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1982 - Randy Rhoads Dies
1982 - Randy Rhoads Dies

Randy Rhoads, legendary guitarist for both Quiet Riot and Ozzy Osbourne, was killed in a plane crash near Leesburg, Florida, on March 19, 1982. He was 25 years old.

The band was on their way to a show with UFO and Foreigner on March 20 in Orlando when they stopped at a mechanic shop that was housed in an airplane hangar. Their tour bus driver, Andrew Aycock, had reportedly wanted to remove several bunks from the bus to give the band more space inside. A licensed pilot, Aycock offered to take the band and crew up in a plane while mechanics worked on the bus.

After giving several members of the crew flights in a private plane, the driver talked Rhoads and the tour’s hairdresser, Rachel Youngblood, into taking a flight. Aycock decided to fly directly over the band’s tour bus, on which several people were sleeping. After two successful passes, Aycock clipped the bus with the plane’s wing, sending it out of control. All three were killed instantly.

It was later revealed that Aycock’s pilot’s license had been revoked after he had previously crashed a helicopter, an accident that had claimed the life of a young boy.

Rhoads appeared on Ozzy's first two solo albums, 1980's "Blizzard Of Ozz" and 1981's "Diary Of A Madman." Besides providing guitar work for the LPs, he also made significant songwriting and production contributions.