Robby Turner, the acclaimed steel guitarist known throughout Nashville as the “Man of Steel,” died Thursday, September 4, at age 63. His son Bobby Turner confirmed the passing on social media, indicating that his father was no longer suffering from the health challenges that had plagued him in recent months.
Turner established himself as one of country music’s most sought-after session musicians, performing with legendary artists including Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Chris Stapleton, and The Highwaymen. His extensive career spanned decades and included work on numerous platinum-certified albums that helped define the outlaw country movement.
Born into a musical family, Turner was destined for greatness from an early age. His parents, Doyle and Bernice Turner, performed with Hank Williams’ Drifting Cowboys from 1946 to 1948. By age six, he was playing drums in his father’s band, and at nine, he joined the Wilburn Brothers as their drummer. Turner picked up the steel guitar at 10 years old and by age 12, Shot Jackson of the Sho-Bud steel guitar company had sponsored him with his own equipment, making him the youngest musician ever selected to endorse the brand.
Turner’s career-defining moment came in 1990 when producer Chips Moman recruited him to join the backing band for The Highwaymen, the supergroup featuring Jennings, Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Kris Kristofferson. This opportunity sparked a lifelong friendship with Jennings that would become central to Turner’s professional identity. He performed on nine of Jennings’ albums from the mid-1970s through the early 2010s and became the country legend’s preferred steel guitar player.
The partnership between Turner and Jennings extended beyond professional collaboration. Turner contributed to the historic 1976 album “Wanted! The Outlaws,” featuring Jennings, Nelson, Jessi Colter, and Tompall Glaser, which became the first country album certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The project spawned the hit “Good Hearted Woman” and helped establish the outlaw country genre.
When Jennings died in 2002, Turner was devastated by the loss. He told Texas Monthly in 2012 that he never wanted to play again after his friend’s death and stayed in bed for a week, canceling all engagements. Turner later found solace in his faith, expressing that he viewed Jennings as part of his future rather than his past.
Despite his grief, Turner continued his musical career, taking on the meaningful task of completing Jennings’ final recordings. The project, titled “Goin’ Down Rockin’ – The Last Recordings,” was released in 2012 and featured vocals and guitar tracks that Jennings had recorded in Turner’s studio before his death, with Turner adding the finishing touches as instructed.
Turner’s influence extended far beyond his work with Jennings. His resume includes collaborations with an impressive array of artists spanning multiple generations. He worked with classic country stars like Tanya Tucker, Randy Travis, John Prine, Marty Stuart, Jim Lauderdale, Loretta Lynn, Travis Tritt, and The Oak Ridge Boys. His versatility also led to projects with Paul Simon, Jerry Lee Lewis, Vince Gill, and B.B. King.
In recent years, Turner found new audiences through his work with contemporary country artists. He played pedal steel guitar on Chris Stapleton’s critically acclaimed albums “Traveller” and “From A Room: Volume 1,” both of which won Country Music Association Album of the Year awards. He also contributed to 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, recognizing his significant contributions to Nashville’s music scene. During his interview for the series, he reflected on his approach to working with Jennings, noting that the singer rarely gave specific instructions to his musicians. Turner indicated that “Waylon never really told us what to do…we just played until he smiled.”
Beyond his session work, Turner released two solo albums showcasing his steel guitar artistry: “Man of Steel” in 1996 and “Steel Country” in 1998. He also produced Ace Cannon’s “Sweet Dreams” album in 1993, demonstrating his skills behind the recording console as well as in front of the microphone.
The day before Turner’s death, his son Bobby shared on social media that his father had been battling serious health issues, including leukemia and severe osteopenia. These conditions had significantly impacted Turner’s mobility in recent years, though he continued performing when possible.
Following news of Turner’s passing, tributes poured in from the music community. Shooter Jennings, Waylon’s son, wrote on social media that Turner was a once-in-a-lifetime talent and described him as the funniest person he had ever met. The tribute emphasized Turner’s exceptional musical abilities and noted the privilege of having toured and recorded with him multiple times.
Turner’s legacy extends beyond his technical prowess on the steel guitar. He served as a bridge between country music’s traditional roots and its modern evolution, bringing authenticity and musical integrity to every project. His work helped define the sound of outlaw country while also contributing to the contemporary country renaissance of the 2010s through his collaborations with Stapleton and Simpson.
