71-year-old American singer David Olney expressed he was sorry as he lowered his head before passing away on the stage while performing at a Florida music festival.
“I’m sorry,” Mr. Olney said as he bowed his head down towards his chest and succumbed to a heart attack.
The tragic passing occurred in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, on January 18, 2020, as the folk singer performed in the 30A Songwriters Festival for the third time.
“We all lost someone important last night,” a fellow performer, Amy Rigby, expressed.
As Rigby added, performer Scott Miller “had the presence of mind to say we needed to revive him. Doctors in the audience and 30A folks were all working so hard to get him to come to.”
Throughout his decades-long career, the Rhode Island-native penned hundreds of songs and made over 20 albums. He also wrote songs for performers like Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt.
In her Facebook tribute to the singer and songwriter, Rigby wrote:
“David Olney, a beautiful man, a legend, a songwriting poet died last night. I was sitting next to him in the round, had been so honored and looking forward to getting to trade songs with him and Scott Miller.
“Olney was in the middle of his third song when he stopped, apologized and shut his eyes. He was very still, sitting upright with his guitar on, wearing the coolest hat and a beautiful rust suede jacket we laughed about because it was raining like hell outside the boathouse where we were playing – 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.
“Scott Miller had the presence of mind to say we needed to revive him.point 187 | Doctors in the audience and 30A folks were all working so hard to get him to come to.point 255 |
It’s hard to post about this because I can’t really believe he’s gone.point 76 | I am so sorry for his wife and family and friends and all the people who loved him and his music.point 153 | Even those who never heard of him.point 181 | We all lost someone important last night.point 216 |
”point 3 | 1
Joining Rigby in paying a tribute to the 71-year-old were dozens of other fans and performers including Scott Miller who wrote:
“David was playing a song when he paused, said ‘I’m sorry’ and put his chin to his chest. He never dropped his guitar or fell of his stool. It was as easy and gentle as he was.
“We got him down and tried our best to revive him until the EMTs arrived. The world lost a good one last night. But we still have his work. And it still inspires. And always will. RIP.”
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