Country star Tommy Detamore has passed away suddenly at age 70.
His wife, Sandra Detamore, announced his death in a Facebook post Thursday, August 6, remembering him as “the love my life” and a lasting force in the country music community.
Sandra said Detamore’s career “has and will always leave a lasting mark in the country music community,” while his talents “allowed him to lift others up and help shape the sound of country music we hear today.”
“Tommy was and will always be remembered as a respected musician, producer, collaborator, mentor, and creative force in Country Music,” she wrote.
Detamore’s death came Wednesday, though his cause of death has not been revealed. Sandra said the sudden loss has left her, their son Thomas and their Drama Kids staff trying to figure out how to properly honour him.
“Please continue to pray for me and my family and our Drama Kids Staff as we figure out how to honor my beloved ‘Steelman’ I want to make sure he is celebrated with family and friends and the community,” she wrote. “This way we can all say our goodbyes, since this was so sudden.”
Detamore grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia, and picked up the guitar in high school. His career took off after moving to Texas in 1981, where he played steel guitar for Darrell McCall.
A year later, he joined Moe Bandy and spent seven years touring with him, including appearances at the Grand Ole Opry. He later worked with artists including Jim Lauderdale, Doug Sahm and The Texas Tornados and was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame.
In his later years, Detamore shifted toward engineering and producing.
Sandra said she and her son “take comfort” in knowing Tommy “is at peace and that his music will live on forever.”
“I know where he is and I thank you and one day I too will be with him again in our mansion in the sky,” she concluded.
