Super Talent =Addiction, can be Much More a Curse Than a Blessing

Famous Alcoholics/Addicts: Johnny Cash, Truman Capote,  Mel Gibson, Jimi Hendrix, Mickey Mantle, Dean Martin-no one ever knew if he really was or was just pretending- Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, William Shatner, Robin Williams,

Elvis Presley Quotes: “I don't know anything about music. In my line you don't have to. ”

·         “To judge a man by his weakest link or deed is like judging the power of the ocean by one wave.”

·         “SAD THING IS, YOU CAN STILL LOVE SOMEONE AND BE WRONG FOR THEM.”

·         “Maybe I didn't treat you

Quite as good as I should have

Maybe I didn't love you

Quite as often as I could have

Little things I should have said and done

I just never took the time

You were always on my mind

You were always on my mind”― Elvis Presley was not a song writer- his talent was the “making” of a song- any song-he recorded his version of "Always on My Mind" on March 29, 1972, a few weeks after his February separation from wife Priscilla. The song received immense fame, critical appreciation, and is considered one of the standout songs of the '70s, and for Elvis. The song was released as the B-side of the "Separate Ways" single, which reached Gold status in the United States of North America--sales of over a million copies. It was listed as a double sided hit reaching number 16 on Billboard magazine's Hot Country Singles chart in November 1972. Juxtaposition, in the United Kingdom, "Always on My Mind" was the hit song; and "Separate Ways" was the B-side. It was voted the #1 song of Presley's recording career, in a poll, conducted by ITV in 2013.

·         “WHEN THINGS GO WRONG, DON'T GO WITH THEM.”

·          “ANIMALS DON'T HATE, AND WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE BETTER THAN THEM.”

·          “IF YOU LET YOUR HEAD GET TOO BIG, IT'LL BREAK YOUR NECK.”  

·          “Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't going away.”

·          “Do something worth remembering.”

·          “Don’t criticize what you don’t understand, son. You never walked in that man’s shoes.”

·          “Values are like fingerprints. Nobody's are the same, but you leave 'em all over everything you do”

·          “Ambition is a dream with a V8 engine”

·          “Some people tap their feet, some people snap their fingers, and some people sway back and forth. I just sorta do 'em all together, I guess.”

·          “The image is one thing and the human being is another. It's very hard to live up to an image, put it that way.”  

·          “THANK YA THANK YA VERY MUCH”

·         “I'd rather go on hearing your lies, than to go on living without you.”

·           “Fingerprints are like values--you leave them all over everything you do”

·         “PEOPLE THINK YOU’RE CRAZY IF YOU TALK ABOUT THINGS THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND.”

 Jimi Hendrix Quotes: Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music.

·         When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.

·         Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.

·         Excuse me while I kiss the sky.

·         The story of life is quicker than the blink of an eye, the story of love is hello, goodbye.

·         I'm the one that has to die when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life, the way I want to.

·         Sometimes you want to give up the guitar, you'll hate the guitar. But if you stick with it, you're gonna be rewarded.

·         The time I burned my guitar it was like a sacrifice. You sacrifice the things you love. I love my guitar.

·         You have to give people something to dream on.

·         IF I'M FREE, IT'S BECAUSE I'M ALWAYS RUNNING.

Johnny Cash: In many ways spiraling out of control, Cash’s Frenetic Creativity was still delivered hits.

 Although Cash carefully cultivated a romantic outlaw image, he never served a prison sentence. Despite landing in jail seven times for misdemeanors, each stay lasted only a single night.

As his career was taking off in the late 1950s, Cash started drinking heavily and became addicted to amphetamines and barbiturates.  For a brief time, he shared an apartment in Nashville with Waylon Jennings, who was heavily addicted to amphetamines. Cash used the uppers to stay awake during tours. Friends joked about his “nervousness” and erratic behavior, many ignoring the warning signs of his worsening drug addiction. In a behind-the-scenes look at The Johnny Cash Show, Cash claims to have “tried every drug there was to try.”

In many ways spiraling out of control, Cash’s Frenetic Creativity was still deliverd hits. His 1963 rendition of “Ring of Fire” was a crossover hit, reaching No. 1 on the country charts and entering the Top 20 on the pop charts, and it remains his top-selling hit of all time.

The man in black fueled his outlaw image not only with alcohol, amphetamines and barbiturates, but with actions far beyond the ordinary. In 1965, Cash's car started a forest fire that consumed several hundred acres of land and killed several dozen endangered condors. He became the only person at the time to be sued by the federal government for starting a forest fire. Several years later, the country singer attempted suicide after growing tired of the pain his various addictions inflicted upon his family. High on various drugs and alcohol and feeling "barely human," Cash decided to crawl into Nickajack Cave in Marion County, Tennessee so that he might join the ranks of the many lost explorers of that cave. Cash moved into the depths of the cave until his flashlight died and his personal reservoirs of energy were spent. At this, his lowest point, Cash experienced a spiritual epiphany and a renewed vigor. After several long hours in the dark he managed to extricate himself from the cave. From that point on, Cash sought treatment and maintained sobriety, thanks to the support of his family.

Truman Capote: The American novelist and short story writer admitted to his alcoholism, drug addiction, and homosexuality. He underwent treatment in the 1970s, but his health was so compromised that he died in 1984 at the age of 59. Capote’s drunken behavior is legendary, and although he would stop drinking for several months at a time, he could not stay away from alcohol.

Mel Gibson: Began drinking at 13 and has said that alcoholism runs in his family. As a manic-depressive, alcohol aggravates his condition, and his unruly behavior has prompted accusations of homophobia, racism, anti-Semitism, sexism, and misogyny. In the past, Gibson has sought professional help and attended AA meetings. He finally went into rehab after being arrested for a DUI in 2006.

 Jimi Hendrix: Hendrix is truly the most innovational rock guitarist of all time. Single headedly defining Hard Psychedelic Rock, Hendrix combined incredible proficiency and creativity to produce the recognisable and brilliant sound that was "The Jimi Hendrix Experience." His riffs were Crazy Enough to Melt Your Face, but he also played with immense heart and soul which makes him the greatest guitar player ever. Tracks like "Fire" and "Purple Haze" are one of a kind songs created by a one of a kind musician. THANK YOU JIMI, REST IN PEACE. What Kind of Drugs Did Jimi Hendrix Take?

There are a few allegations of drug usage involving Jimi Hendrix that cannot be verified, but there are just as many - if not more - that certainly appear to be the truth.

Drugs Taken By Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix took a variety of different kinds of drugs during his lifetime.

·         Alcohol-Alcohol is an addictive drug that Jimi Hendrix used and abused. Hendrix told people that he got foolish when he drank, reporting that he gave away money. His band mates and the people around him would also vouch that he also often became violent when he drank. He was accused of attacking and abusing several people while he was drunk.

·         Marijuana: You might not think that smoking marijuana is a big deal, since such a large portion of people across the world try it out at some point in their lives. However, think about not only the combination of marijuana and alcohol, but also the combination of marijuana and the other drugs that we are going to discuss. The mixing of drugs can quickly become dangerous, no matter how "safe" each of them are individually.

·         LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide) Jimi Hendrix was known to use LSD while touring. LSD is a psychedelic drug which makes you hallucinate. When you take LSD, you will also have an altered experience of time, depth, and just your general experience. You will not be able to think straight. INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, LSD IS NOT ADDICTIVE. However, that does not by any means imply that it is safe!

·         Amphetamine: Jimi Hendrix was also known to have used amphetamines while he was on tour.Amphetamines include the following types of drugs:Stimulants, Entactogens, Hallucinogens-A commonly known drug that belongs to this group is Ecstasy.

Drugs and Jimi Hendrix's Death

Examining the different drugs that Jimi Hendrix took might lead you to question if the drugs led to his death. However, we cannot answer that as the circumstances surrounding Jimi Hendrix's death are extremely sketchy.

His girlfriend Monika Dannemann claims that Hendrix took nine Vesperax sleeping pills (18 times the recommended dosage) which could have lead to his death, while the doctor who first examined him said that he had drowned on his own vomit which was comprised of mainly red wine.

We may never know what exactly killed Jimi Hendrix, but we do know POSITIVELY; that drugs played a role.

Mickey Mantle: One of the legendary great Yankees of all time. Most of his games were played under the influence of alcohol or hung over. Mantle died as a result of health related issues due to drinking.

Dean Martin: NO ONE EVER KNEW, if he was pretending to be drunk all of the time as part of a well-crafted comedy shtick, or was really an alcoholic in real life. Of course, he didn't help matters by placing a vanity license on one of his vehicles that read "Drunky." Either way, he was one of the most famous alleged celebrity alcoholics of his era. He sang, ran with the "rat pack" and co-starred in hilarious movies with fellow actor Jerry Lewis. He stayed high profile until the 80's when he slowly began to drift out of the public eye. He died in 1995 from respiratory failure. However, the public can still see him late night on refurbished DVD's of comedy roasts. Puffy-eyed and with drink in hand, Dean Martin aimlessly makes jokes about his actor friends and appears to all viewers as the "lush" of the party. "

Elvis Presley: To the world he seemed to have it all but he had things missing in his life and that pained him. The first time Elvis Presley played Las Vegas, the critics hated him. Appearing in the Venus Room at the New Frontier Hotel in the spring of 1956, the 21-year-old hillbilly crooner with the dreamy eyes and well-lubricated hips was billed as "America's only atomic-powered singer." Two years earlier, he had been driving a truck in Memphis for $45 a week. Now he had a contract with RCA Victor Recordings and a movie deal with Paramount Studios.

At the time, Vegas was still known for its mobbed-up glamour.  It was the era of The Rat Pack.  -- bent-nose guys in fedoras, ladies in white gloves. The furniture was mid-century modern, the patrons were well-dressed, the food and drink were expensive, and the nightclubs were ruled by hepcats like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.

The audiences packing the venues, however, were somewhat old by today's standards, mostly in their 50s and 60s. After World War II, veterans had gotten a late start on life. The youth culture pioneered by their children, the baby boomers, was still in its embryonic stage. And still misunderstood.

"As he stands up there clutching his guitar, he shakes and shivers like he is suffering from itchy underwear and hot shoes," wrote Ralph Pearl in the Las Vegas Sun.

"For the average Vegas spender or showgoer, [Elvis is] a bore," wrote another of the Sun's critics, Bill Willard. "Suffering high blood pressure, liver damage, glaucoma and an enlarged colon Presley died of a heart attack in his bathroom, his body pumped full of prescription pills,

 Frank Sinatra: Classified as a "functioning alcoholic," battled alcoholism for many years. However the 2 weeks before a recording session, Sinatra would save his voice by not having one drop of alcohol or a single cigarette. In comparing Sinatra's music from the early 50's to late 50's it is painfully evident that his massive alcohol abuse and smoking took a toll on his voice. The singer's biographer was quoted as saying "Sinatra's use and abuse of alcohol was much more important than anyone understood."

William Shatner; The actor is often lovingly joked about as an alcoholic. His famous role as Captain Kirk on the TV series Star Trek along with his celebrity status has given him a public pass. However, life always has a way of catching up with people dealing with the dreaded disease of alcoholism. After winning his own battle with the bottle, Shatner met and married a beautiful model named Nerine. Unfortunately, she was a hopeless alcoholic. Friends warned him about the troubles he would incur as a spouse of an alcoholic, but he didn’t listen. Shatner thought his love for her would conquer all. Unfortunately, it wasn’t strong enough and Nerine died in an alcohol-related accident sometime later. This event devastated William Shatner and caused him to go public about the negative effects of alcoholism. Now, through the Nerine Shatner Friendly House, he helps other people struggling to get and stay sober.

Robin Williams: The infamous comedian was addicted to cocaine and alcohol early in his career, but quit when friend and fellow comedian, John Belushi, died of a cocaine overdose in 1982. When he began slipping into alcoholism again in 2006, he immediately sent himself to rehab.