The country music community suffered numerous losses in 2023, from the deaths of country-rock (David Crosby), Southern rock (Gary Rossington) and folk-rock (Gordon Lightfoot) pillars to the passing of lesser-known yet extremely crucial figures.
Many of the biggest names in music and pop culture to pass away in 2023 had ties to country music, from Tina Turner to Jimmy Buffett. Others lost, like Keith Gattis and Kyle Jacobs, left behind an impressive body of work that either elevated or inspired some of your favorites. In the cases of Opry members Jesse McReynolds and Bobby Osborne, their work forever changed bluegrass and its overlap with country music, and they represented two of the final living and active ties to a bygone era.
By no means is this list of 19 obituaries exhaustive. A few not listed below —namely Tony Bennett— transcended genre while impacting pop culture worldwide. There's also a case to be made that the presidential campaign that ended with Rosalynn Carter as the first lady still speaks volumes about country and other forms of popular music's impact on our culture. However, the following list of household names and behind-the-scenes notables made the largest impact on country music.
Bryan Steffy/WireImage The lone child of Elvis Presley, Lisa Marie Presley was born into the closest thing to an American royal family. She followed her father into music and oversaw his legacy through her work with the family's Graceland estate. Leon Bennett/FilmMagic As a co-founder of the Byrds, David Crosby forever blurred the lines between country tradition and rock innovation. His various folk-rock ventures made him synonymous with the '60s counterculture. Mireya Acierto/FilmMagic One of Nashville's most respected songwriters, Kyle Jacobs' co-writes include the Garth Brooks No. 1 "More Than a Memory." He married Kellie Pickler in 2011. Christie Goodwin/Redferns Michael Rhodes made a name for himself as a bassist for a variety of country acts. He was in two supergroups: The Cicadas with Rodney Crowell and The Notorious Cherry Bombs with Vince Gill. Paul Natkin/Getty Images As a singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer, Keith Gattis worked with the likes of Kenny Chesney, George Jones, George Strait and Willie Nelson. He had a stint as Dwight Yoakam's lead guitarist and band leader. Gattis died in a tractor accident. Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for Stagecoach Southern rock icon Gary Rossington co-founded Lynyrd Skynyrd and was the band's longest-tenured member. He's the lead guitarist on "Tuesday's Gone" and plays slide guitar on "Freebird." Terry Wyatt/Getty Images A longtime member of the Grand Ole Opry, Ray Pillow charted 18 singles between 1965 and 1981. His highest chart placement came with Jean Shepard duet "I'll Take the Dog," a No. 9 hit from 1966. Donald Kravitz/Getty Images Though Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot is most associated with '70s folk-rock, some of his biggest hits, namely 1974's "Sundown," impacted the country charts in America. In addition, the Lightfoot composition "Ribbon of Darkness" became a No. 1 country hit in 1965. Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty Images A pop icon known as the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll, Tina Turner needs no introduction. Her solo career began with a country album, 1974's Tina Turns the Country On! Erika Goldring/Getty Images At age 93, Jesse McReynolds was the oldest member of the Grand Ole Opry. A legendary mandolin picker, McReynolds joined the show's cast in 1964 as a member of Jim and Jesse with his older brother, Jim McReynolds. Jim died in 2002. Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Alongside his brother Sonny, Bobby Osborne innovated bluegrass as the Osborne Brothers. The duo's best known for popularizing "Rocky Top," a Felice and Boudleaux Bryant co-write that's now synonymous with University of Tennessee athletics. Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum A member of one of country music's most influential families, record producer and music executive Jerry Bradley played a role in promoting the genre's first platinum album, Wanted! The Outlaws. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images A co-founder of country-rockers the Eagles, Randy Meisner is best known for his soaring lead vocals on "Take It to the Limit." Before the Eagles, he was a member of both Poco and Rick Nelson's Stone Canyon Band. Rob Ball/Redferns via Getty Images Irish singer-songwriter and activist Sinead O'Connor was one of the boldest and most gifted folk artist to earn commercial acclaim in the '80s and '90s. Her 1992 hit "Success Has Made Me a Failure of Our Home" was a Loretta Lynn cover. O'Connor also covered Dolly Parton and collaborated with Willie Nelson. Michael Putland/Getty Images As a member of The Band, former Bob Dylan lead guitarist Robbie Robertson took country-rock in challenging, new directions. In the process, he paved the way for Americana. Erika Goldring/Getty Images A beloved singer-songwriter whose hit "Margaritaville" spawned a business empire, Jimmy Buffett left an immeasurable mark on country music, inspiring —and collaborating with— the likes of Alan Jackson, Kenny Chesney and Zac Brown. Randall Michelson/WireImage A respected veteran of the Texas music scene, Charlie Robison died from a heart attack on Sept. 10. Robison retired from music in 2018 after complications from a surgery impacted his voice, but he launched a comeback in 2022. Erika Goldring/WireImage, Beyond his solo career, Mike Henderson was Chris Stapleton's bandmate in the SteelDrivers. He co-wrote several of Stapleton's best-known solo songs, including "Broken Halos" and "Starting Over." Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Through the show "Hee Haw" and collaborations with the likes of Roy Clark and Dolly Parton, Buck Trent became one of popular music's most respected instrumentalists. He's credited with inventing the electric banjo, which impacted the trajectories of more than country music and bluegrass.Lisa Marie Presley (Feb. 1, 1968 - Jan. 12, 2023)
David Crosby (Aug. 14, 1941 - Jan. 18, 2023)
Kyle Jacobs (June 26, 1973 - Feb. 17, 2023)
Michael Rhodes (Sept. 16, 1953 - March 4, 2023)
Keith Gattis (May 26, 1970 - April 23, 2023)
Gary Rossington (Dec. 4, 1951 - March 5, 2023)
Ray Pillow (July 4, 1937 - March 26, 2023)
Gordon Lightfoot (Nov. 17, 1938 - May 1, 2023)
Tina Turner (Nov. 26, 1939 - May 24, 2023)
Jesse McReynolds (July 9, 1929 - June 23, 2023)
Bobby Osborne (Dec. 7, 1931 - June 27, 2023)
Jerry Bradley (Jan. 30, 1940 - July 17, 2023)
Randy Meisner (March 8, 1946 - July 26, 2023)
Sinead O'Connor (Dec. 8, 1966 - 26 July 26, 2023)
Robbie Robertson ((July 5, 1943 - Aug. 9, 2023)
Jimmy Buffett (Dec. 25, 1946 - Sept. 1, 2023)
Charlie Robison (Sept. 1, 1964 - Sept. 10, 2023)
Mike Henderson (July 14, 1953 - Sept. 22, 2023)
Buck Trent (Feb. 17, 1938 - Oct. 9, 2023)
