September 3, 1970 - Canned Heat musician Alan Wilson was found dead at age 27

SEPTEMBER 3, 1970 – Canned Heat musician ALAN WILSON (b. July 4, 1943 as Alan Christie Wilson in Arlington, Massachusetts) was found dead at age 27 on a hillside behind band mate Bob Hite’s Topanga Canyon home in Los Angeles, California. An autopsy identified his manner and cause of death as accidental acute barbiturate intoxication. Wilson reportedly had attempted suicide a few months earlier, attempting to drive his car off a freeway in Los Angeles. He was briefly hospitalized for significant depression, and was released after a few weeks. Although his death is sometimes reported as a suicide, this is not clearly established and he left no note. Wilson’s death came just two weeks before the death of Jimi Hendrix and four weeks before the death of Janis Joplin. Along with his talent and intellect, Wilson had a reputation for social awkwardness and introversion which may have contributed to his depression. Retrospectively, some close to Wilson believe that he may have been on the autism spectrum.