Tragic Aircraft Accident in San Diego Leaves a Gaping Hole in the Alternative Rock Scene
DEDICATED MUSIC EXECUTIVE DAVE SHAPIRO, MUSIC INDUSTRY COLLEAGUES PERISH IN PLANE CRASH
New York (AP) - The music industry is in mourning as a private jet crash in foggy weather early Thursday claimed the lives of several prominent figures, including groundbreaking music executive Dave Shapiro and Daniel Williams, drummer for the popular Ohio metalcore band The Devil Wears Prada.
Among the deceased were Kendall Fortner, 24, and Emma Huke, 25, both employees of Shapiro's agency, Sound Talent Group. Authorities confirmed the identity of an additional passenger on Saturday as Celina Marie Rose Kenyon, 36.
Shapiro and Williams were icons in their respective rock music scenes, symbols of the mainstream appeal of these subcultural sounds. Their bands graced the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 charts, which verified the growing popularity of their respective genres.
Williams' band was a client of Sound Talent Group, co-founded by Shapiro, Tim Borror, and Matt Andersen in 2018. The agency served as a trailblazer for bands in pop-punk, metalcore, post-hardcore, and other popular hard rock sub-genres, including Sum 41, Pierce the Veil, Parkway Drive, Silverstein, I Prevail, and pop acts like Hanson and Vanessa Carlton.
Thursday, a post-hardcore band, called Shapiro an inspiration who never forgot the scenes and communities from which he came. Band Pierce the Veil offered heartfelt tributes, stating Shapiro's impact was impossible to put into words.
The World Alive, a band signed to Shapiro's label, mourned their loss, calling him one of the most influential and positive forces in their music scene and beyond. Daniel Williams earned similar accolades for his impact on the drumming world and for shaping audiences' experiences with his unique style.
The alternative music community evolved from punk rock's origins in the late '70s and spawned various sub-movements, such as hardcore punk, post-hardcore, metalcore, emo, and more, retaining a DIY ethos even as it gained mainstream popularity.
Thomas Gutches, who managed Beartooth and Archetypes Collide, credited Shapiro for helping thousands of emerging acts find their footing. He was instrumental in bringing together diverse groups under the alternative music banner, much to the admiration of fellow industry professionals.
Shapiro's passing leaves a profound void in the music community, with tributes pouring in from artists he had influenced. Metalcore band Issues bassist Skyler Acord shared that Shapiro was a key figure in his professional development.
This story was contributed to by AP writers Jaimie Ding in Los Angeles and Rio Yamat in Las Vegas.
Also in Entertainment News:
11 exciting activities around the Seattle area over Memorial Day weekendStephen Colbert takes a tongue-in-cheek jab at Portland's sausage mascot WATCHWhy King Charles III is delivering an unusual speech in CanadaCriticism of Trump eliminated from documentary broadcast on public televisionLooking forward to the biggest outdoor concerts coming to the Seattle area this summer
- Despite the tragic news about Dave Shapiro and other music industry colleagues who perished in a plane crash, the Seattle area offers exciting activities over Memorial Day weekend, providing a much-needed diversion for music enthusiasts.
- The music industry, devastated by the loss of Dave Shapiro and others, has been reminiscing about the innovative contributions made by Shapiro, who co-founded Sound Talent Group and dedicated his career to popularizing alternative music in mainstream pop-culture.
- As music fans eagerly anticipate the upcoming summer concerts in the Seattle area, they may also want to pay tribute to the memory of musicians and industry figures who have shaped their love for music, such as the late Dave Shapiro, a pivotal figure in the evolution of the alternative music scene.
