Craig Strickland: Bandmates React to Singer"s Death

Last week, Backroad Anthem lead singer Craig Strickland went missing after embarking on a hunting trip with life-long friend 

Yesterday, Strickland’s body was found in a remote, heavily-forested region of Oklahoma. Today, his bandmates paid touching tribute to their fallen frontman on Facebook:

The band’s surviving members  – Toby Freeman, Eric Dysart, Josh Bryant, Brandon Robold and Isaac Senty – posted the photo above, along with the following caption:

“Today we lost our brother, our best friend, our bandmate. Craig was the most amazing person whose passion for life couldn’t be matched. Thankful to know he fought his way from the water to a hill and was lying in the shape of a cross on his back looking up to his Heavenly Father.

“Today, he is smiling down on us and we know he will always be with us. He will always be here to help guide us along the way. We love you Craig Strickland and we will forever miss you!”

The band’s statement references the details of Strickland’s death that were recently made public by his wife, Helen Strickland.

“The night of the accident he fought his way out of the water and up a hill before the stages of hypothermia set in,” she wrote on Instagram. 

“He experienced no pain in his final moments and simply felt like he was falling asleep. They found him lying in the shape of a cross looking up to his Father.”

Strickland was 29 years old.

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Craig Strickland Death: New Details Emerge

A few hours after the confirmed death of Craig Strickland, the singer’s wife has taken to Instagram in order to pay tribute to her late husband.

She has also provided new details about his passing.

Strickland, the frontman for Backroad Anthem, had been missing for seven days after he and a friend went duck hunting last week in Oklahoma.

The body of Chase Morland was recovered soon afterward, with everyone assuming the same fate had sadly befallen Strickland.

Following the discovery of Strickland’s corpse on Monday, it has been confirmed that the two men were killed when their boat got caught in a winter storm and eventually capsized.

“We can finally rest knowing that he is at Home in Heaven with his Father,” Helen Strickland wrote on Instagram.

“The night of the accident he had fought his way out of the water and up a hill before the stages of hypothermia set in. He experienced no pain in his final moments and simply felt like he was falling asleep.”

Strickland’s wife went on to say that her husband’s body was found “lying in the shape of a cross.”

She took comforting in knowing “he saw Jesus at that moment,” expressed gratitude to all who have reached out over the past week and concluded:

“There was not a more peaceful way for him to go into the arms of our Lord, and I know your prayers had a role in making that happen.

“I love you with all my heart Craig Michael.”

We send our condolences to Helen and all of Craig Strickland’s loved ones.

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Craig Strickland Found Dead; Country Singer Was 29

Craig Strickland –  the musician best known as the lead singer of country band Backroad Anthem – has been found dead.

Strickland went missing during a hunting trip with life-long friend Chase Morland on December 27.

After Morland’s body was found near the capsized boat that he and Strickland had been using to hunt ducks near Ponca City, Oklahoma, officials began to fear the worst.

Details are scarce at this time, but early reports indicate that Strickland’s body was eventually found several miles from where the boat was overturned.

According to weather data from the area, Strickland and Morland would have found themselves in a severe winter storm with winds of up to 45 miles per hour and windchills as low as 15 degrees.

The friends seemed to have some idea of what they were getting into, as Morland posted the following ominous tweet just hours before they departed:

“In case we don’t come back, @BackroadCRAIG and I are going right through Winter Storm Goliath to kill ducks in Oklahoma.”

An Arkansas native, Stickland lived in Fayetteville with his wife, Helen Wisner Strickland, whom he married in 2014.

Strickland was a larger than life figure in his hometown, a phenomenon he addressed in the lyrics to “Small Town Fame,” a 2013 single he penned that eventually reached the number 24 spot on the iTunes country chart.

Some of the biggest names in country music have already expressed their condolences to the Strickland family on social media.

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Craig Strickland: Country Singer Missing, Friend Dead After Ominous Hunting Tweet

Authorities are searching for Craig Strickland after 29-year-old country singer went missing on a duck hunting trip this week.

He went hunting with friend Chase Marland, who was found dead, the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety confirmed in a statement. 

Police have “recovered one subject; Chase R. Marland, 22 year old male from Van Buren, AR., from Kaw Lake,” a spokesperson said.

“At this time search efforts are still underway in attempt to locate Craig M. Strickland, 29 year old male from Springdale, AR.”

Both men were in a boat, with “no personal floatation devises in use … the boat has been found but not recovered at this time.”

Authorities continue, “At this time the search efforts are going to be suspended for the day due to weather and fading lights.

“Search efforts will resume in the morning.”

Additionally, a law enforcement source also notes that the search for Craig is still a rescue effort, not a recovery effort, at this time.

On Sunday, a search was launched when a boat the two men were using to hunt ducks north of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was found capsized.

That news came just two days after Marland tweeted about the risky trip, as if his online words unknowingly foreshadowed his fate:

“In case we don’t come back, @BackroadCRAIG and I are going right through Winter Storm Goliath to kill ducks in Oklahoma.”

“#IntoTheStorm.”

Strickland’s band, Backroad Anthem, posted on Facebook: “Everyone please say special prayers for the family of Chase Morland.”

“They were very close friends and it is such a heartbreaking loss. Randy Strickland (Craig’s father) has informed us Craig has not been found.”

“Please keep praying for his safety. We are trying to think of a scenario where he is still alive. Hoping against the odds.”