On This Day in 2003, We Lost One of the Most Influential Country Singer-Songwriters of All Time on the Heels of His Own Personal Tragedy

On this day, December 16, 2003, the music world lost one of its brightest and most talented singer/songwriters. American musician and songwriter, Gary Stewart, tragically took his own life at the age of 59, following the death of his wife of 43 years, Mary Lou Stewart. At the time of his wife’s death, Stewart’s friends noted that he was “despondent” following her passing.

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While Stewart’s life ended in such a tragic way, he should be remembered for his amazing contributions to country music and the bright light he left on for musicians who followed in his footsteps.

Gary Stewart’s Legacy Lives On

Gary Ronnie Stewart was born in Jenkins, Kentucky, on May 28, 1944. He began his music career by writing songs as a teenager and touring with local bands. In his early years, he married and worked at an airplane factory. He played in country and rock bands at night.

After moving to Florida and being advised by Mel Tillis to nurture his musical talent and move to Nashville, he followed suit and wrote music for a small local label. From there, he wrote hits for the likes of Stonewall Jackson, Billy Walker, Cal Smith, Nat Stuckey, and others. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, he also played piano for The Pridesmen, Charley Pride’s band at the time.

Stewart wasn’t a fan of Music Row and decided to move back to Florida, where his career didn’t slow down. He recorded country versions of songs for Motown Records and was later signed to RCA Records in the mid-1970s. In 1973, he returned to Nashville to record a number of songs that would be major hits, from “Drinkin’ Thing” to “Your Place Or Mine”. Bob Dylan even said that he admired Stewart.

Stewart was often hailed as the “king of honkytonk.” It’s hard to argue with that. He was responsible for quite a few hits around that time, namely the 1975 chart-topper “She’s Actin’ Single (I’m Drinkin’ Doubles)”. He would continue to produce music until the mid-1990s.

Stewart was known for his very distinct voice, which had a strong vibrato and was almost instantly recognizable. He was also known for his work on the piano, guitar, and bass. Gary Stewart’s legacy lives on, and it’s hard to imagine what the country music industry would look like today without his influence.

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