Marc Bolan

 Marc Bolan, born Mark Feld (September 30, 1947 – September 16, 1977)

He is known as one of the pioneers of the glam rock movement of the early 1970s with his band T. Rex. In the late 1960s, he had risen to fame as the founder and leader of the psychedelic folk band Tyrannosaurus Rex, with whom he released four critically acclaimed albums and had one minor hit "Debora". Bolan had started as an acoustic singer-writer before heading into electric music prior to the recording T. Rex's first single "Ride a White Swan" which went to number two in the UK singles chart. Bolan's March 1971 appearance on the BBC's music show Top of the Pops, wearing glitter on the face for the UK chart topper "Hot Love", is cited as the beginning of the glam rock movement. The glam era also saw the rise of Bolan's friend David Bowie, whom Bolan had come to know in the underground days (Bolan had played guitar on Bowie's 1970 single "Prettiest Star"; Bolan and Bowie also shared the same manager, Les Conn, and producer, Tony Visconti) but their friendship was also a rivalry, which continued throughout his career. Bowie's 1972 song "All the Young Dudes" name-checked T. Rex. In 1973, Bolan played twin lead guitar alongside his friend Jeff Lynne on the Electric Light Orchestra songs "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle" and "Dreaming of 4000". On September 16, 1977, Bolan was a passenger in a Mini 1275GT driven by girlfriend Gloria Jones as they headed home from Mortons club and restaurant in Berkeley Square. After she crossed a small humpback bridge near Gipsy Lane on Queens Ride, Barnes, southwest London, the car struck a fence post and then a tree. Bolan was killed instantly, while Jones suffered a broken arm and broken jaw. He was 29 years old. His funeral service was held on September 20, 1977 at the Golders Green Crematorium in north London, where his ashes were later buried under a rose bush.