- - Country Music Steel Guitarist Pete Finney, Collaborator with Monkees and Others, Dies at 70

Craig RosenFebruary 10, 2026 at 2:31 AM

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(Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Country Music Hall Of Fame &; Museum)

The country music world is mourning the loss of steel guitar player Pete Finney, who died on Feb. 7, according to a social media post by the Country Music Hall of Fame. He was 70.

Though Finney may have been best known for his work with such country artists as the Chicks, Vince Gill, the Judds, Reba McEntire, and Patty Loveless, his talent was not limited to artists only associated with that genre.

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Late Monkees member Michael Nesmith enlisted Finney for his solo work with his country-flavored solo project the First National Band and later brought him along on his final tour with the Monkees in 2017. Finney also played on Micky Dolenz’s 2021 tribute album to his late bandmate, Dolenz Sings Nesmith.

A diverse list of other artists who used Finney’s talent both in the recording studio and concert stage includes Beck, Justin Townes Earle, Jim Lauderdale, Allison Moorer, Ron Sexsmith, Candi Staton and dozens of others.

“He exemplified how top instrumentalists can adapt to a range of styles and settings, whether in a recording studio, a concert stage, or the corner of a small nightclub,” noted the Country Music Hall of Fame’s post, announcing Finney’s passing.

Finney was born and raised in Maryland but headed to Austin in the late 1970s to play with late legendary Tex-Mex pioneer Doug Sahm. A decade later, he relocated to Nashville where he joined Foster & Lloyd’s touring band and worked with Radney Foster and Bill Lloyd as solo artists.

Aside from his work as a musician, Finney also had deep knowledge of American music history, which he shared with the public when he served as the co-curator of the “Dylan, Cash, and the Nashville Cats: A New Music City” exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The exhibit explored the period in the 1960s and 1970s when non-country musicians visited Nashville to work with the city’s ace studio musicians. Finney co-wrote the book on the exhibit which won him the Chet Flippo Award for excellence in country music journalism from the International Country Music Conference.

A few notable musicians offered condolences to Finney in the comments of the Country Music Hall of Fame’s tribute on Instagram.

“I’ve known and worked with Pete for many years. What a terrible loss. 😞,” wrote country singer Mandy Barnett.

“Pete was an absolute sweetheart of a human. He’ll be greatly missed in the Nashville music community,” added singer-guitarist Jeremy Fetzer.

“A gut punch to the scene, one of the nicest guys you could ever meet,” singer Jonah Kraut added.

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This story was originally published by Parade on Feb 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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