# George Jones Sideman Sonny Curtis Dies

> Sonny Curtis, George Jones' pedal steel guitarist, died 7 years ago today after hating the instrument he became famous for.
- Title: George Jones Sideman Sonny Curtis Dies · American Songwriter
- Summary: Sonny Curtis, George Jones' pedal steel guitarist, died 7 years ago today after hating the instrument he became famous for.
- Keywords: sonny curtis, george jones, pedal steel guitar, jones boys, country music, alzheimer's, music, culture, George, Jones, Sideman, Sonny
- Source: American Songwriter — https://americansongwriter.com/7-years-ago-today-country-music-said-goodbye-to-the-legendary-george-jones-sideman-who-hated-the-instrument-he-became-famous-for
- Author: Erinn Callahan
- Published: 2026-10-11T23:15:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: sonny curtis, george jones, pedal steel guitar, jones boys, country music, alzheimer's, music, culture
## Sonny Curtis Died
Richard "Sonny" Curtis died on October 11, 2019, at age 83 in Somerset, Kentucky after battling Alzheimer's.
## George Jones' Sideman
Curtis played with George Jones' backing band the Jones Boys for decades, appearing on most of Jones' early albums.
## Hated Pedal Steel Guitar
Curtis hated the pedal steel guitar until an encounter with Bobby Irwin changed his mind before graduating high school.
## Key takeaway

Sonny Curtis, George Jones' pedal steel guitarist who hated the instrument he became famous for, died on October 11, 2019.