David Olney, singer, died singing, guitar in hand

I posted this earlier on AL.com. I really enjoyed this man’s work. I wish I could find an old video of the band Dave Olney and the X-Rays doing Oh My Love.

Here’s what I posted earlier today and there’s also a Countdown story I did back in December as I was working on the ‘O’s of my 678=record collection. See link to that below or search Olney on the Search on my blog

David Olney joined the club of those who died doing what they love.

In this club are the marathoner who was struck and killed by lightning near the finish line and Pete Maravich who collapsed and died playing pick-up basketball.

He joins my colleague Jim Jennings, a crusty veteran journalist, who slumped in his chair but did not fall like Olney. I was sitting right next to him at the Oakland Tribune when he was hit with a massive heart attack that all the compressions in the world could not overcome.

Witnesses, according to NBC -News, said Olney stopped in the middle of a song at a festival in Florida, said “I’m sorry,” slumped over and died. Just like that, life left him.

I’ve talked to Olney and have some of his music. He fronted one of my favorite bands when I was a student at Auburn University. He played the Casino — now defunct, I believe. Thursday nights $5 cover and 50-cent Budweiser long necks. We’d go there and dance. His band was incredible and I’d talk to them during breaks. That’s a great song I’d say. Thanks, he’d say.

[GO HERE FOR MY COUNTDOWN PROFILE OF OLNEY]

And Dave Olney and the X-Rays were good songs, Oh My Love, the Contender and Gonna Wait Here for the Cops. The guitarist was phenomenal.

Here’s an acoustic version of a song on his first album.