Legendary Pedal Steel Guitarist, Robby Turner, Passes Away At 63

Rest in peace to one of the greats.

There are few instrumentalists that have left an impact the way that Robby Turner has. Playing with everyone from Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson to Chris Stapleton and Sturgill Simpson, the steel guitar player had procured a legacy unrivaled by most. Getting his start due to his parents’, Doyle and Bernice Turner, presence in Hank Williams Sr.’s Drifting Cowboy band from 1946 to 1948, Robby was playing honky tonks in his home state of Arkansas by age 11.

Playing everything from drums and piano to guitar and most notably, steel guitar, Turner quickly became a musical prodigy and even ended up becoming the youngest-ever musician to be endorsed by Sho-Bud, a steel guitar company. By 14 years old, he was already playing with the legendary Ace Cannon’s band.

After playing with the likes of Charlie Rich and most notably Waylon Jennings on his collaborative album, Wanted! The Outlaws with Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter and Tompall Glaser in 1976, Turner would go on to form a lifelong friendship with Jennings that resulted in him becoming the main steel guitar player for the Highwaymen. Though he didn’t appear on their first album, the Arkansas native would eventually appear on the second and third albums from the supergroup consisting of Jennings, Nelson, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson.

Beyond the multiple appearances on Waylon’s records from 1976 to 2012, Turner would provide his legendary work on steel guitar to a laundry list of legendary country and folk aritsts that includes but are not limited to Vince Gill, John Prine, Jerry Lee Lewis, Travis Tritt, Tanya Tucker, Tracy Byrd, Sara Evans, Joe Nichols, Gary Allan, Randy Travis, Jamey Johnson, The Oak Ridge Boys, Marty Stuart, Shooter Jennings, Whiskey Myers, Colter Wall, Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson and more.

Notable albums Turner has appeared on include the following:

• Highwayman 2 – The Highwaymen
• The Road Goes on Forever – The Highwaymen
• Wanted! The Outlaws – Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter, Tompall Glaser
• Traveller – Chris Stapleton
• From A Room: Volume 1 – Chris Stapleton
• High Top Mountain – Sturgill Simpson
• Colter Wall – Colter Wall
• That Lonesome Song – Jamey Johnson
• Born To Fly – Sara Evans
• III – Joe Nichols
• Electric Rodeo – Shooter Jennings

In addition to his legendary studio work, Turner has also toured with the likes of other non-country legends such as B.B. King, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Ray Charles and even Frank Sinatra, in addition to his touring stints with George Jones, Chet Atkins, The Chicks and Loretta Lynn.

Unfortunately, Turner passed away on Thursday, September 5th, at the age of 63 after a long battle with Leukemia and severe Osteopenia. According to his son, Bobby, he was at home after being discharged from the hospital a week previously and was surrounded by friends and family at the time of his death.

In a Facebook post, Bobby thanked everyone who reached out to his family during the final days of Robby’s life:

“My father gained his wings about an hour ago. He was surrounded by Amy and I, his wonderful friend Tish, who has been taking care of him for the past few months, Cowboy, his steel guitar brother for the past 40 years, and his protege (and my new little brother) Benjo. It was the perfect sendoff. We’re sad, but we know he’s walking without any help, and he’s no longer in pain. Thank you everyone for reaching out to me and visiting him. He loved you all.”

Shooter Jennings, Waylon’s son, would take to X on September 5th to celebrate Turner’s life, calling him a once-in-a-lifetime talent:

“So sad to hear about Robby Turner. A once in a lifetime talent and the funniest guy I ever met. What a player. Was lucky to have toured and recorded with him many times. Rest in Peace, Robby.”

It’s hard to imagine a more underrated and unsung hero of country music, but Robby Turner certainly was. Rest in peace to a legend.The post Legendary Pedal Steel Guitarist, Robby Turner, Passes Away At 63 first appeared on Whiskey Riff.