The tragic story of “Hallelujah” legend Jeff Buckley’s death, explained

Leonard Cohen’s iconic masterpiece “Hallelujah” is undoubtedly one of the most brilliant anthems ever written. And while his version is certainly unforgettable, a large majority of music aficionados would argue that the cover from singer Jeff Buckley is unlike any other.

Along with the captivating cover, Buckley had a multitude of gut-wrenching anthems in his repertoire — including “Grace,” “Last Goodbye,” and “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over,” all of which were from his memorable 1994 album. With his angelic, soft-spoken voice, Buckley had the divine capability to capture the attention of his listeners, building a devoted fan base in the process. So when news eventually broke about the unexpected death of the musician, his passionate followers were ultimately devastated and shaken by his passing.

Flash forward to now, and Buckley’s fans continue to wonder about the details of his unfortunate death, and how exactly the California native passed away all those years ago.

The death of Jeff Buckley, explained

As ethereal as his music discography truly is, one the most intriguing aspects around Buckley is the details of his shocking death — which occurred nearly 26 years ago. While spending time with a friend from his band and waiting for other members to arrive, Buckley went swimming, fully clothed, in Wolf River Harbor — a channel located in the Mississippi River. While his friend waited on shore for Buckley’s return, the musician had vanished and was never seen again — until his body was eventually located almost a week later by passengers on a riverboat.

Despite the mysteriousness surrounding the circumstances of Buckley’s death, an autopsy revealed that no use of drugs or alcohol were involved in his passing, with his death eventually being ruled as an accidental drowning. Over the years, however, folks have continued to speculate as to why Buckley went swimming fully clothed with boots on, especially with several of his lyrics mentioning drowning or swimming.

In the present day, Buckley’s music is still heavily celebrated and seen as an influence to a variety of up-and-coming musicians — with a large portion of music nerds and aspiring singers/musicians regarding Buckley as a musical legend.