Renowned steel guitar player Robby Turner, known throughout Nashville as the “Man of Steel,” died Thursday, September 4, at age 63. Turner’s son Bobby confirmed his father’s passing on social media, stating “he’s no longer in pain.”
Turner was best recognized for his decades-long collaboration with country music legend Waylon Jennings. He played steel guitar on nine of Jennings’ albums from the mid-1970s through the early 2010s, becoming the Country Music Hall of Famer’s primary steel guitar player until Jennings’ death in 2002.
The musician’s extensive resume included work on the landmark 1976 album “Wanted! The Outlaws” by Jennings, Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter and Tompall Glaser. The project spawned the hit “Good Hearted Woman” and became the first country album certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Turner also recorded and toured with the country supergroup The Highwaymen, featuring Jennings, Nelson, Kris Kristofferson and Johnny Cash. He contributed to the group’s 1990 project “The Highwayman 2” and their 1995 album “The Road Goes On Forever.” Turner later described performing with The Highwaymen as one of the highlights of his life.
Music was embedded in Turner’s DNA from birth. His parents, Doyle and Bernice Turner, played in Hank Williams Sr.’s Drifting Cowboys backing band from 1946 to 1948. Turner began playing drums at age six in his father’s band and performed with the Wilburn Brothers by age nine. He picked up the steel guitar at age 10 and was sponsored by Shot Jackson of the Sho-Bud steel guitar company at just 12 years old, making him the youngest musician ever selected to endorse the brand.
His relationship with Jennings began in 1990 when producer Chips Moman asked Turner to join the backing band for The Highwaymen tour. This gig sparked a lifelong friendship between Turner and Jennings that profoundly impacted both musicians. Turner told Texas Monthly in 2012 that after Jennings died, he never wanted to play again and canceled all engagements for a week.
Turner’s influence extended far beyond his work with Jennings. His steel guitar contributions can be heard on albums by Tanya Tucker, Randy Travis, John Prine, Marty Stuart, Jim Lauderdale, Loretta Lynn, Travis Tritt, The Oak Ridge Boys, Vince Gill, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Paul Simon. More recently, he worked on projects from Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson and Colter Wall.
Turner played pedal steel guitar on Stapleton’s CMA Awards album of the year-winning projects “Traveller” and “From A Room: Volume 1,” Simpson’s “High Top Mountain,” and Wall’s self-titled album. Chris Stapleton’s 2017 “From A Room: Volume 1” was among the last albums Turner worked on in his career.
In 2019, Turner was honored as part of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Nashville Cats series. During his interview for the series, he reflected on working with Jennings, noting that the country star never really told musicians what to do but let them play until he smiled.
Turner also released his own projects, including 1996’s “Man of Steel” and 1998’s “Steel Country.” He produced Ace Cannon’s “Sweet Dreams” album in 1993 and performed with artists including Johnny Paycheck and The Chicks throughout his career.
Following Turner’s death, Shooter Jennings, Waylon’s son, paid tribute on social media, describing Turner as a once-in-a-lifetime talent and the funniest person he ever met. Shooter Jennings noted he was fortunate to have toured and recorded with Turner multiple times.
Prior to his death, Turner had been battling significant health challenges. His son Bobby shared on Facebook that his father was suffering from osteopenia and leukemia. Bobby Turner expressed gratitude for everyone who reached out and visited his father during his illness.
Turner’s legacy extends beyond his technical prowess on the steel guitar. He represented a bridge between country music’s traditional roots and its modern evolution, working with both classic outlaws like Jennings and contemporary stars like Stapleton. His contributions helped shape the sound of country music across multiple generations.
