Keith Green was a gospel singer, songwriter, and musician who rose to fame in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He was known for his passionate and intense live performances, as well as his outspoken criticism of the commercialization of the gospel music industry. He was also a pioneer in the contemporary Christian music genre, influencing many artists who came after him. But his life and career were cut short by a tragic plane crash in 1982, when he was only 28 years old. What was the cause of his death, and how did it impact the Christian music scene?
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The Plane Crash
On July 28, 1982, Keith Green was flying in a small plane with two other passengers, John and Dede Smalley, and the pilot, Don Burmeister. They were taking off from a private airstrip near Garden Valley, Texas, where Green and his wife Melody had founded a ministry called Last Days Ministries. The plane was a Cessna 414, a twin-engine aircraft that could seat up to eight people. According to eyewitnesses, the plane seemed to have trouble gaining altitude and crashed into a tree about a mile from the runway. The plane burst into flames and all four people on board were killed instantly
The cause of the crash was never determined, but some speculated that the plane was overloaded with passengers and luggage, or that there was a mechanical failure or human error. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigated the accident, but did not issue a final report
The Aftermath
The news of Keith Green’s death shocked and saddened the Christian music community and his fans around the world. He had released three albums, For Him Who Has Ears to Hear, No Compromise, and So You Wanna Go Back to Egypt, which had sold over a million copies combined. He had also started a magazine called The Last Days Newsletter, which had over 200,000 subscribers. He was working on his fourth album, Songs for the Shepherd, which was released posthumously
Green’s death also left behind his wife Melody and their two children, Josiah and Bethany. Melody was pregnant with their third child, Rebekah, at the time of the crash. She continued to run Last Days Ministries and later remarried. She also wrote a biography of her husband, titled No Compromise: The Life Story of Keith Green, which became a bestseller
Green’s legacy lives on through his music, which has been covered by many artists, such as Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, Rich Mullins, and Chris Tomlin. His songs are still sung in churches and concerts, and his message of radical discipleship and love for God and people still inspires many Christians today. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and talented gospel singers of all time.
