Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Tributes Mac Gayden

(CMHOFAM) The family of Mac Gayden recently shared the news of his passing on social media. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum issues the following statement:

"Dylan's producer Bob Johnston called Mac Gayden 'the best guitar player I ever heard' and a 'genius genius genius.' And who could argue? Gayden's innovative wah-wah slide guitar playing crystalized J.J. Cale's 'Crazy Mama,' and his bluesy touch deepened records by Kris Kristofferson, Charley Pride and Linda Ronstadt.

"As a founding member of Area Code 615, Mac's fingerprint was recognized at a time the world was becoming acutely aware of the blinding array, and virtuosity, of Nashville's first-call Cats.

"His soulful songwriting eschewed genre, revealing a depth that reflected the whole city, and gave life to R&B classics such as the indelible 'Everlasting Love' and 'She Shot a Hole in My Soul.' His sheer musicality was a dazzling force, and his spirit a gift to us all." - Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Watch an interview with Mac Gayden from 2013 from the museum's "Nashville Cats" program series here

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