Some sites have just posted video from the Travis Barker DJ AM plane crash video, you can see it here if you want to…Personally, we think it’s kinda morbid.However, with the news of the weekend plane crash that killed four people and injured Travis Barker and DJ AM making headlines, it’s impossible not to think of all of the music greats who have been killed in tragic plane crashes over the years.
The numbers are shocking. It didn’t take us long to find 27 stars who’d been killed in plane crashes, and we’re sure that’s just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. Making matters even sadder, most of these artists were very young when they were killed (the oldest on our list was only 53 at the time of his death, the youngest was just 17).
Below are a few of the most noted losses…Please check back as we continue to add more information and free mp3 downloads by these great artists.
Music Stars Killed in Plane Crashes
Glenn Miller December 15, 1944 age 40
Buddy Holly February 3, 1959 age 22
Ritchie Valens February 3, 1959 age 17
Big Bopper J.P. Richardson February 3, 1959 age 28
Patsy Cline March 1963 age 30
Cowboy Copas March 1963 age 50
Otis Redding December 10, 1967 age 26
Bar-Kays (4 of 6 members) 10, 1967
Jim Croce Croce, 30 died in a small commercial plane crash on September 20, 1973
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, Cassie Gaines
October 20, 1977
Randy Rhoads March 19, 1982 age 25
Rick Nelson 1985 age 45
Stevie Ray Vaughan August 27, 1990 age 35
Reba McIntyre’s Band March 16, 1991 (crash killed 7 members of Reba’s band)
John Denver October 12, 1997 age 53
Aaliyah August 25, 2001 age 22
It is worth noting that most of these crashes occured in small private planes, not the large commercial jets that most people travel by. And, in the case of blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, it was actually a helicopter, not an airplane.
Do stories like this make you nervous about flying?
Is there a celebrity plane crash victim we forgot to add to our list?
Leave a comment and tell us about it!
Murray Cameron says...
12.9.08 6:05 pm
You could add Country Singer Jim Reeves - July 31 1964, Jud Strunk (Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road) oct 5 1981, Kyu Sakamoto (1960’s “Sukiyaki” singer) Aug 12 1985, Rock Promoter Bill Graham Oct 25 1991, and lead singer for Aussie Rock Group Skyhooks Graham “Shirley” Strachan on Aug 29 2001.
mike slone says...
03.29.09 10:23 pm
have you ever heard the name marshall rose who’s band supposedly died in a plane crash after taking off at Detroit in 1987 i think it was.
mike slone says...
03.29.09 10:25 pm
have you ever heard the name marshall rose who’s band died in a possible plane crash in 1987 after taking off at detroit air port
Karen added...
Nope, that’s a new one. I’ll have to check it out. Not sure what a “possible plane crash” is though…
03.30.09 7:39 am
Ed says...
06.8.09 6:36 pm
Dino Martin (singer, son of Dean Martin)
Buddy Clark
Jim Reeves
Ed says...
06.8.09 7:08 pm
John Felten - Died 5-15-1982 - Plane crash ( Rock ) Was a member of The Diamonds.
Walter Hyatt - Died 4-11-1996 - Plane crash ( Western Swing - Folk - Rock ) Born 1950 in Spartanburg, South Carolina, U.S. - Was a member of Uncle Walt’s Band, The Contenders and King Tears .
Steve Canaday (Stephen Canaday) - Died 9-25-1999 in Nashville, TN, U.S. - Small plane crash ( Country Rock ) Born 9-12-1944 - Singer, drummer and bassist - Former member of The Ozark Mountain Daredevils and tour manager for Lee Roy Parnell and Marshall Chapman.
Christopher Zimmermann - Died 11-9-1999 - DC-9 plane exploded after takeoff ( Industrial - Metal ) Was the touring bassist for Rammstein.
Joe Dan Petty - Died 1-8-2000 in Macon, GA, U.S. - Private plane crash ( Southern Rock - Blues Rock ) Born 1948 - Was the bassist for Grinderswitch (They did, “Can’t Keep A Good Man Down” and “Eighty Miles To Memphis”) and was a guitar tech for The Allman Brothers Band.
Should be more. I used this web site. They listed as Rock Stars some that were Country, Jazz or Pop too.
thedeadrockstarsclub.com
Karen added...
Thanks for adding to the list!
Well, I mean, it’s a sad list, but we’re trying not to miss anyone…
06.9.09 9:05 am
Gigi says...
06.21.09 6:17 pm
What about Bill Graham?
Karen added...
Good call! Thanks for adding him to the list.
06.22.09 8:21 am