Amy Winehouse dead at 27: Stars who left us too soon (Part I)

Amy Winehouse struggled with drug addiction throughout her career, which began when she skyrocketed to fame with her hit "Rehab".

The sultry singer's career was marred by her constant battle with drugs and family's public pleas for her to get help. She was found dead in her London flat.

Ryan Dunn, one of the stars of MTV's 'Jackass,' has died in a car accident. He was 34. 

The daredevil, known to fans for his gross-out stunts alongside Johnny Knoxville, was in a Porsche that was traveling down Route 322 in West Goshen Township in Pennsylvania around 3 a.m. when it went over a guardrail, crashed into trees and burst into flames.

Both Dunn and an unidentified occupant perished. Pittsburgh radio station 96.1's The Morning Freak Show is reporting Dunn was behind the wheel when the car crashed.

M-Bone, a member of the popular hip-hop group Cali Swag District, was shot and killed on May 15. According to TMZ, the 22-year-old rapper was the victim of a drive-by shooting in Inglewood, Calif. M-Bone, whose real name was Montae Talbert, was standing next to his car in front a liquor store at 11:32 p.m. when the shots were fired. TMZ's sources also say the shooter was alone and raced down La Brea Ave. after firing on M-Bone.

Cali Swag District's leader, Smoove, confirmed the death of M-Bone on his Twitter. 'Ma life changed drastically in the. Blink of an eye rip mbone,' he wrote. 

Cali Swag District is best known for their 2010 hit, 'Teach Me How To Dougie,' about the popular 'Dougie' dance, which went all the way to No. 1 on Billboard Heatseekers chart.

Nate Dogg, born Nathaniel D. Hale, passed away on March 15. The 41-year-old battled health issues for years, surviving two strokes in 2007 and 2008. 

The rapper is best known for his collaborations with Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Warren G., and Dr. Dre. Nate Dogg made his debut on the album 'The Chronic,' Dr. Dre's solo debut album. The rapper from Long Beach, California's greatest success came from these collaborations with hip hop artists.

Alice in Chains bassist and former 'Celebrity Rehab' cast member Mike Starr was found dead on March 8, 2011 at his Salt Lake City home. He was 44. Police do not suspect foul play, The Salt Lake City Tribune reported. 

Dr. Drew Pinsky, the producer of VH1's 'Celebrity Rehab' who oversaw Starr's treatment for heroin addiction in 2009, took to Twitter to mourn his former patient's death. 

'Devastating to hear of Mike Starr succumbing to his illness,' he tweeted. 'So very sad. Our prayers are with his family.' 

Ritchie Valens, 17 (1941-1959) and the Big Bopper, 28 (1930-1959): The fatal plane crash occurred on Feb. 3rd, 1959, which would become known as the 'Day the Music Died.' On its 50th anniversary, David Hinckley considered their place in the pantheon of rock n' roll. It's also one of the News' Days the Earth Stood Still.

Buddy Holly, 22 (1936-1959): Unlike some other stars who died young, Buddy Holly was quite looking forward to staying alive for a long time. He had already scored a bunch of hit records, he had big plans for his musical future and his wife Maria Elena was expecting their first child. Holly died in a plane crash along with Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper.

Clark Gable, 59 (1901-1960): The 'Gone with the Wind' star, shown above second from r., was still working hard shortly before his death in 1960, following the completion of 'The Misfits,' shown above second from right, with Marilyn Monroe.

Marilyn Monroe, 36 (1926-1962): The famed actress and sex symbol developed a dependency of pills in the later years of her life and died of an apparent barbiturate overdose. 'The Misfits,' shown above, was Monroe's last film. Additionally, 'Something's Got to Give' was never finished because of the iconic actress' sudden death. The material later became the 1963 release 'Move Over, Darling,' starring James Garner and Doris Day.

Marvin Gaye, 44 (1939-1984): The Motown records crooner made us all wonder 'What's Going on?' and yearn for a little 'Sexual Healing,' but the singer - who fused soul, R&B, rock and funk - met a tragic, premature end. Gaye, who struggled with drug abuse, made a comeback in 1982, going on tour to promote his last album, 'Midnight Love.' But after the tour ended in early 1983, Gaye succumbed to depression and lived the life of a recluse in his parents' home. Although the musician threatened suicide multiple times, it was Gaye's father who would take his life, fatally shooting him during an argument on April 1, 1984, a day before his 45th birthday.

John Belushi, 33 (1949-1982): The 'Animal House' star and 'Saturday Night Live' cast member died at a young age after an apparent overdose of heroin and cocaine.

John Lennon, 40 (1940-1980): On December 8, 1980, the unimaginable happened, music legend John Lennon was murdered outside of the Dakota in New York City by Mark David Chapman. After unprecedented success as a founding member of the Beatles, John Lennon pursued a solo career and is considered one of the best songwriters in music history.

Tupac Shakur, 25 (6/16/71-9/13/96): Son of a revolutionary, Tupac was seen by some as creating his own kind of revolution in hip-hop. He was an exceptional writer and a strong rapper who injected electricity into the hip-hop world. He also ran with some of the street crowd he rapped about, proudly flaunting the 'Thug Life.' He died of gunshot wound complications after he was shot in the chest.

Biggie Smalls, 24 (5/21/72-3/9/97): Christopher Wallace, also known as 'Notorious B.I.G.,' this former street drug dealer became a defining force in East Coast hip-hop. His powerful rhymes and equally powerful personality made him almost a force of nature. He became the center of a whole New York-based hip-hop revival, with the eerily prophetic 'Ready to Die' and 'Life After Death.' His life and death is chronicled in the new film'Notorious.' He was killed in an unsolved shooting in Los Angeles in 1997.

Natasha Richardson, 45, (1963-2009): Richardson passed away in March of this year after suffering a serious brain injury while skiing in Canada. The British actress was the daughter of theatrical royalty, but also won much acclaim on her own for her work on the stage, in film and on television. Peers have called her 'one of the greatest actresses of her generation.'

Heath Ledger, 28 (1979-2008): The actor died at the age of 28 of an accidental overdose in his Manhattan apartment and the film world is still feeling the loss. In a moment both solemn and celebratory, Ledger won a posthumous Golden Globe in January for Best Supporting Actor for his role as the Joker in 'The Dark Knight.'

Elvis Presley, 42 (1935-1977): From the King of Pop to the King of Rock: Elvis Presley's health was rapidly deteriorating leading up to his eventual death, exacerbated by his drug habits. Presley holds the record for the most amount of No. 1 hits by a solo artist, in addition to a string of memorable movie roles. On August 16, 1977, Presley was found on his bathroom floor at Graceland and pronounced dead shortly. Presley, who gave his last performance in early summer 1977, had been expected to start his next tour the following day. 

Presley's daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, who was married to Michael Jackson from 1994-1996, wrote on her Myspace blog on Friday that Jackson feared he would meet the same fate as Lisa Marie's father. She referenced a conversation they had had in recent years. 

'At some point he paused, he stared at me very intensely and he stated with an almost calm certainty, 'I am afraid that I am going to end up like him, the way he did,'' Presley writes.

The King of Pop, legendary artist Michael Jackson, passed away June 25, 2009, after he was rushed to the hospital following possible cardiac arrest. 

Just the day prior, Jackson, 50, attended a rehearsal at LA's Staples Center to prepare for a series of 50 concerts scheduled to start next month at London's O2 dome and continue into next year.

 Celebrity spinner Adam Goldstein, aka DJ AM, was found dead inside his Soho apartment on the night of Aug. 29 - a crack pipe and several pill bottles nearby, police sources said. The popular DJ was known for dating a string of Hollywood starlets, including Mandy Moore and Nicole Richie, as well as for battling addiction and obesity when he was younger. Just a year ago, Goldstein barely survived a deadly plane crash with friend and musical collaborator Travis Barker, the former drummer for Blink-182. Four people died in the accident and Goldstein suffered severe burns.

Stephen Gately, a member of the Irish boy band Boyzone, has died at the age of 33 while vacationing in Spain. Gately, who made headlines a decade ago by coming out as a gay icon, was visiting the island of Majorca with his partner, Andrew Cowles, when he died, according to the AP. The details around the singer's death are still unclear, with family members denying rumors that it was the result of an 8-hour drinking binge. 

As we mourn the loss of a beloved member of the music community, the News takes a look at other stars, from both film and music, who left us too soon

Hollywood stunner Brittany Murphy, who found big-screen success after her breakout role in 'Clueless,' died on Dec. 20 after collapsing in the shower. Los Angeles cops are investigating the 32-year-old's sudden death, but a coroner official said it 'appears to be natural.' 

The screen siren and singer was in full cardiac arrest and could not be revived after her beloved mother - who told paramedics the actress was diabetic - found her unconscious in the shower, TMZ reported.

Former 'Boston Legal' actor, Justin Mentell, was killed in an SUV crash in Wisconsin on Feb. 1. The 27-year-old Waukegan, Ill. native died when his vehicle went down an embankment off Highway 39 and hit two trees, says the Iowa County Sheriff's Department. The sheriff's department added that Mentell was not wearing a seat belt. 

The actor played attorney Garrett Wells on the hit TV show from 2005-2006. IMDb.com also says that Mentell was a former member of the U.S. Junior National Speedskating team.

Alexander McQueen, the iconic British fashion designer with an A-list clientele, was found dead Thursday inside his London home after reportedly killing himself. 

The 40-year-old McQueen, the son of a taxi driver who wound up making suits for Prince Charles and gowns for Oscar-winner Kate Winslet, committed suicide, according to the London Daily Mail.

Eighties teen idol Corey Haim, seen here in a 1986 photo, died on March 10, 2010. The Canadian-born actor, who starred in 'The Lost Boys' but was probably best known for his roles with fellow actor Corey Feldman, was only 38 years old. 

The actor had been struggling with drug addiction for years and has been in and out of rehab. He starred in a reality show with Feldman in 2007 called 'The Two Coreys.'