Country artist Pinto Bennett passed away on Tuesday evening, June 29th, at the age of 73.
Bennett’s family confirmed the news in a Facebook post, announcing that the musician had passed away at home. Bennett’s death occurred less than a year after the family opened up about the musician’s heart issues following a positive COVID-19 diagnosis last October.
“To all our family, friends and fans, last night Pinto passed away suddenly at home. He was a great man and will be missed by many,” Bennett’s family wrote. “No words can express the sorrow we feel, we appreciate all the love you are sending at this very difficult time.”
Bennett was born in May 1948 in Idaho and worked on a ranch before joining the U.S. Navy. During his early years, Bennett was exposed to music by Hank Williams and Lefty Frizzell, which would later shape his artistic career.
One of Bennett’s most significant contributions to music was his role in influencing “Hard Country Music.” His country performances were not typical or well-mannered, and while Nashville labels were wary of the genre, fans all over the world gravitated to the sound.
Bennett has a long legacy of songs and albums. His final album, The Last Saturday Night, was released in 2019.
For more on Bennett’s music, check out the video below.