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UPDATED 7:27 p.m. Friday A Cape Breton musician, well-loved by fellow musicians, studentsand fans, was one of three people who died in a head-on collisionThursday night near Millville. Guitarist Dave McKeough, 46, and his wife Donna McKeough, 45, werekilled instantly when a car crossed the centre line and smashedinto theirs on Highway 105 at about 6:45 p.m. The other driver, William Dove, 52, of Sydney Mines, also died. The McKeoughs" 20-year-old daughter was the only survivor ofthe crash. She was taken to hospital and treated for injuries thatwere not considered life-threatening. The McKeoughs are also survived by a 17-year-old daughter and an11-year-old son at home. The parents and eldest daughter were returning from Halifax wherethe daughter was applying for entry into the pre-med program atDalhousie University. McKeough was a master guitarist who, as one person noted Friday,played on just about every CD made in Cape Breton in the past 10years. He was well-known for his versatility, talent and keen knowledge ofmusic. "Everybody loved him personally and he had a monumentaltalent, along with monumental generosity," said JoellaFoulds, artistic director of the Celtic Colours InternationalFestival. "He was capable of playing any style of guitar and he couldplay live or on recording — he was always in thestudio." Foulds said McKeough was an essential part of the music scene inCape Breton. "In fact, he was a cornerstone," she said. The list of musicians McKeough recorded with reads like awho"s who of the Cape Breton music scene — JimmyRankin, Fred Lavery, Allie Bennett, Gordie Sampson, virtually everymusician on the island had a close association with the guitarist. "The music scene in Cape Breton is very close-knit, and Davewas in the recording studio constantly with any number ofmusicians," Foulds said. He also taught band at three local schools. "We"re all in shock here today," said RedmondMacDougall, principal of MacLennan Junior High in Sydney. "There"s quite a lot of upset kids here, and of coursewe have grief counsellors in. "You"d see him having a jam session with the studentsat lunchtime. They"d be playing their guitars and having agreat time." Donna McKeough was a placement officer at Memorial Composite HighSchool in Sydney Mines. RCMP Cpl. Ron MacDonald said Friday it appears Dove, driving a 2001Mercury Grand Marquis, passed another vehicle on the right-handshoulder of Highway 105 and lost control. The Mercury crossed the centre line and smashed into theMcKeoughs" 2009 Dodge Charger. "In the past year, there have been seven people who died inthree collisions on that stretch of road, and for the life of me Ican"t understand why," MacDonald said. "It"s the straightest and flattest piece of highwaybetween here and the Canso Causeway." MacDonald said he can find no common thread linking the fatalcrashes. "It"s just horrible," he said. ( mmacintyre@herald.ca ). The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as Alkaline Battery Chargers Manufacturer , Nicad Rechargeable Batteries, and more. For more , please visit Lithium Polymer Battery Charging today!
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