla when she was 14 years old, and Since then, I have been in contact with her warmly and often.
After the birth of their daughter, their relationship began to cool down, and they soon separated. Elvis started talking to another girl of the same young age. Despite his complex character, which often caused disagreements with his lovers, Presley is still a famous and respected musician.
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Terrible character
Sea Law Green
The talented American musician began the shaky path of a violent man as a child, abusing stray animals. His parents turned a blind eye to this, which led to his subsequent atrocities. The musician, whose real name is Thomas Callaway,'s real problems began the day he gave the girl ecstasy and abused her.
Later, the musician pleaded not guilty and was sentenced to 3 years of probation and 45 days of community service. In practice, Green did not receive a fair punishment, as his lawyer argued that there was no evidence to indicate a lack of agreement on both sides.
Some time later, Green tweeted very controversial statements: “People who have experienced real violence remember this!” , – and a few others. He soon deleted the posts, but many social media users managed to collect evidence that they had once been there. After the incident, Green apologized, saying he “wouldn't be able to sleep well if he harmed a woman.”
Steven Tyler
Every story has two sides, two different views on it. In this story, both versions describe the characters from a bad side. Steve Tyler, the vocalist of the famous American band Aerosmith, spoke only a small part about his relationship with his first girlfriend, Julia Holcomb, in a 2011 interview. The musician ignored all the details that tarnished his reputation.
Later, Holcomb herself, who decided to clarify the situation, told the story of their relationship on her part. She claimed she was 16 when she first met Tyler, but their formal relationship only began when her mother made Steve the girl's legal guardian. She was pregnant by then.
When she was five months pregnant, she was hit by a house fire and was taken to a hospital where Tyler insisted on an abortion. Julia left him, and Steven was already with another woman at the time.
Character is not sugar
Miles Davis
If there were ever a person who epitomizes the spirit of music, that person would be Miles Davis, and the spirit would certainly be jazz. However, despite his incredible talent, the musician, like all people, had his shortcomings.
To begin with, it's worth mentioning that Davis often turned his back on his loyal fans, and few people had the courage to approach him when he was in a bad mood. He was also skeptical of music critics, believing that they wanted to hurt him so that someone else would get his fame.
This was followed by cocaine and heroin addictions, rumors of pimping, and disrespect for women married by the musician. One of his ex-wives said she was afraid of him and twice had to flee in panic. In his autobiography, Davis admitted that he really raised his hand against women more than once, and also approved such behavior on the part of all men.
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Richard Wagner
German composer Richard Wagner died in 1883, but ideas steeped in anti-Semitism were close to him even then. The older he got, the stronger and bolder his views became. He sincerely believed that Jews are unable to create masterpieces, that they are far from art, and can only reproduce facial expressions and gestures, repeating after others.
When the composer first started, he claimed that Jewish critics were preventing him from achieving success. Richard Cosima's wife, who shared his anti-Semitic views, continued to promote his ideas after his death. The couple enlisted the support of the King of Bavaria, who later provided the composer with a comfortable existence.
Cosima was the composer's inspiration, but became his wife only after a long romance when their daughter was born. During their romance, Cosima was married to a man close to Wagner.