What an incredibly sad year for music with the passing of so many talented artists. This time Country music fans all over the world mourn yet another great artist. On January 24th we said goodbye to an incredibly gifted musician in Willie Nelson’s former guitarist Jackie King. King was 71 when he passed away after suffering a heart attack.
The two performed together for years on the road, and recorded several albums. King appeared on Nelson’s The Gypsy, The Great Divide, and Angel Eyes.
In turn, Nelson made an appearance on King’s 1986 album Knight Bird.
One of the most difficult things in life is getting over the loss of a loved one, and Willie Nelson knows all about this.
“I think of myself more now as a songwriter than I do a guitar player because of guys like Jackie King. It’s humbling to be in the presence of that kind of talent.”
-Willie Nelson
Last week Nelson released a song titled “Someone To Watch Over Me,” and I have a feeling that at least part of it might be about the late King: