Gone Too Soon: Texas Musicians Who Passed Away While Performing

Texas has lost many musical legends throughout history; some have died tragically due to illnesses, some due to accidents, and some have died during a performance. While it doesn't happen very often, it DOES happen in the world of entertainment (Les Harvey, Tiny Tim & Tommy Cooper are some examples of this).

Some huge names from Texas have also died during a show & here are some musicians we still miss...

Johnny "Guitar" Watson (February 3, 1935 - May 17, 1996)

John Watson Jr. was born in Houston, Texas, but we know him better as Johnny "Guitar" Watson. He became well known for his guitar playing while playing funk, soul & rhythm & blues.

On May 17, 1996, Johnny suffered a heart attack while performing at a blues club in Yokohama, Japan. He collapsed on stage & died shortly after. He was 61 years old. Johnny was interviewed less than a week before his death, saying he felt great. We continue to remember Johnny & his amazing skills many years later

Dimebag Darrell (August 20, 1966 - December 8, 2004)

Perhaps the most well known case of a musician dying on stage is the former Pantera guitarist, Dimebag Darrell from Ennis, Texas. Anyone who's listened to Pantera (myself included) knows just how incredible his playing WAS & still is to this day.

Things would forever be changed on December 8, 2004 at the Alorsa Villa Nightclub in Columbus, Ohio. While performing with Damageplan, during their very first song of the night, Nathan Gale, rushed the stage & shot Dimebag many times with a 9mm semi-automatic pistol. Nathan would injure 3 more concertgoers before Officer James Niggemeyer, shot Nathan in the head once with a 12-gauge shotgun. Dimebag was only 38 years old.

Today he is buried in Arlington, next to his brother Vinnie Paul, who would tragically die from a heart attack on June 22, 2018.

Big Pokey (November 29, 1974 - June 18, 2023)

Born in Houston, and one of the original members of the Screwed Up Click, Milton Jerome Powell Jr., better known as Big Pokey, became an extremely well known rapper that started his career in 1995.

Tragically his career came to an end on June 18, 2023; while performing at the Pour 09 Bar in Beaumont, Texas, Big Pokey suffered a massive heart attack. Milton would pass away at the CHRISTUS St. Elizabeth Hospital at the age of 48 years old.

Sadly, there have been many others instances of performers dying while IN Texas too.

Here are some performers who die during a performance while IN the state of Texas

The father of Ted DiBiase, Iron Mike DiBiase, died from a heart attack while wrestling against Man Mountain Mike in Lubbock, Texas on July 2, 1969. Iron was 45 years old.

Mike Scaccia, the guitarist for Ministry & Rigor Mortis, died after suffering a seizure while performing at The Rail Club in Fort Worth, Texas on December 22, 2022. Mike was only 47 years old.

The singer-songwriter Jo-El Sonnier, died from a heart attack after performing at the Llano Country Opry in Llano, Texas on January 13, 2024. He was 77 years old. The last Jo-El would perform was "Tear-Stained Letter" & that performance would appear on YouTube.

Sadly all these names are far from being these last ones we've lost too soon; we've several names join the infamous "27 Club" too...

R.I.P. to all these performers who died doing what they loved...

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