1980 – John Lennon, a Beatle and peace activist, is assassinated by Mark David Chapman, a mentally unstable fan, in front of the Dakota apartment building in New York City. Most of the world found out while watching Monday Night Football and hearing Howard Cosell break the news. I actually didn't learn until the next morning, listening to the radio while getting ready for school. I wasn't a huge Beatles fan then (I am now) but I knew their music well and owned several of their albums (remember those?). Favorite work: "Watching The Wheels"
1982 – Marty Robbins, one of the most popular and successful country and Western singers of his era for most of his nearly four-decade career, passed away. My Mom was about as big of a Marty fan as you could find. She'd seen him in concert at least a dozen times (took me to about half a dozen) and knew all of his songs well. I remember coming home and hearing her back in the bedroom crying. I thought someone in the family had died or something and rushed in to find her watching the news report. I wasn't even a huge fan of his music, but I realized later that by proximity I knew all of his songs and all about the guy. I've been to the The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville and seen one of his famous jumpsuits since, while still appreciating his music to this day. Favorite work: "My Woman, My Woman, My Wife"1984 – Razzle (Nicholas Dingley), English musician and drummer in the band Hanoi Rocks. Razzle visited Motley Crue's lead singer Vince Neil's home and spent the day in Redondo Beach. The two decided to take a trip to a local liquor store in Neil's De Tomaso Pantera. While speeding and driving drunk, Neil lost control of the car and hit an opposing vehicle. The two occupants of the other car were seriously injured but Razzle took the worst of it, and was pronounced DOA at the hospital. I can't specifically remember when I heard this one, but I remember being completely angry at Vince (Motley was probably my favorite band at this time) and then worried it was the end of the band. I never was really a fan of Hanoi but I was familiar with them. Of course, the Crue are still together to this day and even released a box set caused "Music To Crash Your Car To". Classy move, guys. Favorite work: "Boulevard of Broken Dreams"
2004 – Darrell Lance Abbott, also known as "Dimebag Darrell", was murdered onstage during a Damageplan performance at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio. He was only 38 and was one of my favorite guitarists. I remember be awakened by text messages from multiple people that night and early next morning and just being floored by what happened. I'd just seen Damageplan less than a month earlier in Little Rock, and actually saw Dime and Vinnie Paul sitting at a table eating lunch 2 feet from me as I stopped by the bar to get a ticket for the show at lunch. I gave 'em the "whattsup" and they returned with "hey bro" upon seeing I was getting a ticket. I was lucky enough to see Pantera once also. Dimebag's riffs are still a staple in the air at my house and in my vehicle, and will be until I'm no more. This was one of the few times I actually shed a tear hearing someone I didn't actually know passed away. Favorite work: Hard to say, there are so many, but start with "Cemetery Gates", "Mouth For War" and "Cowboys From Hell" by Pantera.
On that same night, Jeff "Mayhem" Thompson, the band's head of security, was killed tackling the gunman, as was Alrosa Villa employee Erin Halk. Audience member Nathan Bray was killed while trying to perform CPR on Dimebag and Mayhem.
Rock all 4 of these artists today I say! And start it with Zakk Wylde's tribute to Dime:
