If you could bring back one great artist that has

Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong, Kurt Cobain and Janis Joplin

Armstrong, definitely. Davis, sure why not.

Cobain and Joplin? Not the most uplifting performers, though talented, but whatever.

Maybe they would have pulled themselves together and taken it to another level?

OR if they ever straightened themselves out, possible they lose their core fan base also.

You never know.....

It's A wonderful Life?

@ Mapman Pink Floyd isn't exactly uplifting but there's no denying their place in rock. I do believe, however that both Janis' and Cobain's music would have grown and somewhat matured as time went by. Especially Cobain's. I believe he had a way of writing music, songs and lyrics that showed honest raw emotion and wasn't nearly as contrived as some happy-go-lucky pop tune or the formulated teen angst tune so popular today. Just as Miles and Sachmo redefined the music of their time so did Kurt.

Janis is another one. I think she helped define women's ability to sing about topics that went beyond mindless bubble gum and was one of the pioneers of the bad-a$$ rocker chick with soulful music. Plus that voice. Who wouldn't have wanted to hear more of that?

No doubt the talent of both.

I am a Cobain fan despite all.

But if they were to live on, and be "the one" no less, my hope for both would have been to take a more constructive path for applying their talents then they were on at the time of their death.

@mapman. For bad or worse their pain helped their talent. Listen to Clapton, Dylan or Floyd. You can tell by their songs and the different times or stages in their lives. Even Miles Davis. Picaso. There are many artists that use their personal tragedies as a canvas for the art they make. That's the soul that speaks to the individual appreciating what they've crafted. It's why most of us devote our time and effort into this hobby. It's not all peaches and bubble gum out there. Thank goodness because the art they create is pretty special.