September 24, 2008
List of musicians who have died in plane crashes
I don't have much time because I have class in a few minutes, but I thought this article was pretty interesting. I hadn't realized that so many musicians have died in plane crashes.
Glen Miller (1944)
Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and "Big Bopper" J.P. Richardson. (1959)
Patsy Cline, Lloyd "Cowboy" Copas, and Harold "Hawkshaw" Hawkins (1963)
Otis Redding and four members of his backing group the Bar-Kays (1967)
Jim Croce (1973)
Ronnie Van Zant, Steven Gaines, and Cassie Gaines (1977_
Randy Rhoads (1982)
Ricky Nelson (1985)
Stevie Ray Vaughan (1990)
John Denver (1997)
Aaliyah (2001)
The only one I had really been aware of was the Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and "Big Bopper" J.P. Richardson crash in 1959 thanks to the song American Pie. Even though I really like Jim Croce, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Randy Rhoads, and Glen Miller I just had not known that they were plane crash victims.
Posted by James Trotta at September 24, 2008 12:25 PM | TrackBack
I was surprised that while you list the plane crash that killed Patsy Cline, Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins in 1963, that; you did not include Country Music Super Star, Jim Reeves and also Dean Manuel, the latter whom was Jim Reeves' pianist. Both were killed in the crash of Reeves private plane, near Nashville, Tennessee, July 31, 1964.
Posted by: Gary at September 25, 2008 12:48 AMI had no idea either, sad but the fact that you fly and log a lot of miles in the air sometimes the odds catch up too you
Posted by: mr. b at September 25, 2008 2:09 AMTechnically, Stevie Ray Vaughan died in a helicopter crash.
Posted by: Thomas at September 25, 2008 4:07 AMBill Chase and colleagues also died in a crash. Chase's work on a fourth studio album in mid-1974 came to an end on August 9, 1974. While enroute to a scheduled performance at the Jackson County Fair, Chase died in a plane crash in Jackson, Minnesota at the age of 39. Also killed, along with the pilots, were keyboardist Wally Yohn, drummer Walter Clark, and guitarist John Emma. The death of Bill Chase brought the death of the group Chase. (Ironically, as the first song on Chase is called "Open Up Wide," the last song on Pure Music is called "Close Up Tight.")
Posted by: J Bussell at September 25, 2008 4:40 AMNo famous person died in a plane crash... what provoked this?
Posted by: rex at September 25, 2008 7:37 AMLeft Eye from TLC
Posted by: sue at September 26, 2008 12:00 AMYou forgot a whole band, cant remember the year but Reba McEntire's whole band and i think tour manager was also killed in a plane crash
Posted by: hahler1 at September 26, 2008 2:53 AMSomebody has way too much time on their hands. Hey, how about a list of country stars who've cried in their beer next?
Posted by: jim garrison at September 27, 2008 10:30 AMwhat about lynard Skynard?
Posted by: ken at September 27, 2008 11:15 PM