Country Guitar Legend Pete Wade Has Passed Away
Nashville “A Team” member, “Nashville Cats” honoree, and a man that played some of the most memorable parts on some of the most memorable country music songs in history has passed away.
Whether you recognize his name or not, you most certainly recognize the work. Pete Wade played on the #1 Ray Price hit “Crazy Arms.” He played on what many consider the greatest country song in history, “He Stopped Loving Her Today” by George Jones.
Though it’s Pete Wade’s session work that most people recognize, his career commenced performing in some of the most legendary live bands in country music history. Wade was a member of Ray Price’s Cherokee Cowboys from 1954 to 1958, and from 1960 to 1963. He was also part of Faron Young’s Country Deputies from 1957 to 1958. Throughout his early career, Pete Wade also performed live with Kitty Wells, Ferlin Husky, Faron Young, Roger Miller, Jean Shepard, and Elvis Presley.
Pete Wade would become a mainstay in country music studio sessions for some 60 years. Beginning his session work in the 1950s, he would go on to participate in the Johnny Cash American Recordings into the 2000s, and played on Dale Watson’s album Carryin’ On released in 2010. In between he would play on albums from Linda Ronstadt, Kitty Wells, Johnny Paycheck, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jerry Reed, Waylon Jennings, Kenny Rogers, Leon Russell, K.D. Lang, Joan Baez, The Statler Brothers, and many more.
Some more of the legendary songs Pete Wade played on include:
Loretta Lynn’s “Fist City”
Crystal Gayle’s “Don’t It Make Your Brown Eyes Blue”
Sonny James “Young Love”
Lynn Anderson’s “Rose Garden”
Tanya Tucker’s “Delta Dawn”
Jeannie C. Riley’s “Harper Valley P.T.A.”
Jeanne Pruett’s “Satin Sheets”
John Anderson’s “Swingin’”
…and many more.
Along with piano player Hargus “Pig Robbins” and steel guitar player Lloyd Green, Pete Wade was part of the nucleus of what became known as Nashville’s “A Team.” He was also a member of the musician supergroup called Area Code 615, which released a self-titled album in 1969. Though Wade was best known as a lead guitarist, and Ray Price once called him “my favorite electric lead guitar,” he was a multi-instrumentalist who could also play bass, steel guitar, and a host of other instruments.
One of the reasons Pete Wade was so revered by both his fellow musicians and many singers was due to how adept he was playing with a steel guitar player. Understanding the steel guitar himself, he was able to infer his parts to whatever the steel guitar was doing, and vice versa, resulting in a more harmonious collaboration.
Originally from Norfolk, Virginia, Pete Wade was born Herman Bland Wade on December 16th. He moved to Nashville when he was just 19 to be a guitar player, and immediately went to work for Ray Price. It was announced on Wednesday, August 28th that he’d passed away at the age of 88.
Pete Wade penned an autobiography with Scot England in 2021 called My Life, My Guitar, My God’s Plan.
August 28, 2024 @ 6:06 pm
May he rest in peace, with all the other great Nashville session men who’ve transitioned.
The contribution Pete made to Linda Ronstadt’ career was on the song “Long Long Time”, a #25 pop hit for her in the fall of 1970 (her second hit, after the 1967-68 folk-rock classic “Different Drum”), from SILK PURSE, the only album she ever recorded in Nashville.
August 28, 2024 @ 11:45 pm
I haven’t read a music autobiography in awhile. I may have to pick that one up.
August 29, 2024 @ 6:30 am
RIP Pete Wade.
An amazing talent whose contributions are too often overlooked although he helped to create so many iconic recordings during country music’s greatest era.
Pete wrote an excellent autobiography just a few years ago: My Life, My Guitar, My God’s Plan. He wrote of life on the road playing behind many of country music’s biggest stars and the legendary studio recordings that he played on. He included many photos from his personal collection.
Here’s a 1962 clip from the Pet Milk Grand Ole Opry syndicated TV show hosted by T. Tommy Cutrer. Pete Wade plays lead guitar & sings harmony with Ray Price.
Ray’s Cherokee Cowboys band also includes Shorty Lavender/fiddle, Buddy Emmons/steel guitar, Jan Kurtis/drums & Steve Bess/bass guitar. (Steve’s Mom was Tootsie Bess who owned Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge in Nashville)
One of country music’s all-time greatest bands!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBimKqgwOBw
August 29, 2024 @ 10:48 am
I am his eldest granddaughter and thank you for the lovely article. He was an amazing man to say the least. I did want say that he was not at a hospice facility when he died. He passed away peacefully at home in the care of his daughter and hospice care. He was not placed in a facility. Also, he was 88. His 89th birthday would have been this December.
August 29, 2024 @ 10:55 am
I am his eldest granddaughter and thank you for the lovely article. He was an amazing man to say the least. While his career was legendary, the love and devotion to his wife and family, and his faith are what made him who he was. To know him was to love him.
I did want say that the last paragraph has incorrect information. He was not placed in a hospice facility where he died. He had been living with his daughter, my mother, since April, where she cared for him. Hospice had been coming this last week, and he died peacefully in his sleep at home as he would have wanted.
August 29, 2024 @ 11:11 am
Sorry for your loss Jennifer, and thanks for the clarification. The article has been revised.
August 29, 2024 @ 12:54 pm
Pete was a jewel! Kind, quiet and with a dry sense of humor. His guitar work was second to none. In fact, Grady thought so much of him that Grady gave “Big Red” to Pete after Grady retired. He used it with Ray at the Ryman one time and we were all amazed! The Echoplex King as well his distinctive style made so many records a hit. Farewell brother Cherokee Cowboy. I’m sure Ray and Grady will welcome you with open arms. Rest in peace my friend.
(BTW, Pete Drake played steel on Dylan’s Nashville Skyline album, not Mr Wade.)
August 29, 2024 @ 1:43 pm
Wow what an amazing legacy! That is a Hall of Fame career if ever there was one-playing on so many of Country music greatest hits. What a wonderful life.
May he enjoy his eternal reward and play forever in Heaven’s great band!
God bless you!
August 30, 2024 @ 10:19 am
I think it was Pete Drake – not Pete Wade – who played pedal steel guitar on Dylan’s “Lay Lady Lay.” Pete Wade was an excellent guitarist who often teamed with another Nashville A-team musician and steel guitarist Lloyd Green on many Nashville recordings.
Pete recorded a pretty cool solo album, all instrumental. I don’t recall the title but I’m trying to find it in my vinyl record collection; I believe it was released on Capricorn Records. He also wrote a biography book “My Life, My Guitar, and My God’s Plan” about his amazing career in music.
Godspeed on angel’s wings!