A performance to die for...

When asked, many professional musicians say they want to go out of this world on stage. It happens to very, very few. Saturday night, it happened to 71 year old singer-songwriter David Olney while performing at a festival in Florida.
In the middle of a song, stopped, apologized shut his eyes and remained still. He said "I'm sorry" and the musicians around him thought he was just taking a pause. His head tipped to his chest as he sat motionless on his stool, never dropping his guitar.
They lowered him from the stage as a doctor in the audience tried to revive him until the EMT's arrived, but it was too late!




My short list of musicians who ended their careers while performing:

I recall Tiny Tim suffered a heart attack on stage at a benefit. His wife helped him back to their table where he collapsed and never regained consciousness.

Guitarist Darrell Lance Abbott, aka Dimebag Darrell was murdered while performing at a nightclub.

Drummer for the rock band Chicago, John Thomas Hashian aka Sib Hashian died on stage in the middle of a set while performing on a cruise ship.

Guitarist for the heavy metal band Rigor Mortis (how appropriate) Mike Scaccia collapsed on stage performing for the 50th birthday of singer Bruce Corbitt.

Former Megadeath drummer Nick Menza died on stage in the middle of a set, rushed to the hospital and pronounced DOA. The cause was congestive heart failure.

I cannot remember the name of the singer while performing poolside stepped in a puddle while holding the microphone and was electrocuted. Another performance to die for!



Honorable mention for Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards who almost kicked it. At a live performance, his guitar made contact with a microphone stand and the voltage threw a spark of blue light that knocked him unconscious.