(b. Randall William Rhoads, 6 Dec 1956, Santa Monica, CA, d. 19 March 1982)

Possibly one of the greatest hard rock guitarists America ever produced, Randy Rhoads would, had his life not been so tragically curtailed in a freak airplane accident, be talked about in the same breath as Eddie Van Halen or even Jimmy Page. Randy Rhoads was the talented heavy metal guitarist who helped put Ozzy Osbourne back on the charts in the early 1980’s.  Whilst en route to Florida for further live shows the tour bus made an unscheduled stop where the driver’s friend had a small aeroplane. After taking up a couple of band members for a joy ride, Rhoads and a make-up girl were persuaded to enlist. The pilot, high on cocaine, seemingly aimed the aircraft at the empty tour bus and all passengers were killed. Barnes and Noble on Randy Rhoads