<\/p>\n
The country music world has lost some iconic names in 2025, and sadly the list grew in November. <\/p>\n
As we head into the homestretch of the year, we take a moment to look back at the country music stars and influential names that have been lost thus far this year.<\/p>\n
Check out those names below as well as the major stars and names that we lost in 2024:<\/p>\n
Eddie Adcock<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n
Eddie Adcock\u2019s name might not be the first that comes to mind when it comes to country music legends, but he was a legend in his own right.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t believe it? Just Google him. You can find stories calling him a \u201clegend,\u201d and a \u201cmaster\u201d and there are plenty of other adjectives thrown in along the way, too.<\/p>\n
Sadly, Adcock died on March 20. He was 86.<\/p>\n
BlueGrassToday.com called <\/b><\/a>him a \u201cfive string banjo master,\u201d while noting that he has been \u201csuffering from multiple health issues over recent years.\u201d<\/p>\n Adcock was a native of Virginia, who began performing all the way back in 1949. He joined Smokey Graves 7 His Blue Star Boys in 1953, and he played with a handful of different bands. He may be best known, though, for his time playing in The Country Gentleman. In 1996, that group became the first inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Association Hall of Fame. <\/p>\n \u201cEddie was a truly innovative artists and musician with a one-of-a-kind voice on the banjo – & any instrument he picked up,\u201d The Blue Grass Situation posted on X.<\/p>\n Walt Aldridge<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Walt Aldridge\u2019s name might not be one most modern country music fans know, but they probably should because there\u2019s a good chance they know his songs. <\/p>\n Aldridge, a prolific musician, songwriter and engineer, died on Nov. 19.<\/p>\n He was 70. <\/p>\n Fame Recording Studios and Publishing put out a long statement on Facebook following his death.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are deeply saddened to say that our dear friend and colleague Walt Aldridge has passed away,\u201d <\/b>it read.<\/b><\/a> \u201cWe cannot possibly put into words how much walt meant to the FAME family! There was a time in the 80s when Walt\u2019s songwriting along with Robert Byrne, Tommy Brasfield and Mac McAnally carried the most of the weight of the Muscle Shoals music industry though a difficult time in our history.\u201d<\/p>\n Country Insider reported<\/b><\/a> that Aldridge wrote or co-wrote a whopping 56 top 40 songs on the Billboard country charts. The outlet said his No. 1 hits included Ronnie Milsap\u2019s \u201c(There\u2019s) No Getting\u2019 Over Me,\u201d Earl Thomas Conley\u2019s \u201cHolding Her and Loving You,\u201d Travis Tritt\u2019s \u201cModern Day Bonnie and Clyde,\u201d and Heartland\u2019s \u201cI Loved Her First.\u201d<\/p>\n He also wrote hit songs for the likes of Tim McGraw and Reba McEntire. <\/p>\n Aldridge also had his own band, The Shooters, for which he served as lead singer and guitarist. Country Insider said the band managed to chart seven songs of its own.<\/p>\n He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2017, and the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 2018.<\/p>\n Per Country Insider, his song writing prowess led to an estimated 60 million album sales across his four-decade career. <\/p>\n Ed Askew<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Ed Askew, a cult folk music singer\/songwriter and painter, died on Jan. 4.<\/p>\n He was 84.<\/p>\n PEOPLE Magazine <\/b><\/a>reported that Askew had been battling \u201congoing health struggles\u201d and had been in hospice.<\/p>\n \u201cEd was a brave gay songwriter from the beginning, and I hope more come to know this,\u201d Jay Pluck, Askew\u2019s manager and friend, told PEOPLE. \u201cEd\u2019s music changed the lives of people from many generations and continues to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n Askew was a native of Stamford, Connecticut, and according to PEOPLE he studied paining at Yale Art School. The site said Askew was called up for the draft in 1966 but ended up teaching at a prep school in Connecticut instead. It said that is when he began writing his songs.<\/p>\n PEOPLE said Askew released 11 albums during his career. His first album \u201cAsk The Unicorn\u201d came in 1968 and his final, \u201cLondon\u201d came in 2020. PEOPLE said he also \u201chad a prolific painting career.\u201d<\/p>\n Larry Bastian <\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Larry Bastian was one of the greatest country music song writers of all-time.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t believe it?<\/p>\n Well, the sentiment comes from a country music legend \u2014 Garth Brooks.<\/p>\n \u201cIf one looks down on the list of music\u2019s greatest writers of all time,\u201d Brooks said, per the Porterville Record<\/b><\/a>, \u201cI couldn\u2019t imagine the list being complete without the name of Larry Bastian.\u201d<\/p>\n Brooks would know because Bastian wrote some of his biggest hits \u2014 \u201cUnanswered Prayers\u201d and \u201cRodeo.\u201d<\/p>\n Bastian died on Apil 6. He was 90. No cause of death was reported.<\/p>\n The Record was the first to report Bastian\u2019s death, citing his son who shared the news on Facebook.<\/p>\n Bastian was born in Porterville in 1934, and after graduating high school there in 1952 he worked as a biologist for 15 years, according to Billboard.com. The site said got his career as a songwriter going into the 1970s, and a remarkable career ensued.<\/p>\n The Record reported that Bastian contributed to a whopping 68 platinum albums and four gold records.<\/p>\n He wrote songs for Merle Haggard and David Frizzell, Tammy Wynette, Conway Twitty, Tracy Byrd, Sammy Kershaw, Reba McEntire, Rhett Akins, George Jones and Craig Morgan, per Billboard.<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n But those songs for Brooks were, perhaps, his biggest. Along with \u201cRodeo,\u201d and \u201cUnanswered Prayers,\u201d he also wrote \u201cI\u2019ve Got a Good Thing Going,\u201d The Old Man\u2019s Back in Town,\u201d \u201cCowboy Bill,\u201d \u201cNobody Gets Off in This Town,\u201d and \u201cMan Against the Machine,\u201d for the legendary singer.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was no doubt in my mind that I could write a song,\u201d he said in an interview with \u2018The Paul Leslie Hour\u2019 in 2020. \u201cI think you have to be that driven to succeed, and then there\u2019s a lot of luck. They have a saying, \u2018You can\u2019t get out of the way of a hit song,\u2019 and that\u2019s so right.\u201d<\/p>\n David Briggs<\/b><\/u> <\/b><\/p>\n David Briggs was never the face of the song, but he was always an important part of it.<\/p>\n And he worked with some of the greatest to ever do it. <\/p>\n Sadly, his work is done, though, because the talented musician, record producer, arranger, composer and studio owner, died on April 22. <\/p>\n He was 82.<\/p>\n \u201cDavid Briggs could play keyboards in any style,\u201d Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young said. \u201cFor more than four decades, his deft touch graced countless country, R&B, rock, and pop recordings. He was eighteen years old when he played piano on Arthur Alexander\u2019s epochal Muscle Shoals hit \u2018You Better Move On.\u2019 <\/p>\n \u201cRecruited by Nashville producer Owen Bradley, Briggs immediately became a studio fixture, enhancing records by Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, and many more,\u201d Young added. \u201cHe further shaped Music City in co-founding Quadrafonic Studio and opening his own House of David studio. He was a man of music through and through.\u201d<\/p>\n Briggs reportedly took part in his first recording session at the age of 14, and he went on to work with the likes of Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Reba McEntire, B.B. King, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, George Harrison, Charley Pride and many more. <\/p>\n He was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 1999, and the Musicians Hall of Fame in 2019.<\/p>\n Carl Dean <\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Country music legend Dolly Parton announced the heartbreaking news on March 6 that her husband, Carl Dean, has died.<\/p>\n A posted statement to her X page, said that Dean, who was 82, died in Nashville.<\/p>\n \u201cHe will be laid to rest in a private ceremony with immediate family attending,\u201d the statement read. \u201cHe was survived by his siblings Sandra and Donnie.\u201d<\/p>\n Parton provided a quote in the statement.<\/p>\n \u201cCarl and I spent many wonderful years together,\u201d she said. \u201cWords can\u2019t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.\u201d<\/p>\n The statement said the family asks for privacy during this time.<\/p>\n Parton and Dean were known for keeping their relationship out of the public eye, and they did so on purpose.<\/p>\n \u201cI married a really good man, a guy that\u2019s completely different than me,\u201d Parton told Parade Magazine in 2015<\/b><\/a>.<\/b> \u201cHe\u2019s not in show business.\u201d<\/p>\n Parade reported that the duo first met at a laundromat in Nashville when Parton was just 18-years-old.<\/p>\n \u201cI was surprised and delighted that while he talked to me, he looked at my face (a rare thing for me),\u201d she wrote on her website, per Parade. \u201cHe seemed to be genuinely interested in finding out who I was and what I was about.\u201d<\/p>\n Parade said the two \u201csnuck off one weekend\u201d about two years later to get married.<\/p>\n They renewed their vows in 2015.<\/p>\n \u201cWe just had a simple little ceremony at our chapel at our place,\u201d she told Rolling Stone.<\/p>\n Billy Earheart<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Billy Earheart, a piano player and organist for the Amazing Rhythm Aces, has died.<\/p>\n He was 71.<\/p>\n Earheart\u2019s obituary said he died on May 13 \u201cafter an extended struggle with cancer.\u201d<\/p>\n The Tennessee native won a Grammy Award with the \u201cAmazing Rhythm Aces\u201d for Best Country Vocal Performance By a Duo or Group for \u201cThe End is Not in Sight (The Cowboy Tune).\u201d<\/p>\n He also played piano for Hank Williams Jr.\u2019s Bama Band for more than 20 years, and also reportedly played with artists such as Al Green, Waylon Jennings, BB King and more.<\/p>\n Earheart reportedly played on more than 200 albums.<\/p>\n \u201cBilly loved music early and had one year of piano lessons as a child,\u201d his obituary read. \u201cThe piano teacher wasn\u2019t teaching the music he wanted to play, so he taught himself.\u201d<\/p>\n The obit said Earheart played his first gig in 1966 and founded the \u201cAmazing Rhythm Aces\u201d in 1973. The group won its Grammy in 1977.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile playing with the Aces, Billy got to travel the world, opening for such acts as Jimmy Buffet, Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles, and appeared on TV shows such as Saturday Night Live and Don Kishner\u2019s Rock Concert,\u201d his obit said.<\/p>\n His obituary also noted that he had \u201cthe perfect demeanor to serve as the big brother to three younger sisters.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn his later years, Billy often spoke about how precious his grandchildren (also known as \u2018skunkingtons\u2019 or \u2018polecats of love\u2019) were to him,\u201d it read.<\/p>\n He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Katherine, a son and a daughter and many grandchildren.<\/p>\n Mac Gayden<\/b><\/u> <\/b><\/p>\n Mac Gayden, a popular country and rock singer and a talented songwriter, died on April 16.<\/p>\n He was 83.<\/p>\n The New York Times reported<\/b><\/a> that Gayden died on Wednesday at his home in Nashville due to complications from Parkinson\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n The Times said that Gayden co-wrote the \u201cpop evergreen\u201d song \u201cEverlasting Love,\u201d and called him \u201can innovative guitarist who recorded with Bob Dylan.\u201d It also credited him with helping Nashville become \u201ca recording hub for artists working outside the bounds of country music.\u201d<\/p>\n The publication also noted his work on \u201cAbsolutely Sweet Marie,\u201d with Bob Dylan and \u201cBlonde on Blonde.\u201d It called the work his \u201cmost illustrious achievement\u201d while pointing out that it strangely went \u201cuncredited for decades.\u201d<\/p>\n Gayden was a native of Nashville. His career began in the 1960s.<\/p>\n \u201cMac Gayden\u2019s fingerprint was recognized at a time the world was becoming acutely aware of the blinding array, and virtuosity, of Nashville\u2019s first-call cats,\u201d Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young said<\/b><\/a>. \u201cHis sheer musicality was a dazzling force, and his spirit a gift to us all.\u201d<\/p>\n Tony Haselden<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Tony Haselden, who rose to fame as a rocker and then transitioned into a celebrated country music songwriter, died on May 16.<\/p>\n He was 79. A cause of death was not reported.<\/p>\n Haselden joined the rock group, LeRoux, in 1978 and reportedly played with the band right up until his death. He rose to fame with the group, writing hits such as \u201cNobody Said It Was Easy,\u201d in 1978, too. When LeRoux went on hiatus in 1984, Haselden moved to Nashville and became a successful country music songwriter and producer, per Taste of Country.<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Among the hits he wrote were, \u201cThat\u2019s My Story (And I\u2019m Stick\u2019 To It)\u201d by Collin Raye, \u201cIt Ain\u2019t Nothin\u201d by Keith Whitley, and \u201cYou Know Me Better Than That,\u201d by George Strait.<\/p>\n Taste of Country said many more country stars such as Shania Twain, Reba McEntire, Billy Ray Cyrus, Doug Stone, Shelby Lynne, Shenandoah, Michelle Wright and Martinia McBride recorded songs written by Haselden as well.<\/p>\n He was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame and the LMHOF Songwriters\u2019 Association Hall of Fame in 2010, according to Taste of Country.<\/p>\n Bill Ivey<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Bill Ivey, the former CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, died on Nov. 7.<\/p>\n He was 81.<\/p>\n The Country Music Hall of Fame announced his death in a lengthy Facebook post. <\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Ivey served as the CEO for the Hall of Fame from 1971 through 1997. <\/p>\n \u201cIvey set a rigorous standard that ensured the Museum\u2019s collections of artifacts, recordings, and library materials documenting country music would be unmatched,\u201d the statement read. \u201cTwice he presided over building expansions, and through his leadership the Museum was transformed form a modest tourist attraction into the premier center for the preservation and study of country music past and present. <\/p>\n \u201cDuring his tenure, the Museum gained national accreditation, its budget increased fourfold, and its staff and programs grew accordingly,\u201d the statement continued. <\/p>\n The statement also noted that in 1997 Ivey was selected by President Bill Clinton to be the chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. <\/p>\n \u201cAfter four years in that role, Ivey directed the Curb Center for Art, Enterprise, and Public Policy at Vanderbilt University and served on the faculty there from 2002 to 2012,\u201d the statement continued. \u201cIn addition to those full-time posts, Ivey also served at various times as president of the Recording Academy, chair of the Recording Academy\u2019s board of trustees, and president of the American Folklore Society. In 1989, he helped found the Leadership Music nonprofit networking forum and served for years as that organization\u2019s discussion facilitator. He also wrote liner notes for many historical albums as well as scholarly articles, and he published three books in his later years on popular culture, politics, and public policy.<\/p>\n \u201che was a challenging thinker who helped cement the reputation of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum as a significant and authoritative music history center. His impact on the Museum and the wider arts world is incalculable.\u201d<\/p>\n Flaco Jim\u00e9nez<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Flaco Jim\u00e9nez died on July 31. <\/p>\n He was 86. <\/p>\n No cause of death was reported. <\/p>\n Jim\u00e9nez was a six-time Grammy winner. <\/p>\n Country Music Hall of Fame CEO Kyle Young was among those who remembered Jim\u00e9nez.<\/p>\n \u201cFlaco Jim\u00e9nez was a paragon of conjunto music with his rich accordion playing,\u201d Young wrote on X. \u201cHe drew us into a musical world they might not have otherwise discovered. \u2018Street of Bakersfield\u2019 by Dwight and Buck wouldn\u2019t have been the same without his sparkling touches.\u201d<\/p>\n Mark Laws<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Mark Laws, the drummer for popular country music singer Alex Miller, was shot and killed on May 25 in Cumberland Gap, Tennessee.<\/p>\n Taste of Country reported<\/b><\/a>that Laws\u2019 stepson, Maxwell Madon, has been charged in his death.<\/p>\n Laws, 62, has worked as Miller\u2019s drummer and band leader for the past five years, according to The Tennessean. The outlet said Laws also worked with Little Jimmy Dickens, Larry Cordle and Bill Carlilse.<\/p>\n Miller shared his thoughts on Instagram following Laws\u2019 death.<\/p>\n \u201cMy heart is truly broke at the passing of my drummer Mark Laws,\u201d Miller wrote. \u201cMy grandad once told me that you\u2019ll have lots of friends in your life, but finding a (true) friend is something that is rare and special. My grandad was a true friend, and so was Mark Laws. His loss to me is devastating. Please pray for his family for me.\u201d<\/p>\n WRIL-FM reported <\/b><\/a>that Claiborne County Sheriff Bob Brooks said that Madon, who is 25, lived with his grandparents. Brooks said Madon got in an argument with his grandparents about cleaning his room and assaulted his grandfather. That is when, according to the sheriff, the grandmother called Laws to come to their home and help.<\/p>\n He told the site that Laws and Madon began arguing when he got there, and that a short time later Madon show and killed him. Brooks told the site that Madon also shot himself in the hand during the incident.<\/p>\n The site said he has been charged with criminal homicide and that more charges are expected to come.<\/p>\n Melba Montgomery<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Country music legend Melba Montgomery has died, according to Taste of Country.<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n The site reported that Montgomery died on Jan. 15.<\/p>\n She was 86.<\/p>\n Her daughter, Melissa Solomon Barrett, posted about her death on Facebook, too.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is with great sadness that we announce our family has lost our mother, Melba Montgomery Solomon,\u201d she wrote. \u201cShe was a wonderful mother, grandmother, sister to my uncle, sister-in-law to my aunts and aunt to my cousins. She fought a long battle with dementia but is now with her loving husband, Jack Solomon in Heaven. We know mom has been waiting to hold dad for over 10 years.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you for loving our mom as much as we have,\u201d she added. \u201cShe was an incredibly talented, kind and generous woman.\u201d<\/p>\n Taste of Country noted that Montgomery was known for her duets with the likes of George Jones and her No. 1 hit, \u201cNo Charge,\u201d which came in 1974.<\/p>\n Montgomery was born in Tennessee in 1938, and she got her career going in 1958. She had 22 solo studio albums and was inducted into Nashville\u2019s Walkway of the Stars in 1974.<\/p>\n George Jones\u2019 daughter, Georgette, remembered Montgomery with a post on Facebook.<\/p>\n \u201cVery sad news as yesterday the legendary Melba Montgomery passed away at age 86,\u201d she wrote. \u201cMelba recorded with my Dad many songs including \u2018We Must Have Been Out Of Our Minds.\u201d She was an incredible singer and songwriter as well as a very sweet and wonderful person. Please join me in praying for her family and friends.\u201d<\/p>\n Chad Morgan<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Australian country music star Chad Morgan died on Jan. 1.<\/p>\n He was 91.<\/p>\n Morgan was called \u201cThe Sheik of Scrubby Creek.\u201d Known for his vaudeville style, he was considered a pioneer of country music in his country.<\/p>\n Popculture.com said Morgan <\/b><\/a>released more than 20 albums across a 70-year career.<\/p>\n Johnny Rodriguez<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Country music legend Johnny Rodriguez died on May 9.<\/p>\n He was 73. No cause of death was reported.<\/p>\n Rodriguez reportedly died at home.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved Johnny Rodriguez, who left us peacefully on May 9th, surrounded by family,\u201d his daughter, Aubry Rodriguez, wrote on Facebook. \u201cDad was not only a legendary musician whose artistry touched millions around the world, but also a deeply loved husband, father, uncle, and brother whose warmth, humor, and compassion shaped the lives of all who knew him.\u201d<\/p>\n Rodriguez rose to fame in the 1970s and was one of the first Hispanic stars in the country music. A native of Texas, Rodriguez put together a list of hit songs including \u201cPass Me by (If You\u2019re Only Passing Through) in 1973. He also had hits in \u201cRidin\u2019 My Thump to Mexico,\u201d \u201cThat\u2019s the Way Love Goes,\u201d I Just Can\u2019t Get Her Out of My mind,\u201d Just Get Up and Close the Door,\u201d and \u201cLove Put a Song in My Heart.\u201d<\/p>\n Taste of Country noted<\/a> that Rodriguez was nominated for CMA Male Vocalist of the Year and Single Record of the Year in 1973.<\/p>\n The site said that Rodriguez was inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007.<\/p>\n Lulu Roman <\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Lulu Roman, one of the last surviving remaining members of the country music variety show \u201cHee Haw,\u201d died on April 23. <\/p>\n She was 78.<\/p>\n Her son, Damon Roman, told The Hollywood Reporter <\/b><\/a>that Roman died on Wednesday in Bellingham, Washington. He said she moved there <\/p>\n The site reported that Roman appeared on the first episode of \u201cHee Haw\u201d in 1969 and on the last one in June of 1993.<\/p>\n Roman said she developed a drug problem in high school, but she turned her life around while starring on \u201cHee Haw\u201d and became a gospel singer. She released a dozen albums across her singing career.<\/p>\n He big break came as she was performing in her comedy act, \u201cLulu Roman the World\u2019s Biggest Go-Go Dancer.\u201d She befriended country music star Buck Owens, who was going to star on \u201cHee Haw.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey needed one boy next door, one fat dumb man, one fat dumb woman,\u201d Roman said in an interview last year per The Hollywood Reporter. \u201cBuck said, \u2018I got your girl! She\u2019s in Dallas!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Roman left the show in 1971 after she was arrested for drug possession. The Hollywood Reporter said she said she used marijuana, speed, LSD and meth. The site said Roman converted to Christianity in 1973 and was rehired.<\/p>\n She released her first gospel album in 1974.<\/p>\n She was inducted into the Country Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1999.<\/p>\n John Wesley Ryles <\/b><\/u><\/p>\n John Wesley Ryles might not be a name that many modern country music fans know, but he certainly had his time at the top of the industry.<\/p>\n His career got off to a start in the 1960s when he was still a teenager and he ran off a string of hits through the 1980s.<\/p>\n Sadly, that one-time teen star died on Nov. 2. He was 74.<\/p>\n His death was first announced on social media by Tracy Pitcox<\/b><\/a>,<\/b> owner of Hart of Texas Records.<\/p>\n \u201cAt age 17, he made his debut in 1968 with the single \u201cKay,\u201d a Top Ten hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles charts, and the title track to his debut album for Columbia Records,\u201d Pitcox wrote. \u201cRyles later recorded one album, Reconsider Me, for the Plantation label, which produced a No. 39 single in its title track. It was followed by two non-album singles, \u2018Tell It Like It Is\u2019 and \u2018When a Man Loves a Woman,\u2019 both on the Music Mill label in 1976.<\/p>\n \u201cHe then moved to Dot records,\u201d the post continued. \u201cHis first single on ABC\/Dot, \u2018Fool,\u2019 made it to No. 18 on the Hot Country chart followed by his highest-peaking single, the No. 5 \u2018Once in a Lifetime Thing.\u2019 When that label merged with MCA Records, he issued the album Let the Night Begin there. The first single, \u2018Liberated Woman\u2019 climbed to No. 14 on the Billboard Hot Country chart. It was followed by a rendition of \u2018Always on My Mind,\u2019 which went to #20 on the Billboard Hot Country chart. The last song released from this album, \u2018Perfect Strangers,\u2019 reached No. 24 on the Billboard Chart.\u201d<\/p>\n Pitcox wrote that since the release of his last single in 1988, Ryles has worked as a background vocalist and in the production side of the industry.<\/p>\n Country singer Mark Willis also posted about Ryles\u2019 death.<\/p>\n \u201cWe lost a GIANT in the music industry,\u201d he wrote. \u201cJohn Wesley Ryles sang more harmonies on records, that to the listener, sounded like the artist themselves! He could blend with ANYBODY! John sang on my first four records and always had a flawless blend with the lead vocal. It was perfect. My condolences to Joni and his entire family! Please lift them up in prayer.\u201d<\/p>\n Parade Magazine noted<\/b> <\/a>that Ryles became \u201cone of Nashville\u2019s most in-demand background vocalists,\u201d after 1988. The outlet reported that he worked with the likes of Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Randy Travis and Blake Shelton.<\/p>\n He was married to Joni Lee, the daughter of country music icon Conway Twitty.<\/p>\n Jeannie Seely <\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Reba McEntire and Carly Pearce were among those who shared their heartbreak Friday following the news of country music legend Jeannie Seely\u2019s death.<\/p>\n Seely, 85, died on Aug. 1 at Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tennessee due to complications from an intestinal infection.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve always loved this woman!\u201d McEntire wrote on X while sharing a photo of herself with Dolly Parton and Seely. \u201cShe was a little spitfire, opinionated team player! Rest in peace, Jeannie.\u201d<\/p>\n Reba McEntire and Carly Pearce were among those who shared their heartbreak Friday following the news of country music legend Jeannie Seely\u2019s death.<\/p>\n Seely, 85, died on Friday at Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tennessee due to complications from an intestinal infection.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve always loved this woman!\u201d McEntire wrote on X while sharing a photo of herself with Dolly Parton and Seely. \u201cShe was a little spitfire, opinionated team player! Rest in peace, Jeannie.\u201d<\/p>\n Seely, a native of Titusville, Pennsylvania, revealed to People Magazine back in May that she had dealt with multiple health issues this year.<\/p>\n \u201cOver the past several weeks, I\u2019ve received so many wonderful messages of love and concern about being missed on the Grand Ole Opry and on \u2018Sundays with Seely\u2019 on Willie\u2019s Roadhouse,\u201d she told People then. \u201cThank you for those, and I assure you that I miss you just as much! Hopefully I can count on that support as I struggle through this recovery process from multiple back surgeries in March, as well as two emergency abdominal surgeries in April, followed by eleven days in the intensive care unit and a bout with pneumonia.\u201d<\/p>\n Seely told People she was still focused on the future and even planned to release new music. She told the outlet she also planned to return to her SiriusXM show as well as the Grand Ole Opry stage.<\/p>\n \u201cRehab is pretty tough but each day is looking brighter and last night, I saw a light at the end of the tunnel,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd it was neon, so I knew it was mine!<\/p>\n \u201cThe unsinkable Seely is working her way back.\u201d<\/p>\n Seely was also hospitalized last year for dehydration and diverticulitis while on a trip to Pa. And, her husband, Eugene Ward, died at the age of 92 in December.<\/p>\n Her love for the Grand Ole Opry began at a young age when her family would gather around the radio to listen to the shows on Saturday nights.<\/p>\n \u201cI knew at 8 years old what I wanted to be,\u201d she told People back in 2022. \u201cAnd I knew I wanted to be at the Opry.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt is with a heavy heart we say goodbye to a true icon to us here at the Opry, Mrs. Jeannie Seely,\u201d the Opry shared on X Friday. \u201cJeannie is the definition of a mentor and dear friend to many in the country music community. She fist appeared at the Opry in 1966 and while it was her first time being shoulder to shoulder with some of her heroes, she officially joined our family the next year in 1967 and has stood on that stage ever since with a special grace, sass, style, and of course \u2014 her wit and humor to top it all off.<\/p>\n \u201cHaving performed at the Grand Ole Opry mor than any other artists in history, 5,397 times to be exact, there\u2019s no doubt this place was home to her,\u201d the statement continued. \u201cIn her 57 years as an Opry member, she is recognized for changing the image of female country performers with her bold fashion statements, championed efforts to support and enhance women\u2019s roles in the music industry and was quite proud to be the first female to host a segment of the Opry. Beyond the Opry, she became the third female artists to win a Grammy and penned chart-topping hits for herself and many others. She also regularly hosted \u2018Sundays with Seely\u2019 on Willie\u2019s Roadhouse on Sirius XM.<\/p>\n \u201cYour legacy will always live on here at the Opry House, \u2018Miss Country Soul.\u2019 We will miss you dearly.\u201d<\/p>\n Todd Snider <\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Popular singer\/songwriter Todd Snider died on Nov. 14 just one day after his team announced that he had been hospitalized after battling walking pneumonia. <\/p>\n He was 59. <\/p>\n \u201cAimless Inc. Headquarters is heartbroken to share that our Founder, our Folk Hero, our Poet of the World, the Vice President of the Abrupt Change Dept., the Storyteller, our beloved Todd Daniel Snider has departed this world,\u201d a post Saturday on his Instagram read. <\/p>\n The lengthy statement closed with, \u201cWe love you Todd, sail on old friend, we\u2019ll see you again out there on the road somewhere down the line. You\u2019ll always be a force of nature.\u201d<\/p>\n This came after a concerning post to his Instagram on Friday.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have some difficult news to share,\u201d a post to his Instagram account read. \u201cAfter Todd returned home to recover last week, he began having trouble breathing and was admitted to the hospital in Hendersonville, TN. We learned from his doctors that he had been quietly suffering from an undiagnosed case of walking pneumonia. <\/p>\n \u201cOur beloved brother\u2019s condition has become more complicated, and he\u2019s since been transferred for additional treatment,\u201d the statement continued. \u201cHis care team and those closest to him are by his side and doing everything they can. Right now we\u2019re asking everyone who loves Todd to hold him in your thoughts in whatever way feels right to you. Say a prayer, light a candle, roll one up, send strength, or just keep him close in your heart. You\u2019ve carried him through so much over the years, and he needs that from all of us now more than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n This comes on the heels of police releasing bodycam footage of Snider, who appeared disoriented, being arrested outside of a Salt Lake City hospital back on Nov. 3. Snider\u2019s show that night was cancelled, and his team announced via his Instagram that he was violently assaulted outside of his hotel. <\/p>\n \u201cWe are heartbroken to announce the cancellation of the High, Lonesome and Then Some 2025 Tour dates,\u201d the statement read. \u201cAhead of Todd Snider\u2019s show in Salt Lake City, Todd sustained severe injuries as the victim of a violent assault outside of his hotel.<\/p>\n \u201cTodd will be unable to perform for an undetermined amount of time,\u201d the statement continued. \u201cWe deeply apologize for the cancellation and any inconvenience it causes. We appreciate your understanding as Todd receives needed medical treatment. We hope to have more information on new dates soon.\u201d<\/p>\n That was not the end of the story, though, obviously. Following that announcement, Snider was taken into custody, and in the bodycam footage a representative from the hospital explains that he had already been treated at one of their sister hospitals. <\/p>\n \u201cHe was assaulted like last night,\u201d the person told police. \u201cHe was just discharged from one of our sister hospitals about 12:30. He came today and I just straight up asked him, \u2018What is it that you want us to do for you that they haven\u2019t already done for you?\u2019 And he said his whole body hurts, and then he said he just wanted a place to sleep overnight. And I said that we are not a place you can sleep overnight. If you need a place to sleep overnight, you\u2019re going to have to find some place else. That is when everything escalated.\u201d<\/p>\n The person from the hospital said that Snider was \u201cbeing loud and obnoxious.\u201d A security guard said that Snider said he wanted to \u201ckick my ass.\u201d<\/p>\n Video showed police reading an emotional Snider his rights.<\/p>\n \u201cI just want to be treated,\u201d he said. \u201cI need to be in the hospital not in the jail. Please! I checked out and I tried to check back in.\u201d<\/p>\n Police then told Snider that the hospital said he was looking for a bed, and he can\u2019t stay there.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sick,\u201d he pleaded. \u201cWhere can I stay?\u201d<\/p>\n That is when police asked him if he was homeless.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not homeless,\u201d Snider said. \u201cI live in Nashville. I have a band. I\u2019m famous. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not a bad person,\u201d he added. \u201cI promise. I promise you can check my record. I just need help.\u201d<\/p>\n Police asked Snider where his pain was.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s in my neck and my back, my arms and my legs and my stomach,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s everywhere. It\u2019s excruciating.\u201d<\/p>\n Buck White<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Country music legend Buck White died on Jan. 13.<\/p>\n He was 94.<\/p>\n The news of his death was relayed from his four daughters by another country music legend, Ricky Skaggs, on his Facebook page.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Lord answered our prayers and took our daddy, Buck White, home peacefully this morning at 8:00 a.m.,\u201d the message from the daughters \u2014 Sharon, Cheryl, Rosie and Melissa \u2014 read. \u201cWe are so thankful for his 94 years on this earth. He was a great dad who taught us by example to put Jesus first always. His great loves were the Lord, our mother, his family, and music. Most people will remember him not only for being a great musician and entertainer, but also for being fun-loving and full of mischief. He lived a full life and finished well.<\/p>\n White, along with his daughters Sharon and Cheryl, formed the Grammy Award-winning trio The Whites. Per Taste of Country, the group had several top 10 and Top 20 singles in the 1980s. The Whites were inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 1984, and in 2008 they were inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n According to Taste of Country,<\/b><\/a> the group was nominated for five Grammys and won two.<\/p>\n 2024 DEATHS<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Norah Lee Allen<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n It has been an emotional year for The Oak Ridge Boys, and things took a particularly heartbreaking turn on Easter.<\/p>\n According to Taste of Country, <\/a>Norah Lee Allen, the wife of lead singer Duane Allen, died after battling an illness for \u201can extended period of time.\u201d The site reported that she had been at Vanderbilt Hospital when she died.<\/p>\n Allen reportedly shared the news on social media.<\/p>\n \u201cThis morning, my wife of 54 years and 8 months took her last breath of air on planet Earth,\u201d he wrote. \u201cNorah Lee went to be with Jesus at 7:28 am, Easter morning. She had not been feeling well for some time. Her family all spent the night with her last night at Vanderbilt Hospital. We took time singing with and to her, telling her stories, and loving her every second that God let us share her here on this Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n The Grand Ole Opry took time to remember Allen, too.<\/p>\n \u201cDuring (Wednesday\u2019s show), we paused to remember a beloved member of our Opry family we lost earlier this week, Norah Lee Allen,\u201d a post on the Opry\u2019s X page, formerly Twitter, read.<\/a> \u201cFor decades, Norah Lee added her voice to Opry performances as one of our background vocalists, our Opry Singers.<\/p>\n \u201cShe was also a member of our family as the wife of Duane Allen of Opry group The Oak Ridge Boys,\u201d the post continued. \u201cShe will be lovingly remembered by all who knew her and all who knew her voice here at the Grand Ole Opry.\u201d<\/p>\n Tommy Alverson<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Tommy Alverson, a legendary musician in Texas who played alongside some of the biggest names in the industry, died in November.<\/p>\n He was 74.<\/p>\n Alverson had reportedly been battling cancer prior to his death.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to need a little while, but I\u2019ll be posting soon,\u201d his wife, Amy Carol, wrote on Facebook.<\/a> \u201cUntil then just know that; just like the lucky ol sun, he\u2019s got nothing to do but roll around Heaven all day.\u201d<\/p>\n She had several emotional posts that followed including one of a funny video, noting that Tommy \u201csent me stuff like this allll the time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe was my happy,\u201d she wrote. \u201cMy person, my love \u2026 he knew everything about me and loved me anyway. A truer love never existed or ever will.\u201d<\/p>\n Alverson shared the stage with a long list of notable performers including Willie Nelson.<\/p>\n His biggest hit, \u201cUna Mas Cerveza,\u201d came in 1999. It was that song that reportedly allowed Alverson, who was a long-time Miller Brewing employee, to chase country music full-time.<\/p>\n Alverson was considered a legend on the country scene in Texas for the way he championed bands and artists as well for his own talents, and news of his death quickly spread with tributes across social media.<\/p>\n Joe Bonsall<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Another heartbreaking loss for The Oak Ridge Boys was longtime member Joe Bonsall who died in July.<\/p>\n Bonsall, who was 76, passed away due to complications from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).<\/p>\n The band shared an obit post to its X, formerly Twitter, account announcing his death.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a 50-year member of the American music group The Oak Ridge Boys, Joe was a member of the Grand Ole Opry and inducted into the Philadelphia Music Hall of Fame, the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, and the prestigious Country Music Hall of Fame,\u201d the post read.<\/p>\n You can see that post and the responses here. <\/a><\/p>\n Bonsall retired from touring with the band in January.<\/p>\n Fran Boyd<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Fran Boyd, a country music groundbreaker and champion of the genre, died on March 9.<\/p>\n She was 84.<\/p>\n Billboard said that Boyd \u201cplayed a key role in shaping and advancing the (Academy of Country Music) from its early years in California in the late 1960s, through the start of the millennium.\u201d<\/p>\n Boyd was reportedly the first paid employee of the ACM, coming onboard in 1968 as executive secretary. She worked her way all the way up to executive director. Per Billboard, she \u201coversaw nearly every aspect of the annual (ACM) awards\u201d show.<\/p>\n She worked for the ACM for more than three decades before retiring in 2002.<\/p>\n The Academy of Country Music posted on X, formerly Twitter, regarding Boyd\u2019s death.<\/p>\n You can see that post, here.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cFran Boyd played an essential part in the Academy\u2019s history, stretching way back to the 1960s and steering the ship through decades of change, innovation, and growth, all while fostering an incredible passion for country music,\u201d Gayle Holcomb, ACM Board Sergeant-At-Arms told Billboard. \u201cFran will always be remembered as a champion for our industry, its artists, and this organization. On behalf of the ACM Officers and Board of Directors, I send our gratitude, prayers and condolences to the Boyd family.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI am now at a point where walking is impossible, so I have basically retired from the road,\u201d he reportedly said. \u201cIt has just gotten too difficult. It has been a great 50 years, and I am thankful to all the Oak Ridge Boys band crew and staff for the constant love and support shown to me through it all. I will never forget, and for those of you have been constantly holding me up in prayer, I think you and ask for you to keep on praying.\u201d<\/p>\n He returned to social media to address fans after that initial announcement.<\/p>\n \u201cI am overwhelmed by the love shown to me this week,\u201d he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. \u201cI think I have heard from everyone I have ever known and many many more \u2026. Thank you doesn\u2019t seem adequate \u2026 but THANK YOU.\u201d<\/p>\n Tommy Cash<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Just about everybody on the planet knows Johnny Cash.<\/p>\n Not quite as many know Tommy Cash, but the country music legend\u2019s younger brother was beloved in his own right, putting together a long career that spanned from 1965 through 2016.<\/p>\n Sadly, the younger Cash died in September, according to multiple reports. He was 84.<\/p>\n The Johnny Cash Museum announced his death in a statement.<\/p>\n \u201cI knew him for over 50 years,\u201d Johnny Cash Museum founder Bill Miller said via a representative, according to Taste of Country. \u201cTommy Cash was a loyal supporter of the Johnny Cash Museum and a very beloved member of our extended family as well as a highly respected member of the music industry. This great man will be deeply missed by his friends and many loyal fans around the world.<\/p>\n \u201cPlease keep Tommy\u2019s beloved wife, Marcy, and his family in your prayers.\u201d<\/p>\n Taste of Country said that Tommy Cash was born in 1940, and after high school he joined the Army and became a DJ for the Armed Forces Radio network.<\/p>\n The site said Tommy\u2019s music career began playing with Hank Williams Jr. before he signed a record deal in 1965, and that after Johnny\u2019s death in 2003, he became an ambassador for the family legacy.<\/p>\n His death on Sept. 13 came one day after Johnny died 21 years earlier.<\/p>\n Don Cason<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Singer, hit songwriter, producer and author Buzz Cason died in June.<\/p>\n He was 84. No cause of death was reported.<\/p>\n \u201cBuzz Cason never concerned himself too much with musical boundaries,\u201d Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young said. \u201cHe just lived and breathed music. As a singer, songwriter, producer, and publisher, he helped shape and expand the sound of Nashville in countless ways across seven decades.\u201d<\/p>\n Cason\u2019s career in music began in the 1960s when he helped found The Casuals, known as Nashville\u2019s first rock band. He then pursued a solo career and went on to sing backup vocals for the likes of Elvis Presley, Kenny Rogers, John Denver and Roy Orbison, according to Taste of Country.<\/p>\n As a songwriter and producer he combined with the likes of Dolly Parton, the Oak Ridge Boys, Martina McBride, Mel Tillis and Jimmy Buffett. His biggest hit song, \u201cEverlasting Love,\u201d was co-written with Mac Gayden. Taste of Country said that song is one of the few to make the Billboard Hot 100 in four consecutive decades.<\/p>\n Larry Collins<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Larry Collins, a former country music child star turned legendary guitarist and song writer, died on Jan. 5.<\/p>\n He was 79. Per reports, Collins died of natural causes.<\/p>\n He first made his splash in country music alongside his older sister, Lorrie, when they formed the \u201cThe Collins Kids\u201d duo when Larry was just 9 years old. They recorded a series of hits \u2014 \u201cHop, Skip and Kump,\u201d \u201cHoy Hoy,\u201d and \u201cBeetle Bug Bop\u201d \u2014 with music catering to children. The became regulars on \u201cTown Hall Party\u201d in 1954 and they performed together into the 60s.<\/p>\n Per reports, Lorrie had her first child in 1961 and stepped away from music to focus on family. The duo did reunite years later in the 90s.<\/p>\n While Lorrie, who died in 2018, focused on building her family, Larry moved on to a solo career where he made, perhaps, his biggest mark as a songwriter. He is credited as the co-writer for \u201cDelta Dawn,\u201d which became Tanya Tucker\u2019s first hit song among other songs.<\/p>\n Allison Cornell<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Allison Cornell died in February.<\/p>\n She was a part of Shania Twain\u2019s band for years.<\/p>\n \u201cAllison Cornell was such a talented and wonderful person,\u201d Twain wrote<\/a> on X, formerly Twitter. \u201cIt was a privilege, as an artist, to have her on stage with me through a lot of my touring career. Feeling very sad. Allison\u2019s memory will live on but sadly another beautiful human has gone too soon. Rest in Peace (heart emoji).\u201d<\/p>\n A post on Cornell\u2019s artist management page also addressed her death.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is with great sadness that we say farewell to Allison Shropshire Cornell,\u201d the post began.<\/a> \u201cRest in Peace. Heaven has opened up its gates to an incredible talent!\u201d<\/p>\n Zeke Dawson<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n The country music world has lost another legendary performer in November.<\/p>\n And while Zeke Dawson\u2019s name might not be one that everyone knows, he was a legend nonetheless. Dawson wasn\u2019t a singer after all, but he could play the fiddle like just about nobody else could, and he was the fiddle player for Loretta Lynn in her Coal miner Band for nearly a decade.<\/p>\n Dawson, 84, was a native of Prince George\u2019s County, Maryland, and he began playing the fiddle professionally when he was just 12-years-old, the site reported.<\/p>\n He lived a full life.<\/p>\n That included serving in the United States Army, his long stint with Lynn, and playing alongside George Jones and on the Grand Ole Opry.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery member of Loretta\u2019s Coal miner Band was like family to her,\u201d Lynn\u2019s X account shared. \u201cZeke Dawson was with her for nearly a decade. He will be missed by the entire Lynn family. This week, we are sending our love to his family.\u201d<\/p>\n David Thornhill, the led guitarist for Lynn, also posted on Facebook about Dawson\u2019s death.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cSorry to say, but we lost another \u2018COALMINER\u2019 this morning,\u201d he wrote. \u201cZeke Dawson who was Lorretta\u2019s fiddle player from 1974 for 9 years, passed away this morning at 1;00 AM. Zeke was my roommate on the road, and quite a unique person. He was always in a happy mood and kept things lively on the road. He will greatly be missed. RIP my great friend.\u201d<\/p>\n Gene Elders<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Gene Elders, a longtime fiddle player in Country Music Hall of Famer George Strait\u2019s legendary Ace in the Hole Band, died in March.<\/p>\n It was the second heartbreaking death to rock Strait in a day\u2019s time after his manager, Erv Woolsey, also passed away.<\/p>\n \u201cHard to believe we lost two of our music family members on the same day,\u201d Strait posted on X, formerly Twitter.<\/a> \u201cOur Ace in the Hole treasured band member Gene Elders passed away yesterday afternoon shortly after we lost Erv. All of our prayers go out to both families. We loved him so much.\u201d<\/p>\n Elders\u2019 website said he played in Strait\u2019s band <\/a>since 1984. It said he also played in Lyle Lovett\u2019s Large Band for 11 years, and also played on recordings for Joan Baez, Lucinda Williams and Dan Fogelberg.<\/p>\n Fans took to social media following the news to remember Elders.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been fortunate enough to watch Gene Elders play that haunting fiddle outro on \u2018Amarillo By Morning\u2019 live several times,\u201d one person wrote. \u201cThe arena goes dark except for a long spotlight on Gene, it sends chills every time. RIP Gene Elders.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cToday was a devastating day for the Strait camp,\u201d another person wrote. \u201cOur hearts are hurting. Rest in Peace Gene Elders. Rest in Peace Erv Woolsey. We will miss you both.\u201d<\/p>\n Tom Foote<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n George Strait revealed in May that a member of his operation had died for the third time this year.<\/p>\n The latest death was Tom Foote, a former drummer for Strait\u2019s Ace in the Hole band and the singer\u2019s longtime road manager.<\/p>\n The singer announced the death on X, formerly Twitter.<\/p>\n \u201cWe lost another one of our good friends and a huge part of our musical journey yesterday,\u201d Strait wrote. <\/a>\u201cTom Foote, our one-time drummer and long-time road manager for around 48 years, suddenly passed away at his home after our rehearsal. The band and I were with him most of the afternoon, and he was great. Just doing what he loved to do which was making sure we were taken care of. 2024 is taking its toll on the Ace in the Hole group. We\u2019re all heartbroken to say the least. Rest in peace brother Tom. You will be hugely missed. I\u2019ll see you down the road amigo.\u201d<\/p>\n Foote was reportedly the drummer <\/a>for a band that hired Strait to be its new singer back in 1975. That band eventually became the Ace in the Hole Band. He reportedly stayed on as drummer through 1983 when he moved into his role as road manager.<\/p>\n \u201cSo sorry to hear this,\u201d one person responded to Strait. \u201cPrayers for peace and comfort!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy prayers for his family and yours,\u201d another wrote.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m so sorry about your (loss),\u201d another wrote. \u201cThis year has really been a trying year for you and your group king George. My prayers are with you all. Hold on \u2026 keeping playing that true country music. Your long time fans love it. Prayers going up.\u201d<\/p>\n And there were plenty more responses like that. You can see them here.<\/p>\n Foote\u2019s death comes after Gene Elders, a longtime fiddle player in Strait\u2019s Ace in the Hole Band, and Erv Woolsey, his manager, both died within a day of one another back in March.<\/p>\n Kinky Friedman<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Kinky Friedman was a legend, and if you don\u2019t believe it, just check the headlines.<\/p>\n Friedman, 79, died in June. H<\/p>\n e had reportedly been battling Parkinson\u2019s disease for years.<\/p>\n He was a country music singer. He ran to be the governor of Texas. He wrote books. He wrote songs. He was a satirist. One story described him as a \u201crabble rouser.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n And his name \u2026 well, the guy was unique.<\/p>\n \u201cKinky Friedman stepped on a rainbow at his beloved Echo Hill surrounded by family & friends,\u201d a post to his X, formerly Twitter account, said on Thursday. <\/a>\u201cKinkster endured tremendous pain and unthinkable loss in recent years but he never lost his fighting spirit and quick wit. Kinky will live on as his books are read and his songs are sung.\u201d<\/p>\n A close friend of Friedman\u2019s, Kent Perkins, told The Associated Press that he \u201cdied peacefully.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe smoked a cigar, went to bed and never woke up,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Perkins called Friedman \u201cthe last free person on earth.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe had an irreverence about him,\u201d he said. \u201cHe was a fearless writer.\u201d<\/p>\n As a performer he toured with the likes of Bob Dylan.<\/p>\n He put out 18 albums, the first coming in 1973 and the last dropping in 2018.<\/p>\n William \u201cRusty\u201d Golden<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n William \u201cRusty\u201d Golden, the son of legendary Oak Ridge Boys performer William Lee Golden, died on July 1.<\/p>\n He was 65.<\/p>\n He died at his home in Hendersonville, Tennessee, according to a press release shared by the band.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the hardest thing ever for a father to have to face,\u201d William Lee Golden said in the release. \u201cI love my family more than anything. Rusty was a great musician, a talented songwriter, and a wonderful son. We appreciate your thoughts and prayers for the days ahead. I love you, son.\u201d<\/p>\n Rusty Golden followed in his father\u2019s footsteps as a musician, singer and songwriter. He even earned an RIAA Gold record as a songwriter on The Oak Ridge Boys\u2019 Bobbie Sue album.<\/p>\n He moved into gospel music later in life after undergoing a quadruple bypass.<\/p>\n William Lee Golden also posted on his X account, formerly Twitter, about his son\u2019s death.<\/p>\n \u201cWe thank you all for your love and support of Rusty over the years and kindly ask for privacy for our family during this difficult time,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n You can read more about his life and accolades here.<\/a><\/p>\n Wayland Holyfield<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Wayland Holyfield might not be a name that most country music fans know, but that probably should not be the case.<\/p>\n Because the guy was an icon.<\/p>\n Holyfield died in May. He was 82.<\/p>\n So, what made Holyfield so iconic in the country music world?<\/p>\n Well, the guy was one of the greatest songwriters the genre has ever seen. Holyfield helped write 14 No. 1 hits and had more than 40 songs reach the Top 10 during his time, according to Taste of Country.<\/a><\/p>\n The site said Holyfield wrote songs for some of country music\u2019s most legendary performers including George Strait, George Jones, the Judds, Brooks & Dunn, Randy Travis, Reba McEntire, Waylon Jennings, Conway Twitty \u201cand many more.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWayland Holyfield \u2014 who died May 6 \u2014 wrote sons of unflagging devotion, including the Don Williams hit \u201cYou\u2019re My Best Friend\u201d and Anne Murray\u2019s \u201cCould I Have this Dance,\u201d the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum said in a post on X, formerly Twitter<\/a>. \u201cHolyfield was devoted to his wife, to the craft of songwriting, and to advocating for the rights of his peers.\u201d<\/p>\n Mark James<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Mark James, a legendary songwriter and hitmaker, died on June 8.<\/p>\n He was 83.<\/p>\n James, who was a Houston native, died on June 8 at his home in Nashville.<\/p>\n James won a pair of Grammys in 1983 for his \u201cAlways on My Mind,\u201d which was performed by Willie Nelson. He also wrote the hits, \u201cHooked on a Feeling,\u201d and \u201cSuspicious Minds.\u201d He is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n \u201cMark\u2019s legacy and zest for life will live on in the hearts of those who loved him; and through his timeless lyrics and melodies that have been the soundtrack of lovers for generations,\u201d his family said according to the Hollywood Reporter.<\/a><\/p>\n Along with being inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, he was also named by BMI as one of the Songwriters of the Century for 2000. He is also a member of the Texas Songwriters Hall of Fame, the New York Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, according to the Hollywood Observer.<\/p>\n Along with Nelson, James wrote hits for the likes of Elvis Presley, B.J. Thomas and Brenda Lee.<\/p>\n Toby Keith<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Toby Keith<\/a> died on Feb. 5 following a battle with stomach cancer.<\/p>\n He was 62.<\/p>\n It was tragic news, especially, for a man who battled so bravely such a horrible disease, but if there\u2019s any solace to be found for his fans, it could be in some of his final words. Because, in his final days, Keith sat down with News 9 in Oklahoma to talk about his journey.<\/a><\/p>\n He was noticeably thinner as he talked about battling cancer, gave his thoughts on dying and, yes, even talked about death.<\/p>\n He called cancer a \u201clong dark hallway,\u201d but he also approached the subject in a way that only a man at complete peace could. And that is something he pinned on faith.<\/p>\n \u201cYou take it for granted on the days that things are good, and you lean on it when days are bad,\u201d he said. \u201cIt has taught me to lean on it a little more every day.\u201d<\/p>\n And that is when Keith talked about thinking about, at times, the possibility that he might die.<\/p>\n \u201cI was going through all the chemo, radiation, surgery, and I got to the point where I was comfortable with whatever happened,\u201d he said. \u201cI had my brain wrapped around it, and I was in a good spot either way.\u201d<\/p>\n That, he said, was a point that people with faith are not able to so easily get to.<\/p>\n So, if there is any comfort in news like this, perhaps it is that Keith had faith. And, mentally, he was prepared and comforted by his faith.<\/p>\n Kris Kristofferson<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Country music legend and actor Kris Kristofferson died in September, according to multiple reports.<\/p>\n He was 88.<\/p>\n PEOPLE Magazine reported<\/a> that a representative for Kristofferson said he died \u201cpeacefully\u201d at his home in Maui, surrounded by family.<\/p>\n \u201cKris Kristofferson believed creativity is God-given, and those who ignore such a gift are doomed to unhappiness,\u201d Country Music Hall of Fame CEO Kyle Young said in a statement.<\/a> \u201cHe preached that a life of the mind gives voice to the soul, and his work gave voice not only to his soul but to ours. He leaves a resounding legacy.\u201d<\/p>\n His family also issued a statement to PEOPLE.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is with a heavy heart that we share the news our husband\/father\/grandfather, Kris Krisofferson, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 28 at home,\u201d the statement read. \u201cWe\u2019re all so blessed for our time with him. Thank you for loving him all these many years, and when you see a rainbow, know he\u2019s smiling down at us all.\u201d<\/p>\n Kristofferson lived a colorful live. According to his website, he had two short stories \u2014 \u201cGone Are The Days,\u201d and \u201cThe Rock,\u201d \u2014 published in Atlantic Monthly when he was just 18. PEOPLE said he attended Pomona College in 1954 where he played football while also becoming a Golden Gloves boxer and working as the sports editor at the college\u2019s newspaper. He was featured in Sports Illustrated\u2019s \u201cFaces In the Crowd\u201d section in 1958, and PEOPLE said he was a Rhodes Scholar who got a master\u2019s for Oxford\u2019s Merton College in English literature in 1960.<\/p>\n He was just getting started.<\/p>\n As noted by PEOPLE, he joined the Army and became a helicopter pilot, and then in 1965 he stepped away from the Army to pursue music. He became a renowned songwriter with credits such as \u201cMe and Bobby McGee,\u201d \u201cFor the Good Times,\u201d \u201cSunday Mornin\u2019 Comin\u2019 Down,\u201d and \u201cHelp Me Make It Through the night,\u201d that became hits for other performers.<\/p>\n He made more waves in the country music world in 1985 when he joined Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings to form the supergroup, the Highwaymen.<\/p>\n Aside from his talent in the music world, he also had a long list of credits as an actor including \u201cA Star Is Born\u201d for which he earned a Golden Globe Award for best actor in 1976.<\/p>\n He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004.<\/p>\n Dave Loggins<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Dave Loggins, a Grammy-nominated singer\/songwriter who wrote songs for some of the biggest names in music, died in July.<\/p>\n He was 76. No cause of death has been reported.<\/p>\n As a singer, Loggins was best known for his 1974 hit, \u201cPlease Come to Boston,\u201d which reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 that year. It was the first of his four Grammy nominations.<\/p>\n He is also known for \u201cAugusta,\u201d which is the theme song for the Masters golf tournament.<\/p>\n While he was a talented singer, Billboard called him \u201cone of the most prolific songwriters of his generation.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n The site noted that Loggins wrote for the likes of Johnny Cash, Roby Keith, Wynonna Judd, Ray Charles, Smokey Robinson, Reba McEntire, Tanya Tucker, Kenny Rogers and Willie Nelson.<\/p>\n \u201cI just heard about the passing of Dave Loggins,\u201d Lee Greenwood wrote on X, formerly Twitter. \u201cDave was an incredible singer, guitar player, and a writer. It was his music that drew me to Nashville, Tennessee in 1979. Dave was from Bristol, TN, but he made the world know who he was by the songs he wrote and sang. We will miss his great talent, but his songs will live forever. We send prayers of healing and comfort to the Loggins family. I\u2019m the number one fan of the man from Tennessee.\u201d<\/p>\n Mary Martin<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Mary Martin might not be a name that the average country music fan would know, but it should be because she had a major influence on the industry.<\/p>\n The manager and executive, who helped create stars in the genre, died on July 4.<\/p>\n She was 85.<\/p>\n Time and again, Mary Martin spotted great talents and elevated their careers,\u201d Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young said in a statement posted to Instagram. <\/a>\u201cEarly on, she connected Bob Dylan to her friends the Hawks, who became the Band. She managed Leonard Cohen in his first musical outings, the guided the budding solo careers of Van Morrison, Rodney Crowell, and Vince Gill. At Warner Bros., she signed future Country Music Hall of Fame member Emmylou Harris, at RCA she helped sign and develop Clint Black and Lorrie Morgan, and she encouraged a young Keith Urban to move from Australia to Nashville. Mary\u2019s unerring feel for songs and performers was legendary, and she was a fierce ally for the artists she represented.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe greatest lady in music you probably never heard about,\u201d one person responded. \u201cHalf of the people represented in my music collection probably benefited from her insight, intelligence and uncanny musical sense.\u201d<\/p>\n Mojo Nixon<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n The headline in Rolling Stone called Mojo Nixon an \u201cunabashed outlaw cult hero,\u201d and if you dig into the story you quickly find out that\u2019s just about a perfect way to sum the guy up.<\/p>\n Nixon was one heckuva interesting guy.<\/p>\n He died on Feb. 7 at the age of 66, and even how he went was out of the ordinary. He was a host aboard the Outlaw Country Cruise and his family said he suffered a \u201ccardiac event,\u201d that took his life.<\/p>\n \u201cHow you should live is how you should die,\u201d the family told Rolling Stone. \u201c<\/a>Mojo Nixon was full-tilt, wide-open rock hard, root hog, corner on two wheels + on fire. Passing after a blazing show, a raging night, closing the bar, taking no prisoners + a good breakfast with bandmates and friends.<\/p>\n \u201cA cardiac event on the Outlaw Country Cruise is about right\u2026 & that\u2019s just how he did it, Mojo has left the building,\u201d they added. \u201cSince Elvis is everywhere, we know he was waiting for him in the alley out back. Heaven help us all.\u201d<\/p>\n Rolling Stone wrote that Nixon \u201cenjoyed a supremely weird yet singular career.\u201d<\/p>\n His big break came in 1987 with his hit novelty song \u201cElvis is Everywhere,\u201d that became a regular on MTV.<\/p>\n He put out six albums alongside Skid Roper, and five more solo projects. He also served as a DJ for SiriusXM\u2019s Outlaw Country for years, too.<\/p>\n Sandy Posey<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Beloved country music and pop singer Sandy Posey died in July.<\/p>\n She was 80.<\/p>\n She reportedly died at her home on Saturday in Tennessee after a battle with dementia.<\/p>\n Her husband, Wade Cummins, told TMZ that <\/a>she had \u201ca slow decline over the past seven years.\u201d<\/p>\n He told the site she was the love of his life.<\/p>\n Posey was born in 1944 in Jasper, Alabama, and she began her career in 1965. She quickly turned out a string of hits including \u201cBorn a Woman\u201d and \u201cSingle Girl.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBorn a Woman\u201d reached the 12-spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966 and sold over a million copies. \u201cSingle Girl\u201d also reached the 12-spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967.<\/p>\n She also recorded hits \u201cWhat a Woman in Love Won\u2019t Do,\u201d \u201cI Take It Back\u201d and \u201cCan\u2019t Get Used to Sleeping Without You.\u201d<\/p>\n She also did session work for Elvia Pressley and recorded with famed producer Billy Sherrill, according to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.<\/a><\/p>\n Hugh Prestwood<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Hugh Prestwood might not be a name that most country music fans know, but it should be because he was truly a legend at his craft.<\/p>\n Prestwood, a songwriter who authored hits for some of country music\u2019s best, died in September after he reportedly suffered a stroke.<\/p>\n He was 82.<\/p>\n \u201cHugh Prestwood, who wrote major hits, including Randy Travis\u2019 \u2018Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart\u2019 and Trisha Yearwood\u2019s \u2018The Song Remembers When,\u2019 died on September 22,\u201d the Country Music Hall of Fame wrote in a post on X. \u201cThe Texas native, who composed his work solo, was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006.\u201d<\/p>\n Yearwood also wrote about Prestwood\u2019s death on social media.<\/p>\n \u201cHugh Prestwood was a poet,\u201d she wrote. \u201c\u2018The Song Remembers When\u2019 is one of the greatest songs ever written, and I\u2019m the lucky girl who got to sing it. It paints the beautiful picture of the power of music.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re all luck that Hugh decided to be a writer,\u201d she continued. \u201cI will miss his voice.\u201d<\/p>\n John Wesley Ryles <\/b><\/u><\/p>\n John Wesley Ryles might not be a name that many modern country music fans know, but he certainly had his time at the top of the industry.<\/p>\n His career got off to a start in the 1960s when he was still a teenager and he ran off a string of hits through the 1980s.<\/p>\n Sadly, that one-time teen star died on Nov. 2. He was 74.<\/p>\n His death was first announced on social media by Tracy Pitcox<\/b><\/a>,<\/b> owner of Hart of Texas Records.<\/p>\n \u201cAt age 17, he made his debut in 1968 with the single \u201cKay,\u201d a Top Ten hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles charts, and the title track to his debut album for Columbia Records,\u201d Pitcox wrote. \u201cRyles later recorded one album, Reconsider Me, for the Plantation label, which produced a No. 39 single in its title track. It was followed by two non-album singles, \u2018Tell It Like It Is\u2019 and \u2018When a Man Loves a Woman,\u2019 both on the Music Mill label in 1976.<\/p>\n \u201cHe then moved to Dot records,\u201d the post continued. \u201cHis first single on ABC\/Dot, \u2018Fool,\u2019 made it to No. 18 on the Hot Country chart followed by his highest-peaking single, the No. 5 \u2018Once in a Lifetime Thing.\u2019 When that label merged with MCA Records, he issued the album Let the Night Begin there. The first single, \u2018Liberated Woman\u2019 climbed to No. 14 on the Billboard Hot Country chart. It was followed by a rendition of \u2018Always on My Mind,\u2019 which went to #20 on the Billboard Hot Country chart. The last song released from this album, \u2018Perfect Strangers,\u2019 reached No. 24 on the Billboard Chart.\u201d<\/p>\n Pitcox wrote that since the release of his last single in 1988, Ryles has worked as a background vocalist and in the production side of the industry.<\/p>\n Country singer Mark Willis also posted about Ryles\u2019 death.<\/p>\n \u201cWe lost a GIANT in the music industry,\u201d he wrote. \u201cJohn Wesley Ryles sang more harmonies on records, that to the listener, sounded like the artist themselves! He could blend with ANYBODY! John sang on my first four records and always had a flawless blend with the lead vocal. It was perfect. My condolences to Joni and his entire family! Please lift them up in prayer.\u201d<\/p>\n Parade Magazine noted<\/b> <\/a>that Ryles became \u201cone of Nashville\u2019s most in-demand background vocalists,\u201d after 1988. The outlet reported that he worked with the likes of Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Randy Travis and Blake Shelton.<\/p>\n He was married to Joni Lee, the daughter of country music icon Conway Twitty.<\/p>\n Joe Scaife<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Legendary country music hitmaker Joe Scaife died in June, according to The Tennessean.<\/p>\n He was 68. No cause of death was given.<\/p>\n According to Taste of Country<\/a>, Scaife produced such hits as \u201cRedneck Woman\u201d by Gretchen Wilson, and Billy Ray Cyrus\u2019 mega-hit, \u201cAchy Breaky Heart.\u201d The site said he also helped K.T. Oslin, Montgomery Gentry, Shania Twain and Toby Keith, among others, deliver hits.<\/p>\n The Tennessean said <\/a>he helped deliver records that sold more than 80 million copies.<\/p>\n \u201cYou were the coolest hang there ever was,\u201d his daughter, Jaela Scaife Harris, wrote on Facebook. \u201cAnyone who knows me know that there is no one in the world I love more than Joe Scaife. Words will never do him justice. He was the absolute coolest, most down to earth, incredible dad I could have ever asked for. I don\u2019t know how I am going to make it without him, but I know he is going wide open on his boat in heaven. I love you so much daddy and I can\u2019t wait to see you again. Happy first Father\u2019s Day in Heaven.\u201d<\/p>\n You can see her post here. <\/a><\/p>\n In a separate post she thanked everyone \u201cwho has helped us through this difficult time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere will be a celebration of life at a later date on Music Row,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n Billy Sherrill<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Country music fans might not know Billy Sherrill\u2019s voice, but they surely know his work.<\/p>\n The legendary Nashville engineer worked with the likes of Kenny Rogers, Kenny Chesney and the Chicks, per Taste of Country.<\/a><\/p>\n Sherrill died in September, according to the site, at the age of 77.<\/p>\n The Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum posted<\/a> about his death on X saying it was \u201cdeeply saddened by the passing of 2019 inductee, engineer Billy Sherrill.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHis impact on the industry will never be forgotten,\u201d the Hall of Fame wrote.<\/p>\n Taste of Country reported that Sherrill made his way to Nashville in the early 1970s and eventually engineered for the likes of Johnny Cash, Charlie Rich, John Denver, Mickey Gilley and more.<\/p>\n The site said that, along with producer Larry Butler, Sherrill helped Kenny Rogers pump out a list of hits that included the iconic song, \u201cThe Gambler.\u201d Working with Chesney, Taste of Country wrote, Sherrill helped produce the hit, \u201cShe Thinks My Tractor\u2019s Sexy,\u201d and then did the Chick\u2019s \u201cFly\u201d album.<\/p>\n No cause of death has been reported.<\/p>\n Margo Smith<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Margo Smith might not be a name that most young country music fans know, but if you Google her you will see \u201clegend\u201d right there next to her name.<\/p>\n Sadly, the headlines will also mention that she has died at the age of 84. According to multiple reports, Smith actually passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 23. A cause of death has not been reported.<\/p>\n Smith was reportedly a kindergarten teacher in Ohio for around a decade before her career took off.<\/p>\n Known as \u201cThe Tennessee Yodeler,\u201d she then churned out 18 studio albums between 1971 and 2005.<\/p>\n Smith was named ASACP Country Artist of the Year in 1979 and won the CCMA Living Legend Award in 2001.<\/p>\n The Academy of Country Music tweeted Monday about her death.<\/p>\n \u201cPlease join the Academy in mourning the passing of Country star Margo Smith,\u201d it said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter. \u201cNominated for ACM Most Promising Female Vocalist in 1976, she had two #1 hits in the 1970s: \u201cDon\u2019t Break the Heart That Loves You\u201d and \u201cIt Only Hurts for a Little While.\u201d Boasting a show-stopping talent for yodeling, she was known as \u201cThe Tennessee Yodeler.\u201d We send our love and healing to her family, friends and fans.\u201d<\/p>\n Jo-El Sonnier<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Jo-El Sonnier might not be a name that most fans of modern country music would know well but read up and it doesn\u2019t take long to realize the guy was a legend.<\/p>\n Check out the videos of performances and it becomes obvious, too, that seeing him perform in person was a high-energy affair.<\/p>\n He put his heart and soul into a show, and apparently, he did that right up until the end. Sonnier died back on Jan. 13, and now new details are being reported and it turns out he actually died after a performance.<\/p>\n Louisiana Music Hall of Fame Executive Director Mike Shepard told WWL Radio New Orleans<\/a> that the 77-year-old Sonnier \u201cdied doing what he loved.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJo-EL\u2019s death on stage after a successful encore is actually the only way a musician should go out,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The station reported that Sonnier, a singer\/songwriter who played the accordion, had a long list of accolades that included a Grammy in 2015 and an ACM Male Vocalist of the Year nomination. He was reportedly inducted into seven different Music Hall of Fames and worked as a studio musician for a long list of stars including Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash.<\/p>\n \u201cHe loved the idea of being honored for his music,\u201d Shepard told WWL, \u201cbeing honored for what he loved to do, pure as his heart.\u201d<\/p>\n Roni Stoneman<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Country music legend Roni Stoneman died on Feb. 22.<\/p>\n She was 85. No cause of death was given.<\/p>\n While her name may not be familiar to modern-day country music fans, Stoneman was known as the \u201cfirst lady of the banjo,\u201d and was a popular performer on the hit TV show, \u201cHee Haw.\u201d<\/p>\n Stoneman was a native of Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n She was the daughter of Ernest \u201cPop\u201d Stoneman, who was reportedly one of the first performers to make a career of recording country music.<\/p>\n Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and CEO Kyle Young said country music was \u201ca birthright and her life\u2019s work.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe second youngest of 23 children born to Hattie and Ernest \u2018Pop\u201d stoneman, Roni was an integral part of a bedrock country music family, who were longtime fixtures in the country music scene of Washington D.C.\u201d Young said. \u201cFor 18 years on \u2018Hee Haw,\u2019 she stole scenes as both a skillful banjo player and as a comical, gap-toothed country character. She was a great talent and a strong woman.\u201d<\/p>\n Banjo News said Stoneman said she glued picks to her fingers so she could play the banjo faster.<\/p>\n Jeremy Tepper<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Jeremy Tepper, a legend in the country music world, died on June 14.<\/p>\n He was 60.<\/p>\n Tepper reportedly suffered a heart attack. Variety reported that his wife, singer Laura Cantrell, announced that he died on social media.<\/p>\n Tepper occupied multiple roles across his years, working as a musician, journalist, executive and finally the program director of SiriusXM\u2019s \u201cOutlaw Country,\u201d according to Variety.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cJeremy Tepper, a beloved member of SiriusXM, profoundly influenced us with his unwavering dedication to music and innovative spirit,\u201d SiriusXM said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter. \u201cHis contributions, in shaping Outlaw Country and Willie\u2019s Roadhouse, are beyond measure. Our thoughts are with his loved ones during this time.\u201d<\/p>\n Stevie Van Zandt also posted on X following Tepper\u2019s death.<\/p>\n \u201cLost my good friend Jeremy Tepper last night,\u201d he wrote. \u201c<\/a>An incredibly tragic loss so young. He ran my Outlaw Country station on SiriusXM brilliantly. It is actually quite a complicated format and he made it look easy. Our deepest condolences to Laura and his family and friends.\u201d<\/p>\n Variety referred to Tepper <\/a>as a \u201cmusic lifer.\u201d According to the site, that trek began when he was the frontman for the band World Famous Blue Jays and then co-founded the record label, Diesel Only, in 1990. He also served as the country music critic for Pulse! Magazine and was the editor of the Journal of Country Music, per Variety.<\/p>\n The site said he had been the format manager for SiriusXM\u2019s Outlaw Country channel since 2004. It noted that he also worked with the \u201cWillie\u2019s Roadhouse\u201d and \u201cRoad Dog Trucking\u201d channels.<\/p>\n Pete Wade<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Legendary country music guitarist Pete Wade died in August.<\/p>\n He was 89.<\/p>\n No cause of death was reported, but his obituary said he died with his family by his side.<\/p>\n Wade played with The Nashville A-Team, a name given to a group of musicians who were popular and played together from the 1950s through the 1970s. The group backed many legendary musicians, and Taste of Country said<\/a> that Wade was known for playing on Ray Price\u2019s \u201cCrazy Arms\u201d and George Jones\u2019 \u201cHe Stopped Loving Her Today.\u201d<\/p>\n The site said Wade, who was a native of Norfolk, Virginia, moved to Nashville at the age of 19 to chase his music dreams. He began playing in Price\u2019s band at the Grand Ole Opry, per Taste of Country<\/a>, and also played with Kitty Wells, Jean Shepard and Roger Miller, and was also a member of the Grand Ole Opry\u2019s house band.<\/p>\n He also reportedly played on hit songs for the likes of Charley Pride, Reba McEntire, John Anderson, Loretta Lynn and Tanya Tucker.<\/p>\n Billy Edd Wheeler<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Billy Edd Wheeler died in September at 91.<\/p>\n His daughter, Lucy, announced his death with a post to his Facebook page.<\/p>\n \u201cWe love you Dad,\u201d she wrote. \u201cYou will be missed by so many but also forever remembered by all the gifts you gave to this world.\u201d<\/p>\n She also shared a post about Wheeler\u2019s death from Grammy winner Janis Ian.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the greatest little-known artists on earth; an amazing songwriter, author, playwright, sculptor, painter, you name it,\u201d Ian wrote.<\/p>\n Wheeler was a West Virginia native, who also wrote musicals, books and plays.<\/p>\n He also had his own albums, but he was best known for his songwriting ability, and he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001. He was also a member of the North Carolina Hall of Fame and the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n He was credited with writing a string of hits including Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash\u2019s \u201cJackson,\u201d and Kenny Rogers\u2019 \u201cCoward of the County.\u201d<\/p>\n He also reportedly wrote songs for the likes of Elvis Presley and Neil Young.<\/p>\n \u201cBilly Edd Wheeler could pack an entire cinematic experience into a few minutes in songs like \u2018Coward of the County\u2019 or \u2018Jackson,\u2019\u201d Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young said in a statement. <\/a>\u201cHis writing had the power to do what only the best works can: transport the listener.\u201d<\/p>\n Erv Woolsey<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Legendary country music figure Eugene Ervine \u201cErv\u201d Woolsey died in May.<\/p>\n He was 80.<\/p>\n Woolsey reportedly died from complications following surgery, according to multiple reports.<\/p>\n While Woolsey may not be known to country music fans as an artist, he was one of the genre\u2019s most influential managers. Most notably, he was the long-time manager of Country Music Hall of Famer George Strait, as well as stars Lee Ann Womack, Dierks Bentley, Ronnie Milsap and Clay Walker.<\/p>\n Strait posted about Woolsey on X, formerly Twitter.<\/p>\n \u201cMy manager for around 45 years and most importantly my friend for even longer, Erv Woolsey, passed away this morning,\u201d he wrote. \u201cHe had complications from surgery and just couldn\u2019t overcome it. He was a very tough man, and fought hard, but sadly it was just too much. We will miss him so very much and will never forget all the time we had together. Won\u2019t ever be the same without him.\u201d<\/p>\n According to a Billboard repor<\/a>t, Woolsey worked for several labels before moving to Nashville in 1973 and become the head of promotions for ABC Records. The site said that Woolsey helped guide the careers of several top artists there, but it was during his time as the owner of The Prairie Rose, a club in Texas, that he first met Strait and began to book him for regular shows at there.<\/p>\n Billboard said Woolsey worked for MCA in the 1980s and helped artists such as Loretta Lynn, Tanya Tucker, Conway Twitty and the Oak Ridge Boys find radio success. And, then in 1981, he reportedly got MCA records to sign Strait.<\/p>\n He wasn\u2019t just a manager, though.<\/p>\n Per Billboard, Woolsey did write \u201cI Too Deep\u201d for Strait and also had a hot country chart topper that he wrote, \u201cI Can Still Make Cheyenne.\u201d<\/p>\n Arch Yancey<\/b><\/u><\/p>\n Arch Yancey, a Country Radio Hall of Famer, died in March.<\/p>\n He was 88. No cause of death was reported.<\/p>\n