The country music community lost some incredible talent in 2022. These artists, songwriters, and members of the music industry may be gone, but they left a lasting impact on the genre.
One of the most shocking losses of the year was the death of Naomi Judd, who died by suicide on April 30. Her unexpected death at the age of 76 came just a day before she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. , and just weeks before the scheduled launch of the highly anticipated Judds Final Tour.
Bobbie Nelson, sister of Willie Nelson and longtime pianist and singer of the Willie Nelson Family Band, died on March 10 at the age of 91. Mickey Gilley, who inspired the hit 1980 film Urban cowboydied May 7.
Country music has also lost some of the genre’s most influential songwriters in 2022, including Blake Melvis, Dallas Frazier, Mike Deckle and Jerry Crutchfield. It also marked the passing of Jeff Carson and Brad Martin, two country artists who first rose to prominence in the 1990s.
Read on to remember and celebrate country artists, songwriters and other industry members who died in 2022:
In Memoriam: country stars who died in 2022
May they rest in peace…
