Heartbreaking news from the country music world.
According to Country Now, Miranda Lambert’s longtime guitar player Scotty Wray has passed away. He was reportedly battling a heart condition for the past few years.
Wray, the brother of ’90s country singer Collin Raye, had been playing with Miranda since the beginning of her career, all the way back to her days of gigging around Texas when she was just a teenager.
Back in 2019, Miranda wished him happy birthday, citing their 18 years together on the road.
In addition to being a longtime member of Miranda’s touring band, Wray was also an accomplished songwriter, penning a number of tunes for his brother Collin.
He also co-wrote “Scars,” an unreleased tune that went viral on Whiskey Riff back in 2016. In the video, she delivers a heartfelt explanation of how the song came to be years and years ago:
“I love this song so much I never recorded it… I was never damaged enough to sing a song called ‘Scars’.
It’s something you have to sell and really feel, and really live … and go through shit, basically, to execute a song like that.”
The song was recorded by Collin, with Miranda singing background, for his 2020 album of the same name.
Miranda Lambert Shares Heartfelt Tribute
In the touching Instagram post, she called Wray “one of her most treasured friends.”
“Last night I lost one of my most treasured friends, band mates and road family members, Scotty Wray. We met in 2001 in Greenville Texas. I was 17. That was the beginning of our journey together.
We went through so much life together on and off the stage. We wrote songs, played gig after gig, fought, cried, laughed and even got matching arrow tattoos after we made it out of some rough patches together.
He was one of the most talented guitar players I’ve ever known and I’m so thankful I got to witness his genius seasoned laid back blues man style on stages all over the world for over 20 years. He was the one I could count on. Always. No matter what. If he was there on my right side I felt like I could take on the world.
Scotty Wray was family to me and I’ll never sing a note without him because I know he is there with me. He always has been. I love you my sweet Bud Wray. Heaven is lucky cause that honky tonk band up there just gained another guitar pickin’ angel.
Rest easy my love.”
RIP Scotty
