Remembering the Country Stars Who’ve Died So Far in 2026

Three weeks into the new year, the country music community has already mourned some heavy losses.

Songwriter Jim McBride died on Jan. 6, marking the first true loss of the year within the country world. A Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer, McBride was renowned for his contributions to the country music songbook, and in particular, his work with Alan Jackson.

McBride co-wrote two major hits of Jackson’s, “Chattahoochee” and “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow,” along with a plethora of tracks for other country artists, including Conway Twitty, Waylon Jennings and Toby Keith.

Read More: Famed Country Songwriter Jim McBride Dead at 78

Other notable deaths from outside the genre hit country fans hard in January, too. We said goodbye to Gunsmoke star Roger Ewing and mourned the loss of Tucker Zimmerman, a cult folk hero who died in a tragic house fire with his wife of 50 years.

And music fans of all stripes came together to mourn the loss of Grateful Dead founding member Bob Weir, who died on Jan. 10. Weir’s storied career spanned genres and touched hearts all around the world, including those of country stars.

Read More: Wyonna Judd Reveals the Incredible Thing Bob Weir Did After Naomi Judd Died

Among those was Wynonna Judd, who appeared onstage with Weir several times in recent years.

In the wake of his death, she shared a tribute that included the story of how Weir dropped everything to attend Naomi Judd’s private funeral after her death in 2022. He even took the stage that night, together with the Judd’s family, friends and fellow musicians, to honor her life.

Keep scrolling for a look back at the artists we’ve lost so far in 2026. Taste of Country will continue to update this list to pay tribute to each artist who dies throughout the year.