JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Songwriter Message Forum David Olney RIP

Singer songwriter Dave Olney passed away during a performance. He stopped mid song and said "Sorry," as his head sank to his chest and he was gone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bMaaac032k

Dave was one of "those guys" in Nashville that we have from time to time. The ones everybody seemed to know, had seemingly been around forever, and you saw and heard the name all the time. I said "Hello" to him a few dozen times, but can't say I ever knew him at all. Mostly at Benefits or gatherings, where we passed at the food line or going in and out of the bathroom. I never heard any of his music. But you can't have that many friends and admirers and not have something special.
I guess he went out the way all performers would have liked, so I'm sure his soul is at peace.
Condolances to his family and friends.


MAB

Thanks Rick, for letting us know:

Like Marc, I did not know him, never heard a song from him that I knew about... but I regret his passing. May he rest in peace... and sincere condolences to the family.

----Dave

He was sort of a "cult" writer. Had a pretty distinct and loyal following. I believe in the Townes Van Zant, John Prine, tradition, and had a couple of cuts, Emmilou, and a few others I believe, but not what you would call "HITS." There are a lot of those types of writers here and in Texas, journeymen writers that are folk and alternative artists. He was a "KERRVILLE FOLK FESTIVAL type guy. Some will find a niche and grow it into a very large thing. Lyle Lovett, comes to mind, but most people would never know him. He had gotten to Nashville many years before me, I think the 70's and his profile was pretty narrow in town. Yet people like Amy Kurland, of the Bluebird, loved him and booked him a great deal.

My favorite thing that I did know about is one week about 6 or 7 years ago, he booked a "WEEK OF DAVE OLNEY" tour around Nashville. Played 5 different clubs in 5 different nights. And I'm pretty sure he probably sold each one out. He was very popular. One of those guys I wish I had at least seen, but when you are in a town full of performers, trying to see everyone, you would just go broke trying to do that. And mostly, if you are going to go out, you do it when you are performing.

But if you can judge people by the friends he leaves behind, the impact and influences, Dave was pretty special. I guess we all think about "dying onstage"but very few do. I remember the story of the comedian/actor Dick Shawn, who was in Mel Brooks movie and play "THE PRODUCERS," as the hippy Hitler character LSD. He became a celebrity, and part of his reputation was as a performance artist/comedian. Kind of an "Andy Kaufman" type. He had this routine where he would lay on the floor for about 5-6 minutes and just play dead. It was not a rountine as much as just something he did to test people's patience. Like a lot of performance artists, no one ever knew what he would do. And you would never know if it was in the act or just some odd behavioral thing he just decided to do. So one night, in a packed house in San Diego, he did that bit and never got up. After about 10 minutes the stage manager came out as everyone thought it was part of the act. A doctor was called and they found out he was stone dead.

I don't think Dave intended that and the 30 A festival is a very prestigous festival. He was in the middle of a song, said "I'm sorry.." and dipped his head down. That was it. But one thing you can say, he didn't even drop his guitar. That will become legendary.

RIP Dave.

When Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris get together to sing your song, you know did all right. Here's to a Songwriter:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_90DSPc9-s

I am just hearing about this.. man, I tried to send him a note on Facebook and found out. He was a JPF Nominee and Winner, I think in 2004 and even played one of our member showcases in the early 2000s.

But.. if he had to go... what better way really?