Renowned Steel Guitarist Pete Finney Dies at 70

Finney toured with country music stars Patty Loveless and Reba McEntire over his illustrious career.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Pete Finney, a highly respected steel guitarist who toured with Patty Loveless for over 20 years and recorded with Reba McEntire, the Chicks, Vince Gill, the Judds, and many other country music icons, has passed away at the age of 70. Finney's death was confirmed by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, which praised him as a "widely admired Nashville musician" who "exemplified how top instrumentalists can adapt to a remarkable range of styles and settings."

Why it matters

Finney was a fixture in the Nashville music scene for decades, contributing his virtuosic steel guitar playing to countless hit recordings and live performances. His death marks the loss of a true master of his craft and a beloved figure in the country music community.

The details

Finney was born in Maryland in 1955 and began his career playing gigs in Washington, D.C. with singer-songwriter Liz Meyer before relocating to Austin, Texas in the late 1970s and then Nashville in the mid-1980s. In Nashville, he toured with acts like Foster & Lloyd and contributed to the solo careers of Radney Foster and Bill Lloyd. Over his career, Finney recorded with a wide range of artists across multiple genres, from Beck to Shemekia Copeland to Justin Townes Earle.

  • Finney was born in September 1955 in Maryland.
  • He relocated to Austin, Texas in the late 1970s.
  • Finney moved to Nashville in the mid-1980s.
  • Finney married singer Carol Tully on October 15, 2017.
  • Finney joined the final Monkees tour in 2021, which included Mickey Dolenz as well as Mike Nesmith.

The players

Pete Finney

A steel guitarist who toured with Patty Loveless for over 20 years and recorded with Reba McEntire, the Chicks, Vince Gill, the Judds, and many other country music artists.

Patty Loveless

A country music singer that Finney toured with for over 20 years.

Reba McEntire

A country music icon that Finney recorded with over his career.

Carol Tully

Finney's wife, whom he married in 2017.

Mike Nesmith

The Monkees singer-songwriter who recruited Finney to join the revival of his country-rock group the First National Band in 2017.

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What they’re saying

“RIP old friend!”

— Ray Benson, Asleep at the Wheel frontman (Facebook)

“Pete came to a concert in 1970 and saw Asleep at the Wheel he told me that was when he decided to play pedal steel... and play he did with style grace and total command of that instrument! Hard to lose a great friend who was there at the beginning of it all for me and so many in those early Wash DC days.”

— Ray Benson, Asleep at the Wheel frontman (Facebook)

“I'd sometimes run into him 4, or 5 nights a week at shows. If there were 9 people in attendance, Pete would usually be one of them. He'd joke that he liked seeing me at shows because he'd know it must be the place to be.”

— Otis Gibbs, Singer-songwriter and podcaster (Otis Gibbs' website)

What’s next

Friends and family are invited to a remembrance gathering for Pete Finney on Sunday at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's Ford Theater in Nashville.

The takeaway

Pete Finney's passing marks the loss of a true master of the steel guitar and a beloved figure in the country music community. His decades-long career saw him contribute his virtuosic playing to countless hit recordings and live performances, cementing his legacy as one of the most respected instrumentalists in the genre.