Forgotten Treasures Links Contact Us Search CDNOW Home
Considering all the artists who have traveled the roads and airways since the mid '20s, very few have died in accidents. Dozens of singers and musicians have survived car crashes.

On June 14, 1961, Patsy Cline was seriously injured in an automobile accident near her home in Madison, Tennessee. Cline was hospitalized for more than a month. Regardless, she enjoyed a banner year with the release of her first No. 1 single, I Fall to Pieces. Warner Mack survived a terrible auto accident in the mid-'60s. Faron Young's career almost ended in 1970, after a serious auto accident left his tongue virtually torn off. In 1984, Barbara Mandrell was critically injured in a head-on automobile collision that left Mark White, the 19 year old driver of the other vehicle dead.

Patsy Cline, Cowboy Copas, Hawkshaw Hawkins and Randy Hughes all parished in the same plane crash. Hughes was Cline's manager and pilot of the plane. Jack Anglin was killed in an auto accident while enroute to Patsy Cline's memorial service. Red Sovine died in a car crash, which occured when he had a heart attack while driving. Waylon Jennings toured with Buddy Holly. As a favor, he gave up his seat on a plane to another artist, J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper). On February 3, 1959, he plane crashed in a field near Fargo, North Dakota, killing all abord. The following artists died in tragic accidents.

Fatal Crashes
Artist Name Type of Accident Place of Death Date of Death Age
Jack Anglin Auto Columbia, Tennessee 3/8/63 46
Patsy Cline Plane Camden, Tennessee 3/5/63 30
Cowboy Copas Plane Camden, Tennessee 3/5/63 49
John Denver Plane California Coast 10/12/97 53
Hawkshaw Hawkins Plane Camden, Tennessee 3/5/63 41
Johnny Horton Auto Tyler, Texas 11/5/60 35
Jim Reeves Plane Nashville, Tennessee 7/31/64 39
Red Sovine Auto Nashville, Tennessee 4/4/80 61
Merle Watson Farm Tractor Unknown 10/23/85 36
Dottie West Auto Nashville, Tennessee 9/4/91 58
Mel Street grew restless and unhappy with his moderate chart success. Unfortunately, Mel took his own life during his 43rd birthday party at his Nashville home.

Faron Young took his own life while being treated for cancer in a Nashville Hospital.

Steve Sanders was a member of the Oak Ridge Boys from 1987 until 1996. He had personal problems, which apparently drove him to take his own life. The following artists died from self-inflicted gunshot.

Suicides
Artist Name Place of Death Date of Death Age
Steve Sanders Unknown 6/10/98 45
Mel Street Hendersonville, Tennessee 10/21/78 44
Faron Young Nashville 12/10/96 64




back Revised: 10/11/1999 | Thanks for visiting!