Tommy Detamore obit

Steel Guitar Hall of Famer Who Toured With Moe Bandy for 7 Years Has Died

 He was not on the list.

Tommy Detamore, the pedal steel guitarist, engineer and producer behind decades of country records, has died. His wife, Sandra, confirmed his passing on Wednesday, August 5.

Word spread quickly through the country music community, with musicians and fans sharing memories of a player and producer known as much for his generosity as his talent.

From Session Stages to His Own Studio

Detamore's musical path started in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he took up guitar in high school before discovering pedal steel in college under the mentorship of steel guitar legend Buddy Charleton. He moved to Texas in 1981 to back Darrell McCall, then spent seven years as Moe Bandy's steel guitar player, performing on Hee-Haw, Nashville Now and the Grand Ole Opry stage.

In 1991, Detamore opened Cherry Ridge Studio in Floresville, Texas, and shifted his focus toward engineering and producing. The studio became a destination for Texas country artists, and his production credits eventually stretched from genre veterans like Ray Price and Johnny Bush to newer names such as Sunny Sweeney and 2025 breakout artist Ty Myers.

Fellow Musicians and Fans React

Sandra described her husband of 41 years as far more than a musician, calling him "the love of my life" and crediting his God-given gift for helping shape the country sound heard today.

Sweeney, who credits Detamore with producing her debut album, called his death an "immeasurable loss" in a tribute posted online. Fellow artist Tracy Pitcox, who worked alongside Detamore on multiple projects, remembered that he "always knew what to play," recalling road trips and cruises the two shared over the years.

Fans and fellow musicians echoed that sentiment across social media. One commenter wrote that Detamore was simply the best steel guitar player to ever play the instrument, while another called him a walking history book whose loss would be felt across the genre for years to come. Detamore was a member of the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame.