Johnny Ramone, member of punk legends'The Ramones,' dies at 55 

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Johnny Ramone, guitarist and co-founder of the seminal 
punk band "The Ramones," has died. He was 55.

Ramone died in his sleep Wednesday afternoon at his Los Angeles home 
surrounded by friends and family, his publicist said.He had been fighting a five-year 
battle with prostate cancer.  Ramone, whose birth name is John Cummings, had 
been hospitalized in June at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.Johnny Ramone was one 
of the original members of the Ramones, whose hit songs "I wanna be sedated" 
and "Blitzkrieg Bop," among others, earned them an induction into the Rock and 
Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.

The band's singer, Joey Ramone, whose real name is Jeff Hyman, died in 2001 
of lymphatic cancer. Bassist Dee Dee Ramone, whose real name is Douglas Colvin, 
died from a drug overdose in 2002.

Johnny Ramone co-founded "The Ramones" in 1974 along with Joey Ramone, DeeDee 
Ramone and Tommy Ramone, who is the only surviving member of the original 
band.  A tribute concert and cancer research fund-raiser was held Sunday in Los 
Angeles to celebrate the band's 30th anniversary. It featured performances from 
Los Angeles punk band X, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Henry Rollins and others. 
                                
Along with his wife, Linda Cummings, Johnny Ramone was surrounded at his 
death by friends Eddie and Jill Vedder, Rob and Sherrie Zombie and others. Other 
friends who gathered at his Los Angeles home included Lisa Marie Presley, Pete 
Yorn, Vincent Gallo and Talia Shire.He is survived by his wife and his mother, 
Estelle Cummings. He will be cremated during a private ceremony.    
    
    



John B.