You may not have known his name, but you knew the sound he could make with his fiddle.
And it’s that sound that we lost on the morning of Aug. 30.
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In fact, many have referred to Hoot Hester as one of the greatest fiddle players of all time. Born in 1951 in Kentucky, Hester was a longtime member of the Grand Ole Opry staff band. He also was known throughout Nashville, playing backup for some of country music’s greatest, including Alabama, Hank Williams Jr., Conway Twitty, Randy Travis, Bill Monroe and Ricky Van Shelton. He also served as co-founder of the Time Jumpers.
Hoot Hester had just turned 65 years old on Aug. 13.
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“Dad passed away this morning,” his daughter shared on her Facebook page on Aug. 30. “We are heartbroken, but thankful he is no longer in pain and suffering. Dad would want you all to remember the good times and the funny ways he shaped all of our lives. He was a good man, a good husband, a good father, a good grandfather, and a good brother. Pray for all of us as we process this and try to love each other in the midst of pain.”
We send our prayers to Hoot’s family, friends and fans.
