Dave Shapiro, heavy metal and hard rock music executive, tragically dies at 42 in plane crash

Dubai: The music world is in mourning after Dave Shapiro, the beloved co-founder of Sound Talent Group and a visionary agent who championed alternative and heavy music, was killed in a tragic plane crash in San Diego early Thursday morning. He was 42.

According to the Associated Press, Shapiro was piloting his private Cessna Citation II jet when it went down in dense fog, just two miles short of Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport.

The crash ignited several homes in the Murphy Canyon neighborhood, leaving behind a trail of devastation—burned-out cars, charred rooftops, and shattered lives. All six passengers onboard, including Shapiro, former The Devil Wears Prada drummer Daniel Williams, and two Sound Talent Group employees, died on impact.

Those who knew Shapiro describe him as a force of nature: a relentless believer in underdogs, an anchor to countless musicians, and a man who could spot brilliance before the world did.

“He didn’t just represent bands. He believed in people before they believed in themselves,” said one colleague, choking back tears. “Dave made careers. He made friends out of strangers. And he never stopped moving.”

Born in upstate New York and raised in the straight-edge hardcore scene, Shapiro was never one to follow convention. He co-founded the band Count The Stars as a teenager, signing to Victory Records and sharing stages with acts like Fall Out Boy. When the band split, Shapiro didn’t fade away. Instead, he pivoted—becoming a powerhouse agent at The Agency Group and later UTA, before launching Sound Talent Group in 2018.

His roster was a testament to his musical range and intuition: Sum 41, Pierce The Veil, Parkway Drive, Vanessa Carlton. And when the pandemic rocked the live music industry, he co-founded the National Independent Talent Organization (NITO), a lifeline for independent artists and agents trying to stay afloat.

But to reduce Shapiro to a résumé would be a disservice. He was a husband, a friend, a licensed pilot who proposed to his wife Julia on a glacier in Alaska. He was the kind of man who lived fully—whether it was flying through clouds or guiding an anxious band through its first tour.

According to preliminary reports from the National Transportation Safety Board, Shapiro had been navigating poor visibility and inoperative runway lights. Moments before the crash, he radioed: “Doesn’t sound great, but we’ll give it a go.” Those who knew him say that was classic Dave—undaunted, determined, always taking the wheel.

Since the news broke, tributes have poured in from the music community. Pierce The Veil called him “a brother in arms.” Sum 41’s Deryck Whibley said, “We owe our comeback to Dave. He saw a future for us when we didn’t.”

In a world often defined by ego and pursuit of fame, Shapiro was a rarity —a quiet, steady presence who lifted other without making any noise.