Renowned music producer and guitarist Jerry Kennedy, celebrated for his work with Tammy Wynette and Roy Orbison, has passed away at 85 in Nashville. His son confirmed the news, attributing his father’s death to congestive heart failure. Kennedy, a fixture in Nashville’s music scene for decades, leaves behind a rich legacy of influential tunes.

Jerry Kennedy, who was best known for his music production skills, as well as playing the guitar for Tammy Wynette and Roy Orbison, has passed away. The musician was 85 as he left for his heavenly abode on February 11 in Nashville.

Jerry Kennedy passes away at 85

The news of the beloved Nashville resident musician was confirmed to The New York Times by his son, Gordon Kennedy, who stated that his father had left for his heavenly abode after he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. He shared a social media tribute, which was shared with a photo of his father, along with a long and emotional caption, to pay respects to the veteran musician.In the social media post caption, he wrote that “The musician sits on one side of the glass. The producer sits on the other. My father sat on both in this world. Scripture tells us we only see through a smoky glass this side of heaven. I imagine my father sitting on this side and last Wednesday, hearing a voice on the other side saying ‘come on in and listen.’”In another statement to The Tennessean, Gordon further shared that in the days leading up to his demise, the guitarist was admitted into a comfort care facility.

Known all about Jerry Kennedy

Jerry Kennedy was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on August 10, 1940. Music had been a major part of his life from the get-go, as he once shared that his parents gifted him a guitar when he was around 8 years old. He regularly attended concerts of other famed guitarists and singers, and actively practiced over the years, taking lessons here and there.Over the years, as he rose to fame, Kennedy became a known face in Nashville in the 1960s and 1970s. He was also credited for a lot of the music that was created in the city at the time and became popular. To this date, his tunes remain in the hearts and minds of many. In his statement, the musician’s son further detailed that his father’s music continues to live on no matter what. He shared that it is still often used on TV shows and what not, which leaves him feeling nostalgic and happy. He further added, “There were days where I remember walking towards his room and I hear music coming out of his room and it was Tom T. Hall’s ‘Fox on the Run,’ from the bluegrass album they did. It was a different song every day. We would hear ‘I’ll Go To My Grave Loving You’ by the Statler Brothers or a Tammy Wynette song he played on. I was just amazed at how frequent it was.”