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Pedal Steel Guitarist Tommy Detamore Dies at 70

8/8/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Pedal steel guitarist Tommy Detamore died at age 70 on August 5, 2026.
His wife Sandra announced the sudden death on Facebook without giving a cause.
Detamore, a 2019 Texas Steel Guitar Hall of Fame inductee and 2025 Steel Guitarist of the Year, founded Cherry Ridge Studio in 1991 and produced over 150 albums.
A project he recently produced and performed on earned RIAA platinum certification, confirming one million units sold.

History

Historical Context

Buddy Emmons, who moved to Nashville in 1955 and introduced the split-pedal E9 setup on Ernest Tubb’s 1957 hit, reshaped the pedal steel’s role. His nine ACM Instrumentalist awards (first in 1969) and 1981 induction into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame cemented his legacy, honored by a 2013 Country Music Hall of Fame tribute and echoed in the 1991-founded Cherry Ridge Studio.

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Story summary

Pedal steel guitarist Tommy Detamore died at age 70 on August 5, 2026.
His wife Sandra announced the sudden death on Facebook without giving a cause.
Detamore, a 2019 Texas Steel Guitar Hall of Fame inductee and 2025 Steel Guitarist of the Year, founded Cherry Ridge Studio in 1991 and produced over 150 albums.
A project he recently produced and performed on earned RIAA platinum certification, confirming one million units sold.

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