Jerry Reed, country music’s howling virtuoso and a star of stage, studio and screen, died Sunday, Aug. 31, just before midnight, at his Brentwood home.

Born Jerry Reed Hubbard, Mr. Reed suffered from emphysema and was in hospice care. He was 71, and he leaves an unparalleled legacy of laughter and song.

“All of us pickers owe him so much,” said recording artist and guitar player Brad Paisley. “Jerry Reed’s instrumentals are required learning if you want to play country guitar. And every move he made was to entertain, and make the world more fun. Because he was such a great, colorful personality with his acting and songs and entertaining, sometimes people didn’t even notice that he was just about the best guitarist you’ll ever hear.”

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