Pierce the Veil Pay Tribute to Agent + Manager Dave Shapiro

Pierce the Veil have paid tribute to their agent and manager, Dave Shapiro, who tragically died in a plane crash on Thursday morning (May 22).

Shapiro was onboard his private Cessna 550 jet that crashed in the Murphy Canyon area of San Diego, California, while attempting to land at the nearby Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport. He and former The Devil Wears Prada drummer Daniel Williams are the only two confirmed casualties from the tragedy so far.

During his time in the music industry, Shapiro worked for Equal Vision, started a record label called Velocity Records and co-founded Sound Talent Group in 2018. He worked with countless artists over the years, and thus a plethora of musicians and industry professionals have shared posts in tribute to him, noting the impact he had on them and their careers.

READ MORE: Music Industry Veteran Dave Shapiro Killed in California Plane Crash

Pierce the Veil are a group Shapiro worked especially close with as their agent, manager and friend. He attended the band’s sold-out show this past Tuesday at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, and flew out of New Jersey’s Teterboro Airport the following night to head back home.

The group shared an emotional tribute for Shapiro on their social media today (May 23). Read it below.

We lost our longtime agent, manager, and dear friend Dave Shapiro in a tragic plane accident on Thursday morning, along with other close colleagues and friends. It’s hard to put into words how much this man meant to so many of us. He made a profound impact in such a short time and touched countless lives around the world.

We started working together nearly twenty years ago, when we were all in our early twenties — I think Jaime might have even been 19. Dave had just left his band, Count the Stars, and started booking for Equal Vision Records. We were the first band he ever booked, and we haven’t left each other’s side since. We even lived at Dave’s house between tours when we needed a place to stay, not just because we were broke, but because we just loved being around each other. He always looked out for us, no matter what.

Friendship meant everything to Dave. He loved being around people and never wanted the excitement to end. He fought hard for the people he loved and wanted everyone around him to succeed. He taught us the importance of growing roots in this industry and showed us that longevity is the key to building a real career in music. We owe him everything. We’re proud of what we built together — but we’d give it all back in a heartbeat just to hear him tell a joke or one of his funny stories right now.

Dave, we’re really gonna miss you. You were taken from us too soon. Thank you for giving us everything you had while you were here. Every time we take the stage, it will be in your memory. Our hearts go out to your wife, family, and the friends you loved so dearly. We’re also holding close the families of the colleagues and dear friends we lost in the crash as well. Rest in peace.

Loudwire sends our condolences to Pierce the Veil and all of Shapiro’s loved ones during this time.