John Peel (36)

John Peel
1939-2004
Pioneering BBC DJ
Cause of Death: Heart failure
Last Night a DJ Saved My Career: Peel was an early champion of acts from Pink Floyd to the Fall and the White Stripes. Admired by hipsters on this side of the Atlantic, he was utterly beloved in his native U.K., where the first anniversary of his final broadcast was marked by "John Peel Day"-during which the BBC devoted six hours of programming to its former employee and more than 300 concerts were held in his honor.
Life After Death: Peel's autobiography, for which he was paid $2.6 million and which was posthumously completed by his wife, became an instant bestseller in Britain when published last fall. Many of those who benefited from the DJ's long career of patronage feature on the predictably eclectic range of Peel Sessions CDs-the latest, featuring Galaxie 500, hit stores last November-while a planned website supervised by Peel's son Tom will continue his mission of showcasing new acts.
Peer Plaudits: After news broke of Peel's death, Radiohead's Thom Yorke moaned, "Who am I going to listen to now?"