Pete Finney has passed away at the age of 70. The Country Music Hall of Fame released a statement confirming his death.
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"Steel guitarist Pete Finney, who died Saturday at age seventy, was a widely admired Nashville musician,"
the statement read."He exemplified how top instrumentalist can adapt to a remarkable range of styles and settings, whether in a recording studio, a concert stage, or the corner of a small nightclub."The statement went on to praise his work on the touring circuit, especially when backing up some of the stars of his generation.
"On America's biggest stages, Finney backed the Chicks, Vince Gill, the Judds, Reba McEntire, and Patty Loveless, among others," the statement continued. "He toured with Loveless for more than twenty years. He was touring with McEntire when eight members of her band and two crew members lost their lives in a plane crash in 1991; Finney survived because he flew on a second plane, with another musician and crew members."
Finney, a pedal steel guitarist, moved to Nashville in the mid 1980s. He quickly became a key fixture within the industry. His exceptional skill ensured that he could adapt to support songs without missing a beat, which in turn earned him admiration and respect from his peers.
Pete Finney Loved American Music
A lifelong musician, Finney was also an American music historian. The Country Music Hall of Fame paid tribute to his deep and often self-researched knowledge as part of their statement.
"Finney also gained a reputation for his extensive knowledge of American music history, fueled by his own deep research," the statement detailed. "He co-curated the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's 2015-2018 exhibition 'Dylan, Cash, and the Nashville Cats: A New Music City.' The idea for the exhibit came from Finney's research on the many non-country artists from North American and England who came to Nashville in the 1960s and 1970s to record with the city's talented and fast-working studio musicians."
There are currently no details surrounding Finney's cause of death. Furthermore, no details regarding his funeral or service have been released. That information will likely remain privy to close friends and family. Nevertheless, the country music world will mourn the loss of another legend.
