Steel guitarist Tom Brumley, who played on classic recordings by Buck Owens and Rick Nelson, died early Wednesday morning (Feb. 4) in San Antonio, Texas, following a brief illness. He was 73.

Tom was the son of Albert E. Brumley, the famous gospel songwriter, who wrote "I´ll Fly Away".

Tom served as a key member of Buck Owens´ Buckaroos band during the ´60´s. Touring and recording with Buck Owens, Brumley played on several no. 1 Owens hits. His work on Owens´ recording "Together Again" is widely regarded as one of the finest pedal steel guitar solos in the history of country music.

After leaving Owens´ band in the late ´60´s, Tom became a member of Rick Nelson´s Stone Canyon Band and helped the famous teen idol gain respect as a serious singer, songwriter and performer. Tom´s recordings with Nelson imclude the 1972 hit "Garden Party".

Tom has also been the owner of the ZB (Steel) Guitar Company for several years.

More recently, he spent 15 years starring in the Brumley Music Show in Branson, MO, and appeared on albums by Dwight Yoakam, Sara Evans, Chris Isaak, Robbie Fulks, Chris Hillman and many others. Tom played several instrumentals on the Owens (and Buckaroos) recordings. He recorded one solo CD called "In Time" and played instrumentals on CD´s by The Branson Connection Band and The Light Crust Doughboys.

Tom was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 1992.

With Tom´s passing, drummer Willie Cantu is the only surviving member of the classic lineup of The Buckaroos. Guitarist Don Rich died in a motorcycle accident in 1974 and bassist Doyle Holly died in 2007. Buck Owens passed away in 2006.