I was living in the town where he died; Baltimore, Maryland. I believe he died at Johns Hopkins hospital. I was about 28 at the time and was aware of the many problems he had with his health. I was never one of those folks who worshipped anyone except G*d, so it didn't have that much of an impact on my life. Some folks went into a deep depression for reasons I guess I just don't understand. I guess after coming home from Viet Nam and being in college at the time kept me so occupied that I didn't have time to think about it all that much. He certainly did have a talent that was completely wasted by his untimely death.
I was 10 at the time, and I didn't even know who he was. Although I do know now, and will admit he was a talented performer who made rock n roll what it is, i was never a big fan.
We were in the middle of livin' off the land...homesteading and a year into it~ I was 11. I don't recall anyone crying but Mom mentioned him because they have close birthdays or some such thing. No TV, very little radio, so the outside world didn't register much.