30 Facts About Challenger Astronaut, Ronald McNair

30 Facts About Challenger Astronaut, Ronald McNair

Tim Flight - December 28, 2019

30 Facts About Challenger Astronaut, Ronald McNair
Jean-Michel Jarre dedicated the final track of his 1986 album, Rendez-Vous, to McNair. CD and LP

13. He even had plans to play saxophone at a Jean-Michel Jarre Concert… live from space!

Ronald’s musical talent and many accomplishments drew the attention of the French electronic music composer Jean-Michel Jarre. The two became friends, and Ronald agreed to play saxophone on Jarre’s upcoming album. The solo would be recorded in space. Amazingly, the pair also had plans for Ronald to play a live solo at a Jarre concert live from orbit via video-link! Sadly, Ronald’s fatal second mission aboard the Challenger was to be the time for both collaborations. On the album set to have a McNair sax-solo, 1986’s Rendez-Vous, Jarre dedicated ‘Dernier Rendez-Vous’ to the astronaut’s memory. Jarre subtitled it ‘Ron’s Piece’.

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