Robby Turner, the legendary steel guitar player known throughout Nashville as the “Man of Steel,” died Thursday, September 4, at age 63. Turner’s son Bobby confirmed the news on social media, writing that his father was walking without help and no longer in pain.
Turner earned widespread recognition for his extensive work with country music icon Waylon Jennings, playing steel guitar on nine of Jennings’ albums from the mid-1970s to the early 2010s. His contributions included the landmark 1976 album “Wanted! The Outlaws,” featuring Jennings, Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter and Tompall Glaser, which became the first country album certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Born into a musical family, Turner’s 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 by nine years old was performing with the country duo the Wilburn Brothers. He picked up the steel guitar at age 10 and received his first professional endorsement at 12 when Shot Jackson of the Sho-Bud steel guitar company provided him with his own rig, making him the youngest musician ever selected to represent the company.
Turner’s career took a significant turn in 1990 when producer Chips Moman asked him to join the backing band for country supergroup The Highwaymen, which featured Jennings, Nelson, Kris Kristofferson and Johnny Cash. This opportunity led to a lifelong friendship with Jennings, and Turner became Jennings’ preferred steel guitar player for the remainder of the country legend’s career until Jennings’ death in 2002.
The bond between Turner and Jennings was profound. In a 2012 interview with Texas Monthly, Turner revealed that after Jennings’ death, he stayed in bed for a week and canceled all engagements because he never wanted to play again. However, Turner later expressed that as a believer, he came to understand that Jennings was in his future, not his past, and he looked forward to seeing him again.
Throughout his career, Turner worked with an impressive roster of artists including Tanya Tucker, Randy Travis, John Prine, Marty Stuart, Jim Lauderdale, Loretta Lynn, Travis Tritt, The Oak Ridge Boys, Vince Gill, Jerry Lee Lewis and B.B. King. His more recent work included contributions to Chris Stapleton’s CMA Awards Album of the Year winners “Traveller” and “From A Room: Volume 1,” Sturgill Simpson’s “High Top Mountain,” and Colter Wall’s self-titled album.
Turner was honored as part of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Nashville Cats series in 2019. During his interview for the series, he reflected on working with Jennings, noting that the country legend never really told the musicians what to do but instead they played until he smiled. Turner also described performing with The Highwaymen as the greatest band anyone could ask to play with, calling it one of the highlights of his life.
In addition to his session work, Turner released two solo projects: “Man of Steel” in 1996 and “Steel Country” in 1998. He also served as a producer, working on Ace Cannon’s “Sweet Dreams” album in 1993. Turner contributed to The Highwaymen’s albums “The Highwayman 2” in 1990 and “The Road Goes On Forever” in 1995.
Turner took on the solemn task of completing Waylon Jennings’ final recordings, which resulted in the 2012 album “Goin’ Down Rockin’ – The Last Recordings.” Jennings had recorded simple vocal and guitar tracks at Turner’s “Turner-Up” studio before his death and left them in Turner’s care with instructions to finish them.
Following Turner’s death, Shooter Jennings paid tribute to his father’s longtime collaborator on social media. “A once in a lifetime talent and the funniest guy I ever met,” the younger Jennings wrote, expressing his gratitude for having toured and recorded with Turner multiple times.
Before his death, Turner had been battling significant health challenges. His son Bobby shared on Facebook that his father was suffering from both osteopenia and leukemia. Turner had also been using a walker to get around following a car accident that had left him with mobility issues.
Turner’s contributions to country music extended beyond his technical abilities on the steel guitar. He was recognized as a staunch traditionalist who helped bridge different generations of country music, from his work with classic outlaw country artists to his collaborations with modern stars like Chris Stapleton. His versatility as both a touring musician and studio player made him one of the most in-demand steel guitarists in Nashville.
Turner’s legacy lives on through the countless recordings he contributed to over his decades-long career. From the platinum-certified outlaw country classics of the 1970s to the critically acclaimed modern country albums of recent years, his distinctive steel guitar sound helped define multiple eras of country music. The musician’s dedication to his craft and his collaborative spirit made him a beloved figure among both his peers and the artists he supported throughout his remarkable career.
