Atlantic Records NashvilleLots of people were watching the Blue Angels practice over Smyrna, Tennessee, Thursday afternoon, as one of the jets crashed, killing a pilot– and Hunter Hayes was one of them. When the plane went down around 3 p.m., the “Wanted” hitmaker was standing by to go up with a member of the noted flight demonstration squadron just 90 minutes later.
Hunter’s publicist Ebie McFarland tells ABC Radio “it happened right in front of them.” On both Wednesday and Thursday, the respected pilots took time each day to fly with local celebrities, to generate publicity for the weekend air show on the outskirts of Nashville.
“The tragedy today with the Blue Angels is so devastating,” Hunter tweeted later in the evening. “My heart and prayers are with the pilot’s family and the entire Blue Angels team.”
Both Hunter’s flight and the Blue Angels’ weekend demonstration were ultimately cancelled in the aftermath.
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