Brit Turner, a founding member of the band Blackberry Smoke, has died at age 57 after a battle with cancer. He was diagnosed with glioblastoma in the fall of 2022. The band put out a statement asking for prayers for Turner’s family and friends in the band during the difficult time.
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“It is with the deepest sorrow that we inform everyone that our brother, Brit Turner, has moved on from this life,” the statement read, which was posted by the band on Instagram. “If you had the privilege of knowing Brit on any level, you know he was the most caring, empathetic, driven, and endearing person one could ever hope to meet.”
Blackberry Smoke described Turner as their “True North,” writing that he was “the compass that instituted the ideology that will continue to drive this band.”
Country Rock Band Blackberry Smoke Lose Drummer, Brit Turner, to Cancer
The message concluded, “We ask for prayers for his family and band brothers. More information on arrangements will be forthcoming. Thank you to everyone who has supported and been there for Brit and his family through this fight.”
Blackberry Smoke formed in Atlanta, Georgia in 2000. They released their debut album, Bad Luck Ain’t No Crime, in 2003. In 2015 they became the first independent group to have an album go to No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart. The band consists of Charlie Starr on lead vocals, Richard Turner—Brit Turner’s brother—on bass, Paul Jackson on guitar, and Brandon Still on keyboards. Brit Turner was the band’s drummer from 2000 until his recent death.
Turner’s specific type of cancer can form in the brain or the spinal cord, according to the Mayo Clinic. It tends to occur more often in older men, but can realistically happen to anyone at any age. The symptoms include headaches that get worse, nausea and vomiting, blurry or double vision, and seizures.
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