Tragedy struck on Saturday when a legendary singer-songwriter died on-stage from an apparent heart attack. David Olney was performing live in Florida, according to a statement, when he died from the heart attack. The songwriter was 71 when he passed away this weekend.
In a story that seems too strange to be true, David Olney passed away on Saturday in front of a crowd of fans while performing during 30A Songwriters Festival. The festival, which was taking place in Santa Rosa Beach, was a celebration of legendary songwriters.
According to people who were present, Olney paused mid-song, and told the band and audience, “I’m sorry.” Fellow songwriter Scott Miller, who was also on-stage, says Olney put his chin to his chest and slumped there. According to Miller, Olney never fell from his stool, and never dropped his guitar. He simply slipped away.
Amy Rigby, another songwriter who was on-stage with Olney when he passed away, wrote a touching post about him on Facebook. “He was very still, sitting upright with his guitar on, wearing the coolest hat and a beautiful rust suede jacket … I just want the picture to be as graceful and dignified as it was, because it at first looked like he was just taking a moment,” Rigby wrote.
“We all lost someone important last night.”
Over his lengthy career, Olney produced over 20 solo albums, creating an absolutely stunning body of work. While he was an accomplished singer in his own right, he is perhaps best remembered for his songwriting. His songs inspired countless artists to create, and he has been covered by Emmylou Harris, Slaid Cleaves, The Wailin’ Jennys, Steve Young, Linda Ronstadt and numerous others.
Perhaps Olney’s most well-known song was “Deeper Well,” which Emmylou Harris covered on Wrecking Ball in 1995. David Olney is survived by his wife and their two children, and leaves behind a legion of stunned fans. “David was loved and highly respected by all who knew him including his fellow musicians and his multitude of fans,” opined Russel Carter, the 30A Festival producer.
