SAN DIEGO (CelebrityAccess) — Dave Shapiro, a respected music agent, entrepreneur, and licensed pilot whose influence spanned multiple industries, died Thursday in a tragic plane crash near San Diego that claimed the lives of several others. He was 42.
Shapiro’s impact on the live music world is difficult to overstate. As a co-founder of Sound Talent Group, launched in 2018, he helped reshape the independent agency landscape with a fiercely artist-centric approach. The company represented a broad roster spanning rock, metal, alternative, and beyond—including acts such as Sum 41, Lamb of God, Vanessa Carlton, Motionless In White, Ice Nine Kills, and The Front Bottoms. Under Shapiro’s leadership, STG quickly became known for its hands-on, transparent advocacy for talent.
His path to agency leadership was rooted in years of experience at major firms like The Agency Group and United Talent Agency, where he established a reputation for his work with rock, punk, and alternative acts. But it all began onstage. In the late ‘90s, Shapiro co-founded Count The Stars, a pop-punk outfit from Albany, NY.
The group toured with genre-defining acts like Fall Out Boy and Taking Back Sunday before disbanding in 2003. That firsthand perspective—of tour vans, green rooms, and the grind— would go on to inform his client relationships for the rest of his career.
Shapiro’s entrepreneurial energy extended beyond artist representation. He was instrumental in reviving Velocity Records alongside Equal Vision Records, and helped produce the Scream It Like You Mean It tour series in the 2010s, an early template for cross-roster, brand-driven events.
In 2020, when the pandemic brought live music to a halt, he stepped in as a founding member of the National Independent Talent Organization (NITO), helping to lead crucial advocacy efforts for independent agents and touring professionals during one of the industry’s most uncertain moments.
But his passions weren’t confined to music. After taking his first flying lesson in 2005, Shapiro became a dedicated and accomplished pilot, logging thousands of hours in both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. He eventually launched Velocity Aviation, a charter and training operation based in San Diego and Homer, Alaska. Aviation was more than a hobby—it was another community he helped build, another craft he mastered, even receiving certification as a commercial transport pilot, according to a 2019 Instagram post.
He also volunteered with Angel Flight West, a non-profit organization that provides life-saving flights to individuals in medical need, quietly channeling his skills and resources into service.
Across both music and aviation, colleagues describe Shapiro as a rare kind of leader—ambitious but grounded, tireless but generous, exacting but always fair. He was a builder of things: rosters, companies, communities, and careers. And he did it all with a humility that belied his impact.
In a 2021 interview on a music industry podcast, he summarized his approach to work and life:
“Finding something you love to do is only going to make you do a better job because you actually care. You’re not just showing up for the paycheck. It’s not a 9-to-5. This is part of living your life—if you really love it.”
Dave Shapiro is survived by his family, friends, and countless collaborators across the music and aviation worlds. He will be missed—deeply, widely, and enduringly.
Tributes to Shapiro have poured in from every corner of the music world:
The Devil Wears Prada: “No words. We owe you everything. Love you forever.”
Danny Wimmer: On behalf of myself and the entire DWP family, we’re heartbroken to learn of the passing of Dave Shapiro and Daniel Williams. Their impact on this scene was profound, and this loss is felt deeply across our entire community. To everyone at Sound Talent Group and The Devil Wears Prada — our hearts are with you.
A joint statement from the band Hanson: Today we are all mourning the tragic loss of our longtime friend and booking agent Dave Shapiro. Dave was fearless in life, and tireless in his work, and the kind of friend you would want on your speed dial. Dave seemed to always be working on a new endeavor, or to be going on a new adventure, because he was always excited for a new challenge. We are grateful for the 15 years we knew him. Our hearts go out to Dave’s family and the team at Sound Talent Group.
Set It Off’s Cody Carson: “He created such a legacy—founded on hard work, fairness, respect, integrity, and the desire to see everyone grow.”
Bonnie Fraser (Stand Atlantic): “It was an honor to know and work beside you. Thank you for believing in us from day one.”
NITO: “Dave was a visionary… This is a monumental loss to our community.”
