Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

There have been many tragic losses in the music industry over the years. Restricting the period to the 1950s and 1960s there were three posthumous hits that have an aerie feel about them. Was it the fans that willed these songs to be hits or were they destined to be so in any event and not related to the accident? Did the artists have a premonition? Purely, coincidence? You decide.

Buddy Holly - plane crash - Feb 1959 - It Doesn't Matter Anymore - Apr 1959

Eddie Cochran - taxi crash - April 1960 - Three Steps To Heaven - June 1960

Jim Reeves - plane crash - July 1964 - Distant Drums - Sept 1966

Gene Vincent who was with Eddie in the car later said that he was, as it turned out, ironically singing ‘California Here I Come. One of the policeman who arrived at the scene of the accident was the young Dave Harman, who later became Dave Dee, of DDDBMT fame. Until the situation was resolved, Dave became temporary custodian of Cochran’s guitar.

Otis Redding- Sitting on the Dock of The Bay.

John Lennon--Watching the Wheels (which I still imagine he's doing from somewhere...)

I saw one of Stevie Ray's last shows. He played with the Thunderbirds and Santana. He died a few days later.

Between songs, he would say how he was loving life more than ever. Kicked the drugs and was seeing how great life could be and was looking forward to enjoying the rest of his life and making better music.

Ironically, I saw one of thier first shows on thier first tour, as well.