Richard Fay “Buck” Rambo, patriarch of the gospel music family, The Rambos, died Sunday (Feb. 21) in Palmetto, Florida, at the age of 84. He was surrounded by his wife Mae and family members.

He was born in Dawson Springs, Kentucky, son of Noah Burton Rambo and Mary Irisilda Rambo. Buck was married to Mae Kutz Rambo on April 1, 1995.

Buck Rambo’s career spanned 60 years and includes many accolades including numerous Grammy and Dove Award nominations. He became a Christian in 1949, went into full-time ministry in 1954, and in 1960, he started a Gospel singing group, The Gospel Echoes, which later became The Singing Rambos with daughter Reba and her mother Dottie.

He was one of the first Board members for the Gospel Music Association and a founding father of the Gospel Music Hall Of Fame. In the early ‘60s, Buck was a member of the Board of Directors for the National Quartet Convention. In 1964, Buck sang for over a million people at the first Washington For Jesus Rally. He is author of the book, The Legacy of the Rambos, and was on the first Gaither Homecoming video.

The Rambos were asked to go to the Strategic Air Command Bases in 1966 and went on a six-week tour of our northern outposts in Greenland, Newfoundland, Labrador, and Iceland entertaining the United States’ troops. In February of 1967, because of the tremendous response to the Arctic Tour, they embarked on a six-week tour to Vietnam to sing for the U.S. military forces there. This was a life-changing experience for The Singing Rambos. They also participated in concert tours for the military several times in Europe and ministered in over 16 different countries doing live concerts and television, including a concert with the Holland Symphony where they sang for 350,000 people.

In 1968, The Singing Rambos began working in television. They were a huge part of the early beginnings of the 700 Club, PTL Network, TBN Network, and The Gospel Singing Jubilee–a weekly television show featuring popular gospel singing groups of that era.

After The Rambos disbanded in about 1994, Buck continued to travel and minister with his wife, Mae, for the next several years doing concerts in churches and as a missionary in many countries, with his latest trip being to Costa Rica in 1999. In retirement, Buck spent his time visiting hospitals, nursing homes and praying for the sick as well as painting beautiful stills. He toured occasionally with Rambo McGuire and was a featured soloist on their projects, Rambo Classics and Dove-Award winning Grassroots Rambos.

His wife Mae Rambo stated, “Today the greatest man on earth passed from this life to his Heavenly home to touch the face of God. Buck had the most amazing time walking through this life on earth, but he is now celebrating in the light and presence of our Lord. While he was preparing to leave this world he could indeed say, ‘It is well with my soul.’ Buck had a huge heart and when it stopped beating it broke ours. I know with time that my memories will bring a smile more quickly than tears, and I was honored and blessed to be his wife for almost 21 years.”

Survivors include his wife Mae, daughter Reba Rambo (Dony) McGuire, grandchildren Israel Anthem McGuire, Destiny Rambo McGuire, Dionne (Scott) Dismuke, Dyson Dismuke, sister Hilda Bullock, brothers Donald (Betty) Rambo, Jackie (Shirley) Rambo of Dawson Springs, KY, sister-in-law Anna Jo Rambo of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and brother-in-law James Ausenbaugh.

Arrangements are forthcoming and being handled by Williamson Memorial Home in Franklin, Tennessee.

Musician Paul Gordon, a band member for Jennifer Nettles, died Thursday (Feb. 18) in Nashville. He was 52.

Nettles shared the news with fans via Instagram, writing, “Today we lost one of our precious own, Paul Gordon. Prayers for your beautiful family. May your Journey be sweet. You will forever play on in our hearts.”

Gordon, a Newport, Rhode Island native, also played with artists such as Natasha Bedingfield, Anna Wilson, Mandy Moore, Brenda K. Starr, and others throughout his career. Gordon was also a member of the B-52s’ touring band from 2007 until his passing.

On the B-52s’ Facebook page, the band wrote, “Our friend, keyboard player and guitarist, bandmate and brother, Paul Gordon passed away peacefully today and our hearts are broken. Words can’t express all the feelings we share as we remember his generous spirit, kindness and talent. He was and always will be a part of our B-52s family and we will miss him so much. We send our love to his family.”

Gordon composed music for film and television, including music for Digimon and Wild Force Power Rangers, and an array of soundtracks.

Gordon is survived by his wife, Jennifer Lysak Gordon, and two sons.

Curtis Potter, noted in Texas country music circles as a “singer’s singer,” has died at age 75.

Best known as the longtime frontman of Hank Thompson’s acclaimed Brazos Valley Boys, Potter passed away in Abilene, Texas, on Saturday, Jan. 23. He had congestive heart failure, complicated by pneumonia.

The Brazos Valley Boys won Billboard’s Touring Band of the Year award 14 times. Potter, a bass player and vocalist, joined the group in 1959 and remained with it for the next 13 years.

He also had an extensive résumé as a solo artist and record maker.

Born in 1940, Potter was given his own radio and TV show in Abilene on KRBC at age 16. As a youngster, he also performed in the road shows of Slim Willet and Bill Fox.

He began his recording career on Dot Records with 1969’s “You Comb Her Hair.” In 1973, Capitol Records issued Potter’s “Walkin’ Talkin’ Breathin’ Case of Sorrow.” This was followed by his Texas Dance Hall LP recorded with fellow Lone Star State singers Darrell McCall and Ray Sanders.

Potter was signed to Hillside Records in 1978. This resulted in his only two charted singles, 1979’s “Fraulein” and 1980’s duet with McCall, “San Antonio Medley.” He also recorded two albums for Hillside.

In 1984, Potter helped to form Step One Records in Nashville. This became country music’s largest independent label, releasing discs by Gene Watson, Ray Price, Kitty Wells, Hank Thompson and Clinton Gregory, as well as Potter.

He and Willie Nelson recorded the Six Hours at the Pedernales album for Step One in 1995. It yielded the video favorite “Turn Me Loose and Let Me Swing.”

In 2005, Potter signed with Heart of Texas Records. He recorded five solo albums for the company, including his tribute to Ray Price, Songs of the Cherokee Cowboy. Its title tune was another duet with Nelson. He also has two trio albums on Heart of Texas, recorded with Tony Booth and Darrell McCall. He is a member of the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame and the Western Swing Hall of Fame.

Potter had heart surgery in 2006, but resumed performing in dance halls, honky-tonks and concert halls. He last performed in Brady, Texas, on New Year’s Eve.

His funeral service and burial took place on Tuesday, Jan. 26. Curtis Potter is survived by his wife Pat, sons James and Shane, daughters Sharlotte and Rozlyn, eight grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

The family requests memorial contributions to the Heart of Texas Country Music Museum, 1701 South Bridge St., Brady, Texas 76825.

Nashville acoustic-guitar great Pete Huttlinger has died at age 54.

He recorded more than 15 albums, toured and recorded with John Denver and won awards for his fleet-fingered playing. His instructional DVDs and guitar workshops taught many fellow musicians.

Huttlinger was the husband of Music Row publicist Erin Morris, the son-in-law of noted country music journalist Ed Morris and the brother-in-law of song publisher Jason Morris..

Pete Huttlinger was born in 1961 in Washington, D.C. He was a 1984 graduate of the prestigious Berklee College of Music. He won the National Fingerpick Guitar championship in 2000.

In addition to touring and recording with Denver, Huttlinger backed LeAnn Rimes and John Oates. He has been heard on records by Faith Hill, Jimmy Buffett and The Nashville Chamber Orchestra, among others.

He had a congenital heart defect, and this shadowed his career. Huttlinger had a stroke in 2010 that paralyzed his right arm and rendered him unable to speak. He fought his way back to health and launched a second career as a public speaker. His presentation was titled “Don’t Just Live: Live Well.”

Huttlinger walked the 2012 Music City Marathon with a bag containing a battery pack for his heart pump. He and his wife co-authored the 2015 book, Joined at the Heart: A Story of Love, Guitars, Resilience and Marigolds.

The guitarist suffered another stroke on Jan. 11. He died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center on Jan. 15.

He is survived by wife Erin Morris Huttlinger, stepchildren Sean Della Croce and James Della Croce, brother Frank Huttlinger and sister Theresa Vigour.

A memorial service will be scheduled later.

Gospel Music Hall of Fame member Joe Moscheo was known to thousands of music industry folks due to his membership in The Imperials and his long tenure as an executive at BMI. Moscheo, 78, passed away around 10 p.m. on Monday night, Jan. 11, reported The Imperials on a Facebook posting. He was a musician, a manager, an executive, a producer, a songwriter and an author.

Moscheo was born to Italian immigrants in Albany, New York in 1937. He first went on the road in 1960 when he joined the gospel group The Harmoneers. Within a year, he had moved on to perform with The Prophets. In the fall of 1964, he joined The Imperials as a singer, keyboard player and arranger. He also wrote several songs for the group.

This version of The Imperials regularly performed with Elvis Presley in Las Vegas in 1969-72. Between 1966 and 1971, The Imperials also appeared on a number of Presley’s recordings. Moscheo revisited this phase of his career in his 2007 book The Gospel Side of Elvis. He also produced the PBS TV documentary He Touched Me: The Gospel Music of Elvis Presley. It became a DVD in 2002.

The Imperials also backed such entertainers as Jimmy Dean, Pat Boone, Roy Clark and Carol Channing. The group won the first of its many awards from the Gospel Music Association in 1969. In 1972, The Imperials became gospel’s first interracial group.

In 1978, Moscheo left his performing career behind and was hired by BMI. He was the organization’s Vice President of Special Projects for the next 16 years. In 1982 and 1983 he served two terms as the President of the Nashville chapter of the Recording Academy. In the mid-1990s, Moscheo formed his own management company. He worked with BeBe & CeCe Winans, Michael English, Wynonna and others.

He was hired by First Union Bank in June 1996 to establish its Entertainment Division. Moscheo retired from First Union in 2003. He became a consultant to the music company MCS America and assumed its presidency in 2004. Moscheo was a member of the founding council of Leadership Music. He also served as both president and board member of the W.O. Smith Community Music School and of the Gospel Music Association.

He was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2007. This was actually his second induction, for he was also voted into the Hall as a member of The Imperials in 1998.

He continued to make appearances relating to Elvis and The Imperials until his retirement in 2014. Moscheo suffered from a degenerative neurological disease. He was moved into an assisted living facility last year and a GiveForward account called the Joe Moscheo Fund was set up for his care. He underwent emergency surgery and was hospitalized in late December.

Funeral arrangements have not been announced.