Kenny Chesney expressed his heartbreak after losing his longtime friend, Michael Rhodes.
On Saturday morning, Rhodes - a renowned Nashville session musician - died at his home in Nashville, Tennessee. His representative confirmed his death in a statement to Billboard, although it did not disclose his exact cause of death.
Following his passing, Rhodes has been receiving tributes and heartfelt messages from his colleagues, friends, and fans.
His longtime friend, Chesney, also penned a touching message as he remembered his legacy and mourned the loss.
On Instagram, the guitarist recalled working with Rhodes to create his first-ever album. He thanked the late bassist for working with him in the years before his death.
"He taught me a lot about making records and was such a big part in creating my sound," he wrote alongside a photo of Rhodes playing his instrument on stage. "He was simply one of the best bass players/human beings I have ever worked with and he will be missed. If you are listening to one of your favorite songs on the radio tonight."
Rhodes' family has not released an update regarding a funeral or memorial service. But their representative asked the public to, in lieu of flowers, donate to the Music Health Alliance through personal mail or its website, musichealthalliance.com.
More People Remembered Michael Rhodes
Following the confirmation of his death, his fans and friends took to Twitter to pay tribute to him. Beth Hart, Steve Wriner, Beth Hart, and more left messages on the social media site.
Peter Frampton shared a video on his Twitter and wrote about how amazing and incredible Rhodes was. The clip featured him and Rhodes alongside Bob Mayo, Eddie Bayers, Brent Mason, John Hobbs, and Paul Franklin.
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Rhodes started pursuing his love for music when he began playing the guitar when he was 11. It soon led him to join local bands in Austin and Memphis.
In 1977, he joined The Nerve and started performing with Ricky Rector and Danny Rhodes. At the same time, he worked as a session player and a demo musician.
Rhodes expanded his music career alongside other bands, including The Notorious Cherry Bombs and Cicadas. He also played on hit songs like "I Hope You Dance" by Lee Ann Womack and "Sunny Came Home" by Shawn Colvin.
The famed bassist had long list of credits under his belt after working with other musicians, including Joan Osborne, Elton John, Amy Grant, Lionel Richie, Aaron Neville, Lonnie Mack, Dolly Parton, Stevie Nicks, Alan Jackson, Willie Nelson, Bill Joe Shaver, and Grace Potter, among others.
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