Musician and Poco co-founder Rusty Young has passed away at the age of 75 from a heart attack on Wednesday.
Fellow co-founder confirmed the sad news in a statement to Variety stating: “I just received word that my friend Rusty Young has passed away and crossed that line into eternity.
“My heart is saddened; he was a dear and longtime friend who help me pioneer and create a new Southern California musical sound called ‘country rock.’
“He was an innovator on the steel guitar and carried the name Poco on for more than 50 years.
“Our friendship was real and he will be deeply missed. My prayers are with his wife, Mary, and his children Sara and Will.”
(Image: Getty Images)
Rusty and Richie formed Poco in 1968 in Buffalo Springfield.
(Image: WireImage)
Rusty continued as the frontman of the band for five decades, through a number of different iterations.
He continued to tour until March 2020 when the pandemic put a stop to plans.
Rusty also wrote the band’s biggest hit ‘Crazy Love’ which was named the No. 1 adult contemporary song of 1979.
(Image: WireImage)
Rick Alter, Poco and Rusty’s manager said: “Rusty was the most unpretentious, caring and idyllic artist I have ever worked with, a natural life force that he consistently poured into his music.
“To fans and fellow musicians alike, he was a once-in-a-lifetime musician, songwriter, performer and friend.”
Rusty was born Feb. 23, 1946 in Long Beach and grew upRusty was born Feb. 23, 1946 in Long Beach and grew up playing lap steel in local country and psychedelic rock bands in his teen.
(Image: CBS via Getty Images)
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In 2019 Young recorded his final song, Listen to Your Heart, a charity single to raise awareness for Santana’s Hope for Paws, an animal charity in Missouri.
Young is survived by his wife Mary, their daughter Sara, son Will, and three young grandsons, Chandler, Ryan and Graham, as well as Mary’s three children Joe, Marci and Hallie, and grandchildren Quentin and Emma.
A memorial service will be held October 16 at Wildwood Springs Lodge in Steelville, Missouri, where Rusty met his wife 20 years ago.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
