Chuck Schuldiner
American singer, songwriter and guitarist. Schuldiner was the singer, songwriter, rhythm and lead guitarist of the band Death, which he founded in 1983, initially under the name Mantas. He is often referred to as "The Father of Death Metal", and his obituary in the January 5, 2002 issue of UK's Kerrang! magazine stated that "Chuck Schuldiner was one of the most significant figures in the history of metal." Schuldiner himself was modest about his part in the history of death metal, noting "I don’t think I should take the credits for this death metal stuff. I’m just a guy from a band, and I think Death is a metal band."
Cliff Burton
American virtuoso bassist best known as the bass player of American heavy metal band Metallica. As a bassist he made heavy use of distortion and effects (several of which are usually associated with non-bass guitars), best exemplified on his signature piece, "(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth". Burton's early influence was essential in creating the unique musical style for which Metallica became famous. Burton joined the band in 1982 and performed on their debut album, Kill 'Em All. Burton performed on two more Metallica albums, Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets, both of which met with major commercial and critical success. On September 27, 1986, Burton was killed when the band's tour bus skidded and crashed. Burton was inducted posthumously into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Metallica on April 4, 2009. His father, Ray Burton, gave a speech on his son's behalf.
Darrell Abbott
American guitarist. Best known as a founding member of the heavy metal bands Pantera and Damageplan, he also performed in the country music band Rebel Meets Rebel. Abbott frequently appeared in guitar magazines and in readers' polls, and wrote a long-running Guitar World magazine column, which has been compiled in the book Riffer Madness. Remembered for his amiable nature and rapport with fans, Abbot has been described by critic Greg Prato as "one of the most influential stylists in modern metal." On December 8, 2004, Abbott was murdered onstage during a Damageplan performance at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio.
