Hall of Fame Rocker and Hit Country Songwriter Dead at 79

Tony Haselden, lead guitarist and founding member of the Louisiana-based rock band LeRoux and hit country songwriter, has died. Hselden passed away last Friday (May 16) at the age of 79. No cause of death has been released at this time.

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According to a post from Louisiana Jukebox Cafe, Haselden was a South Carolina native who moved to Louisiana in the early 1970s. Already an accomplished guitarist, Haselden joined LeRoux when the band formed in 1978. While he faced recent health issues that put him on the sidelines, he remained with the group until his death. Haselden was one of the only remaining original members of the band.

When LeRoux went on hiatus, Haselden moved to Nashville to work as a songwriter. There, he penned hit songs for some of the genre’s biggest names. He wrote or co-wrote hits like Colin Raye’s “That’s My Story (And I’m Stickin’ to It),” Keith Whitley’s “It Ain’t Nothin’,” and George Strait’s “You Know Me Better Than That.” He also wrote songs that were recorded by Shenandoah and Shania Twain.

Haselden was not new to songwriting when he moved to Nashville. He also penned some of LeRoux’s biggest songs, including their highest-charting single “Nobody Said It Was Easy.” The track peaked at No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100.

He was more than a guitarist and songwriter, though. Haselden also produced records for The Kinleys and The Wilkinsons.

More About Tony Haselden

Tony Haselden was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame and the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame Songwriters’ Association Hall of Fame in 2010.

While the music he made and his accolades will live forever, his legacy is bigger than that. He lives on in the memories of the people who knew him. One commenter on the Louisiana Jukebox Cafe’s post shared their memories of Haselden and his wife, Julia. “The world just lost a top-notch guy–kind, fun-loving, humorous, and ultra talented,” they wrote. “We met Tony and Julia when we first moved to Franklin, TN, about 20 years ago, and were fortunate to become good friends. Many nights were spent at the Bluebird Cafe and other venues listening to his hilarious stories and clever lyrics,” they added. “He was one of a kind.”

Featured Image from LeRoux’s Instagram