Reba Remembers Bandmates Killed In Plane Crash 33 Years Ago
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On March 16, 1991, eight members of Reba McEntire’s band were involved in a private plane crash that took their lives.
While promoting her album Rumor Has It, she and her band performed at a private party for an IBM company conference. After their 75-minute set, her band got on a private plane to go to their next destination, Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Sadly, their plane didn’t make it out of San Diego, as it crashed into the side of Otay Mountain. The members of her band that were on board were fiddler Chris Austin, band leader Kirk Cappello, keyboardist Joey Cigainero, backup singer Paula Kaye Evans, bassist Terry Jackson, drummer Anthony Saputo, guitarist Michael Thomas, and tour manager Jim Hammon. The two pilots also did not make it.
Reba was heartbroken after the plane crash.
Speaking with People Magazine just days after the crash, Reba said, “By far this is my darkest hour, the most awful thing that ever happened in my life. When you have eight people that you absolutely love and their lives are just wiped out – it’s devastating.”
The next year, Reba released an album dedicated to her friends who had lost their lives and titled it For My Broken Heart.
There isn’t a day that goes by that Reba doesn’t think about her fallen bandmates, and pays tribute to them every single year.
In 2015, she was in San Diego and she took a helicopter to the crash site.
“I feel in my heart that they know we still miss them so much. My love and prayers to all the families and friends,” she wrote.
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Reba once again took to social media to pay tribute to her friends.
She shared a graphic of a gorgeous sunset with the words “In Memory,” alongside the eight names of those who passed away.
“33 years today since Heaven gained some great angels. Rest in peace, my friends,” she wrote alongside the graphic.
Watch her music video for her song “For My Broken Heart.”
