# Merle Travis Dies 43 Years Ago

> Country legend Merle Travis, who pioneered the Travis picking guitar style, died 43 years ago today.
- Title: Merle Travis Dies 43 Years Ago · American Songwriter
- Summary: Country legend Merle Travis, who pioneered the Travis picking guitar style, died 43 years ago today. Merle Travis, a country music guitarist and songwriter…
- Keywords: merle travis, travis picking, tennessee ernie ford, ernest tubb, country music, 1983, heart attack, music, culture, Merle, Travis, Dies
- Source: American Songwriter — https://americansongwriter.com/43-years-ago-today-country-music-lost-the-pioneering-guitarist-who-helped-define-its-sound-and-wrote-hits-for-tennessee-ernie-ford-and-ernest-tubb
- Author: Clayton Edwards
- Published: 2026-10-20T22:15:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: merle travis, travis picking, tennessee ernie ford, ernest tubb, country music, 1983, heart attack, music, culture
## Merle Travis Dies
Merle Travis died of a heart attack in his Tahlequah, Oklahoma home on October 20, 1983 at age 65.
## Travis Picking Style
Travis developed a syncopated fingerpicking style that became a staple in country music guitar playing.
## Songwriter for Stars
Travis wrote hits for Tennessee Ernie Ford and Ernest Tubb, including 'Sixteen Tons' and 'Divorce Me C.O.D.'
## Recording Success
Travis released 12 singles between 1946 and 1948, with 11 songs reaching the top 10.
## Key takeaway

Merle Travis, a country music guitarist and songwriter who helped define the genre, died of a heart attack in 1983 at age 65.