Roky Erickson Death
Roky passed away on May 31, 2019 at the age of 71 in Austin, Texas, USA.
When did Roky Erickson die?
May 31, 2019How old was Roky Erickson when died?
71Where did Roky Erickson die? What was the location of death?
Austin, Texas, USA
Roky Erickson Birthday and Date of Death
Roky Erickson was born on July 15, 1947 and died on May 31, 2019. Roky was 71 years old at the time of death.
Birthday: July 15, 1947
Date of Death: May 31, 2019
Age at Death: 71
Roky Erickson - Biography
Roger Kynard "Roky" Erickson (born July 15, 1947) is an American singer, songwriter, harmonica player, and guitarist from Texas. He was a founding member of the 13th Floor Elevators and a pioneer of the psychedelic rock genre.
In 1968, while performing at HemisFair, Erickson began speaking gibberish. He was soon diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and sent to a Houston psychiatric hospital, where he involuntarily received electroconvulsive therapy.
The Elevators were vocal proponents of LSD, mescaline, DMT and marijuana use, and were subject to extra attention from law enforcement agencies. In 1969, Erickson was arrested for possession of a single marijuana joint in Austin. Facing a potential ten-year incarceration, Erickson pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to avoid prison.
He was first sent to the Austin State Hospital. After several escapes, he was sent to the Rusk State Hospital in Rusk, Texas, where he was subjected to more electroconvulsive therapy and Thorazine treatments, ultimately remaining in custody until 1972. Six tracks from the 1999 Erickson collection Never Say Goodbye were recorded during his time there.
