Layne Staley

The lead guitarist and singer for Seattle's influential grunge rockers Alice in Chains, troubled frontman Layne Staley frequently battled his demons not only through his soul-wrenching songs, but also in his destructive addiction to heroin. Warming up to the drum set at an early age, the Kirkland, WA, native played in numerous garage bands before forming the glam-metal band that eventually morphed into Alice in Chains. The band rose through the ranks to become one of the most celebrated bands of… Show more the Seattle scene (as well as one of the darkest), its albums such as Facelift and Dirt becoming defining relics of the early to mid-'90s. The band faded in the later years of the decade amidst frequent rumors of heroin use by Staley. In April of 2002, the enigmatic singer was found dead in his Seattle apartment from an apparent heroin overdose or suicide several days previous. He was 34. ~ Rovi

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