Zach Swaser

A Plane Crash in the Forest Leaves a Pilot and Two Dead

The Untimely Death of Zach Swaser

By Eric Walters, Minneapolis Star Tribune



Zach Swaser, age 18



Zach Swaser, a noted tour manager for many musical artists, died on January 27^th when the plane he was on crashed enroute to Minneapolis from New York.  The cause of the crash is unknown, but speculations point towards bad turbulence. There were no survivors from the crash. Luckily there were minimal casualties, as Swaser was flying only with his personal assistant and friend, Tyler Lutz. The private jet crashed in the Black Forest National Forest in Wisconsin.

Swaser was flying home after finishing a holiday tour with rapper Kindle, who released him new album “The Triumph 3: Unstoppable” in December. The pair last saw each other the morning of the fight.

Born on August 27, 1992 to parents Timothy Swaser and Deborah Swaser (Larson). He grew up in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis, Minn. He lived with his mother in Coon Rapids for most of his childhood and adolescence. His parents divorced when he was five years old and his father remained in Columbia Heights. He attended Coon Rapids High School, where he first met Trokon (Kindle) Guar, who would become his friend and first artist with whom he went on tour.  



“School never suited Zach well,” said his mother, Deborah Swaser (Larson), “He was bright enough to pass, but would have rather spent his time pursuing hobbies like music and entertainment.” He often would procrastinate doing his schoolwork but was not one to fail classes. With a slightly low grade point average Swaser graduated in 2010 with a class of about 660 students.



 After graduating from Bemidji State University in 2014 with a degree in business administration, Swaser moved back to Minneapolis to start promoting and managing friends who were trying to start careers in music. Success came rather quickly; within the first two years, Kindle was on the road to national recognition. 



By the age of 25, Swaser was recognized in the media industry as the most ambitious manager of his time. “He was very persistent about booking his shows and making everything professional,” says Nathan Kranz, former owner of First Avenue in Minneapolis, “He will be missed and impossible to replace.”  



In his short life, Swaser did more for Minnesota musicians than anyone has since Prince released “Purple Rain” (1984). Just a year before his early death, Swaser succeeded in combining the artists he represented into one group, the Midwest MCs. The group is now one of the most popular hip-hop names in the industry. The group is said to be collaborating on a song dedicated to their beloved friend.



In his will, which he happened to complete a mere three months before his death, he left most of his possessions to his close friends and family. He left his share of Midwest MCs to be split among his wife, Mariah Swaser, and the artists in the group. A burial ceremony has been arranged for this weekend at a private cemetery.



At the age of 30, Zach Swaser died in the midst of his successful career. He will be missed greatly by his now widowed wife and 2-year-old child, Gabriel Swaser, along with a list of friends and family and those who were touched by the music that he dedicated his life to.