Roger Schutt / Jimmy Smith / Keith Knudson / Jimmy Crawford / Tyrone Davis / Larry Kingston / Chris LeDoux
Under the colorful moniker Captain Midnight, Roger Schutt was a kingpin of Nashville country radio in the late 1960s and early ’70s as well as an advocate for that era’s Outlaw movement. He died February 8 at age 73.
The name Jimmy Smith is synonymous with the Hammond B-3. The legendary jazz organist enjoyed his greatest success from the late ’50s through the early ’70s while recording for Blue Note and Verve. He died February 8 at age 79.
For many years, Keith Knudson formed half of the Doobie Brothers drum duo. During the ’80s, he also co-founded the country-rock band Southern Pacific. He passed away February 7 of pneumonia at age 56.
One of country music’s finest pedal steel players, Jimmy Crawford backed many of Nashville’s biggest acts, including Chet Atkins, George Jones, Faron Young, Kitty Wells, Hank Snow and Dolly Parton. Crawford, a member of the steel guitar hall of fame, was 69 when died February 2 from an apparent heart attack.
Tyrone Davis helped to epitomize the suave Chicago soul sound. The singer’s biggest hits came in the late ’60s and early ’70s with “Can I Change Your Mind and “Turn Back The Hands Of Time”. Davis died February 9 of complications from a stroke; he was 66.
Larry Kingston enjoyed a long career as a Nashville songwriter. Among his best-known cuts were the Kendalls’ “Pittsburgh Steelers”, Roy Clark’s “Thank God And Greyhound” and Johnny Paycheck’s “Lovin’ Machine”. He died February 20 from a heart attack at age 63.
Chris LeDoux achieved success as both a rodeo rider and a country musician, reaching the top 10 in 1992 with “Whatcha Gonna Do With A Cowboy”. LeDoux died of cancer March 1 at age 56.