Tragedy Strikes: How a Plane Crash Took the Lives of Nine Band Members in Reba McEntire's Band

A Heartbreaking Loss

The music world was rocked in 1991 when a tragic plane crash claimed the lives of nine members of country music icon Reba McEntire's touring band. The accident occurred near San Diego, California, as the band was returning from a concert in Iowa.

The Victims

The victims of the crash included bandleader Kirk Cappello, guitarist Chris Austin, keyboardist Joey Huffman, bassist Terry Jackson, drummer Anthony Smith, road manager Jim Hammon, engineer Andy Rector, assistant engineer Mark Chesnutt, and flight attendant Kelly Shaw.

McEntire herself narrowly escaped the tragedy, as she had flown on a separate plane that day due to a scheduling conflict. The loss of her bandmates was a devastating blow to both McEntire and the country music community.