Remembering Jeff Buckley: The Tragic Swimming Accident 29 Years Ago Today
Some legendary musicians make their mark across decades of work, producing platinum albums and hit records galore for fans to savor. Others have much shorter career spans, but still manage to have a meaningful impact and leave a legacy that extends beyond their time in the business.
Jeff Buckley fits into that latter category. The son of singer-songwriter Tim Buckley, Buckley was just taking flight as an artist when he tragically drowned at age 30 during an ill-fated attempt to swim in the Wolf River Harbor on May 29, 1997.
Today marks the 29th anniversary of Buckley's passing. Incredibly, his music has gained popularity in recent years, thanks to multiple boosts from social media and pop culture.
A career cut short
Buckley's 1994 debut album Grace received mixed reviews and reached 149 on the Billboard 200. He was living in Memphis and in the process of working on his follow-up, My Sweetheart the Drunk, in May 1997.
On the night of May 29, Buckley and close friend Keith Foti were driving around Memphis when they decided to venture down to the Wolf River channel of the Mississippi River. While on shore, Buckley made the impromptu decision to go for a swim, despite Foti's warnings.
"When Buckley entered the water from the trash-strewn bank, he was wearing jeans, a T-shirt and boots. He turned, grinning back at Foti, as he drifted in backward," Rolling Stone reported. "When he was about knee deep, Foti remembers cautioning him: "You can't swim in that water." As Buckley continued, Foti repeated his caution: "What are you doing, man?" But Buckley smilingly reclined into the slate-gray water, singing the chorus of Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" as he backstroked into the channel."
A short time later, Foti realized Buckley had disappeared. Despite extensive search and rescue efforts, no trace of him was found until June 4, when his body was spotted by passengers on the American Queen riverboat.
Buckley died six months shy of his 31st birthday. Sadly, his father Tim had also died young, passing away of a drug overdose at age 28 in June 1975 when Jeff was just eight years old.
A legacy that grew--and endured
At the time of his death, Buckley was regarded as one of the bright young stars in music. Sales of his debut album increased following his passing, as did Buckley's overall popularity.
In a 1998 interview with NOW Magazine, Buckley's mother Mary Guibert emotionally recalled how many acclaimed musicians honored her son posthumously.
"Bono from U2 dedicated nearly every performance from their PopMart tour to my son," Guibert said. "I would just love to give him a great big kiss. Robert Plant and Jimmy Page have been very complimentary and magnanimous.
"Even Bob Dylan, in an interview with a French magazine, named Jeff as one of the great songwriters of this decade. I don't think you can find any higher praise than from the lips of those gentlemen."
In 2026, nearly 30 years after his death, Buckley earned his first Billboard Hot 100 hit when his song "Lover, You Should Have Come Over" charted at No. 97. The haunting ballad from Grace received an uptick in recognition thanks to TikTok and its inclusion in the FX series Love Story, which portrayed the romance between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 29, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 7:00 AM.