March 19, 1982 was a sad day in Rock-n-Roll; it was day we lost Randy Rhoads in a freak plane crash. The Ozzy Osbourne tour stopped in Leesburg, Florida to take some time off before playing a festival in Orlando. They stopped at the home of the tour bus driver Andrew Aycock, who was also a licensed pilot, He took members of the band on a joy ride in his ’55 Beechcraft Bonanza. During the second flight, attempts were made to “buzz” the tour bus as other band members were sleeping. On the third attempt the left wing of the plane clipped the tour bus and crashed into the garage. Rachel Youngblood, Andrew Aycock and Randy Rhoads all died in the crash.

 

Just two weeks before the crash the tour stopped in St. Louis to make up a date they missed in February. Ozzy had bit the head off a bat that someone threw on-stage in Iowa and he had to get a rabies shot so the February date was pushed back into March. My Uncle Dave took me to the concert and we sat in the 15th row left center. I have been to a lot of shows and have seen most the big names on guitar and I will say to this date, Randy Rhoads was one of most impressive guys I have ever seen. It’s a shame that we lost him at such a young age, I will say is his short time in the limelight he did leave a lasting mark on the face of Rock-n-Roll.

 

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