Blackberry Smoke Drummer Brit Turner Dies At Age 57 Following Cancer Battle

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Blackberry Smoke Announces Death Of Drummer & Founding Member Brit Turner

Brit Turner, the beloved drummer for the Southern and country rock group Blackberry Smoke, has died. He was 57 years old.

Blackberry Smoke formed in Atlanta, Georgia in 2000. Turner founded the band with lead vocalist Charlie Starr, bassist Richard Turner (Brit’s brother), guitarist Paul Jackson, and keyboardist Brandon Still.

The band is known for their unique music that blends elements of rock and country. Two of their albums, Holding All the Roses and Like An Arrow, reached #1 on the Top Country Albums chart.

Some of their most popular songs include “Pretty Little Lie,” “One Horse Town,” and “Ain’t Much Left of Me.”

Turner was always there, serving as the driving force and heartbeat behind the group’s songs.

Brit Turner Revealed His Glioblastoma Diagnosis In 2022

In August 2022, Blackberry Smoke announced that Turner had suffered “a serious heart attack.” Then, in early November 2022, Blackberry Smoke shared the news that doctors discovered a tumor on Turner’s brain during an MRI.

Turner was eventually diagnosed with glioblastoma, which the Mayo Clinic describes as:

“…a type of cancer that starts as a growth of cells in the brain or spinal cord. It grows quickly and can invade and destroy healthy tissue.”

Turner underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor in November 2022. He returned to touring with Blackberry Smoke after he recovered from the operation.

But Turner still missed a few shows due to his health. In December 2023, Blackberry Smoke announced Turner would be missing a few shows to receive continued cancer treatment.

Brit Turner Died At The Age Of 57

Sadly, Blackberry Smoke shared the news on Sunday (March 3) that Brit Turner died earlier that day. The band’s statement read:

“It is with the deepest sorrow that we inform everyone that our brother Brit Turner has moved on from this life. If you had the privilege of knowing Brit on any level, you know he was the most caring, empathetic, driven and endearing person one could ever hope to meet. Brit was Blackberry Smoke’s True North, the compass that instituted the ideology that will continue to guide this band. Brit has battled glioblastoma since his diagnosis in the fall of 2022 and fought every day. We ask for prayers for his family and band brothers.”

 

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Blackberry Smoke said more information concerning Turner’s funeral arrangements will be forthcoming.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Turner’s family, friends, bandmates, and fans during this difficult time. May he rest in peace…