Marshall Tucker, a blind South Carolina-based piano tuner who gave the name The Marshall Tucker Band, has died. He was 99.
The official social media sites of The Marshall Tucker Band, including Twitter and Facebook, confirmed the musician's passing through related posts. It confirmed that Tucker passed away on the morning of Jan. 20.
The post revealed how the band finally had a name because of the blind piano tuner.
"Though he was never a member of our band, we wouldn't be here today without his historic name," it said. "In the early days of rehearsing in an old warehouse in Spartanburg, we found a keychain inscribed with his name. We needed a name asap... and the rest is history!"
The Marshall Tucker Band noted how Tucker's blindness did not prevent him from playing the instrument, recalling that he could play and tune pianos in South Carolina in the decades leading to his death.
The band also took its time to send heartfelt messages and condolences to his bereaved family.
Following the announcement, the band's fans and Tucker's supporters expressed their heartbreaks through online posts. At the same time, they also honored his contribution to the music industry and his efforts in making the band known globally.
I always loved this historic story. Its a great name and fit for this great band. How many named our kids, dogs, horse, goats and tracks after y'all too! May God bless him!
— @ElyzabethRyce (@WyldRyce583) January 22, 2023
Marshall Tucker's Legacy
The Marshall Tucker Band's only remaining original member, Doug Gray, revealed several times that he never knew Tucker was an individual. Per Ultimate Classic Rock & Culture, he thought the name referred to a company that owned or leased the place where they did their rehearsals.
On the other hand, Tucker revealed in a 2020 interview how he named the band. According to the tuner, he was staying at a friend's house when he was told he would play that night. He eventually recalled her mother telling him that his name would reach popularity more than his face.
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Currently, The Marshall Tucker Band only has Gray as its only remaining original musician from its original lineup. He currently plays with B.B Borden, Tony Black, Rick Willis, Chris Hicks, and Marcus James Henderson.
Its past members included Tommy Caldwell, Jerry Eubanks, Toy Caldwell, George McCorkle, Bobby Odin, James, Stroud, Clay Cook, Tony Heatherly, Don Cameron, Ace Allan, Paul Thompson, Garry Guzzardo, David Muse, James Harold Brown, and Pat Elwood, among others.
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