At the moment there is no information on the cause of death for Jason Rowdy Cope. In early 2019 they released their latest record Old News to much critical acclaim. It flowed. The group's publicist confirmed. Jason 'Rowdy' Cope, Steel Woods Co-Founder, Dead at 42 - The Boot Before the news, The Steel Woods was preparing to release their third studio album this year. Join our e-mail list to receive LEO exclusives and special offers on tickets and giveaways. One of my favorite bands of the past few years. Jason "Rowdy" Cope, co-founder of the country-rock band the Steel Woods, has died. My coverage of his tragic and unfortunate death wasnt posted for clicks any more than any other article ever posted about the death of anyonewhether its one of the 40 full-length obituaries I posted for musicians who passed away in 2020, The lengthy In Memoriam article I posted at the end of 2020 that detailed the dozens of contributors to country that passed away in 2020, the obituary I just posted today (Thursday) for Randy Parton, or the dozens of articles I have posted following up on the deaths of other individuals important to the country music realm. Formed in 2016 after guitarist Jason Rowdy Cope, who played in Jamey Johnsons band for many years, met lead singer Wes Bayliss at a music venue in Nashville, The Steel Woods have been growing their grassroots following out on the road while opening for the likes of Miranda Lambert, Blackberry Smoke, Jamey Johnson, Whiskey Myers, Cody Jinks, and more. The Steel Woods guitarist, Jason Cope, dies at 42. - Country Standard Time This is truly a tragic loss for music in general, and the Southern Rock revivalist movement (among which, I think The Steel Woods do it best), specifically. 7:02 pm, Daniel Miller They never stopped playing for their fans, who many have become like family. "It is with a broken and heavy heart that we share the news that our brother, friend and the founder of The Steel Woods, Jason Cope, has passed away," the band says. 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The Steel Woods to Release Third Album Following Death of Guitarist We will all miss you. R.I.P. Founding guitarist for fast-rising and critically-acclaimed country and Southern rock band The Steel Woods, and long time session guitarist and touring member of Jamey Johnsons backing band Jason Rowdy Cope has died according to the band. He was so cool: https://www.facebook.com/countryrebelclothing/videos/1171901902855487/ Rowdy will be deeply missed! A country music artist with ties to Eastern Kentucky died due to diabetes complications in January, but his legacy lives on. Kenny Dubman Prior to co-founding the Steel Woods with singer Wes Bayliss in 2016, Cope played guitar in Johnsons band for nearly a decade and appeared on the outlaw country singers revered albums That Lonesome Song and The Guitar Song. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. January 17, 2021 @ All Of Your Stones veers from fiery opening track Out Of The Blue about perseverance, to the bluesy You Never Came Home. Included is a soulful rendition of Lynyrd Skynyrds I Need You featuring Ashley Monroe, and the sentimental Ole Pal, about missing a friend, which takes on a new meaning in the days since Copes passing. 7:46 pm. January 17, 2021 @ A post shared by The Steel Woods (@thesteelwoods), While his bandmates couldnt offer further details about his death, they marked the tragic news with a broken and heavy heart., We are writing this still in a state of shock and kindly ask for your prayers for the family, friends and band at this time, read the statement, paired with a photo of Cope inside the Ryman Auditorium. ' Johnson says, laughing. Heaven will be rocking to his guitar solos. Cope was 42 . I dont know how superstitious I am, but Rowdy was.. I guess thats the biggest thing is you know youve been deprived for so long, and people almost show a little more appreciation for, for just the fact that they can come out and see something that ordinarily was, you know, it was really ordinary to any day of the week you could go out and see a band before last year, and so yeah, people are really excited to be out, and were happy to be out too. But, tragically, the damage of living for years with unchecked diabetes was already done the disease took his life in his sleep on January 16th, 2021. While his bandmates couldn't offer further details about his death, they marked the tragic news "with a broken and heavy heart.". Anyone who saw Jameys band immediately after lonesome song was released, knows the deal. Jason was always nice. An Alabama-bred singer/multi-instrumentalist with a drawling Ronnie Van Zant voice and a love for classic country and Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bayliss first met Cope in 2015 at a bar they were both playing in Dickson, Tennessee, in the hinterlands outside of Nashville. January 19, 2021 @ Daniele He had been sober for three years and was freshly focused on his health, dutifully managing his Type 2 diabetes. Country music is the lifeblood of Whiskey Riff, and we pride ourselves on standing firmly in the corner of the independent artists, and those few in the mainstream still doing it the right way. January 16, 2021 @ I found it to be a task that was going to prove to be impossible to accomplish. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. The death of guitar player and songwriter Jason Rowdy Cope for the country and Southern rock band The Steel Woods sent shockwaves throughout the independent country community when it was announced on Saturday evening, January 16th. Rowdy was there every day of the trial for support for Waynes family, even when it snowed probably 12 inches on one of the days and the whole city shut down. I just wanted to be a part of a band and he was able to get his artistic side out. I got into The Steel Woods right before I move to Hawaii in 2018. Two years later, they followed it up withOld Newsin 2019. January 17, 2021 @ Wes Bayliss wants you to know: He's good. I lost a friend today, Lindi Ortega wrote in a stament. 9 Comments. Later, the two recruited bassist Johnny Stanton and drummer Jay Tooke, putting the final touches on the Steel Woods lineup (Isaac Senty replaced Tooke in the band in 2020). January 16, 2021 @ In Cope, Bayliss found the Gary Rossington to his Van Zant, as well as a way out of the solo artist grind. Cope died on Jan. 16 and the cause has yet to be determined. Rowdy brought that same energy to the Steel Woods and really enjoyed seeing them live over the years. Its a lifestyle. RIP, Angie Peoples January 17, 2021 @ But to accuse me of trying to generate clicks to a site that has cost me extreme expense both financially and personally for 13 years to keep going is not only incorrect, it is irresponsible, frankly unconscionable, and is born of Facebook-style gossipy bullshit being sowed by jealous parties and individuals who believe theyre rivals that has no basis in the reality of how the death of performers in the public space are covered, and have been for many decades, by many outlets. Even though its just him pretending to be wild and crazy, he cared about that stuff, Cobb says. Trigger 6:24 pm, Britton Tremain Now the conversation is sort of switching to okay, what all can we do? said Copes sister, Bethany OHandley. R.I.P, Hans Rosen A lifestyle so perfectly captured by the country greats of yesterday, but still alive and well today in artists who truly get it. Brent Cobb, Jamey Johnson, Jason "Rowdy" Cope, Jason Cope, The Steel Woods, Blackwater Whether Cope truly felt his time was coming or not, he consciously dedicated his remaining years to living down his nickname. It was like he was forcing it all out at one time. 42 Comments. Everytime I sat down, I told myself it was When the Steel Woods' co-founder Jason "Rowdy" Cope died unexpectedly at the age of 42 in January, the band had recently been recording new music.On May 14, Cope's surviving bandmates will move . 7:30 am. January 24, 2021 @ 7:38 pm. 9:39 pm. Cope became familiar to fans performing onstage with Jamey Johnson for nearly a decade, and was an in-demand session guitarist, playing on albums by Lindi Ortega and the Secret Sisters, among others. I will truly miss hearing him ripping up the soundwaves. So very sad . There was no sign of a struggle, and no sign of foul play in Jason Copes death, though the investigation remains pending until the final autopsy report. Go to Appearance > Customize > Subscribe Pop-up to set this up. Hell be very sorely missed.Jason Cope started The Steel Woods with lead singer/guitar player Wes Bayliss. Jason Cope and I once got stuck in the same parking garage together. You know, some people, they work on technique all the time and then when they play, you kind of feel like somebodys been doing a bunch of math. In addition to his work with Johnson and the Steel Woods, Cope also collaborated with other artists. Please watch the full video to know more about Jason Rowdys cause of death, age, net worth, short bio.Jason Cope, the guitar player for the Southern rock band the Steel Woods and a collaborator with artists like Jamey Johnson and Brent Cobb, has died. Very very sad From an Australian fan R.I.P Jamey, Joseph Robson He was 42 years old. Wishing some peace and comfort to all who knew him. He would eat his meals correctly and he wasnt drinking. Rowdy grew up with metal. Please watch the full video to know more about Jason Rowdy's cause of death, age,. He tested it out while Cope was wrestling with the solo for Macon., Hed play a pass, and wed let him know if it was a strike or a ball or a foul. I had followed his career from before The Steel Woods, and I have absolutely nothing but love and respect for him and the legacy in life and music he left behind when he tragically passed away recently. In his final years, however, he began to use his musical talent and experience to help others. This is a gut punch for me. And the band specifically had said they want to come back to Bell County. All love to Jason Rowdy Cope, his friends, his family, and his fans. Rowdy was an amazing talent, but even more than that he was a great human being. 10:39 pm, Discovered the Steel Woods when they opened for Cody Jinks in Dubuque IA a couple of years ago, they quickly became one of my favorite bands. What an amazing band. View latest articles, news and information about what happened to Jason Cope, American musician (The Steel Woods, that died on Sunday January 17th 2021. . RIP Rowdy, you will be forever and greatly missed., In his own Instagram post, Brent Cobb recalled crashing on Copes couch in Los Angeles and listening to music like it was the only thing in life that mattered. The band shared the news on Saturday (Jan. 16) with a social media post. "He was a natural bridge between feel and. They are my favorite band, one of my favorite artists, and I hope that they will put out new music again. Guess not. Whether its Waylon, Willie and legends of the past, or superstars in the making like Zach Bryan, our finger is always on the pulse of true country music. RIP Rowdy, JAMAL CEPHAS Guess I missed Triggers writing on them. Nuance, thats what struck me, he coaxed pedal steel sounds out of that guitar by doing volume knob swells. Together theyd take requests and fire off covers of The Devil Went Down to Georgia. Proud of his Southern bona fides and determined to prove he wasnt an actor playing a part, Cope would sell customers moonshine that he bootlegged from North Carolina to California in his grandmothers car, disguising the white lightning in water bottles. Heart broken doesnt even touch the feelings inside me. The Steel Woods are considered one of the fastest-rising bands in independent country and Southern rock, and had recently completed their third album to be released via Thirty Tigers. He always had his feet on the ground and head in the clouds. Catch the Kentucky Derby Festivals GospelFest Tonight at the Waterfront, 3 Concerts To Catch In Louisville This Weekend (4/28-4/30), The Louisville Orchestra Gala Gives Taste Of Yo-Yo Mas Sold-Out Mammoth Cave Performances. His music will always mean a lot to me. January 20, 2021 @ I had never heard of Steel Woods, and I come here all the time! Sarah Skates has been a writer and editor in the music business since 2004. The Steel Woods are carrying on in Copes memory and have already played shows with new guitarist Tyler Powers, who first stepped in when Cope was in rehab. All Of Your Stones will serve as a tribute to the heart, soul, love and vision Jason "Rowdy" Cope put into The Steel Woods. In his honor, a memorial fund was started and has since brought in several thousands of dollars. The Steel Woods Declare New Album A Tribute To Jason "Rowdy" Cope According to Don Aaron, Jason Cope was found by a male friend who went to his home on Erin Ln. Honky-Tonk Heroes Remembered on The Steel Woods' 'Old News' Bayliss is also a fierce guitarist and the interplay between him and Cope, pushed along by the chugging, sometimes sludgy rhythm of bassist Johnny Stanton and drummer Isaac Senty, made for epic moments of tension and release. He schooled me on everything.. This is a huge loss for the music community. It seems like he prepared everybody to go on without him, Cobb says. Big loss for country music. You were a stand guy and one helluva guitar playing man, Steele Jarrell I Sigh Everytime I look at them !, Todd Smith I was privileged to see Rowdy play live with both Jamey Johnson and with Steel Woods. Jason "Rowdy" Cope onstage with the Steel Woods in Nashville in 2018. 2023 Rolling Stone, LLC. Rowdy died from complications from diabetes. January 18, 2021 @ Following his death in January, Copes group made visiting Eastern Kentucky a priority as they hosted events for the Jason Rowdy Cope Memorial Fund. But either way, we were somehow able to make something good out of it.. He killed the dragon. It was something he was proud of and he earned it, Johnson says he petitioned guitarist Leroy Powell to delete a series of old YouTube videos in which he and Powell pretended to be feuding pro-wrestlers. J. Bair From Texas to Tennessee, Appalachia to Bakersfield, Whiskey Riff is THE unapologetic voice of the country music fan. The Steel Woods got off the ground six years ago, when Cope whose death was attributed to a complication of diabetes was playing guitar for outlaw country star Jamey Johnson. On Whiskey Riff Raff, Steve Gazibara and Wes Langeler give an unfiltered and unapologetic take on country music, life, and all the craziness that comes with it. Jason Rowdy Copes Death Currently Ruled Unclassified, Family Bible Singer, The Tall Texan Claude Gray Has Died, Tyler Childers Opens Up 2023 Tour By Closing Out Two Step Inn, Alan Jackson Helps Jon Pardi Make History as New Grand Ole Opry Pick, Newest Adds to Saving Country Musics Top 25 Current Playlist (#118), Country Fans Arent Unwitting Pawns (a Response to Ketch Secor & NYT). The Steel Woods were finishing work on their third studio album. It serves to remind me that we should never take our friends for granted and we should reach out while we can. When he died, Cope was working to help military veterans that suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which he also struggled with. May you Rest In Peace, Rowdy and Fly High with the Angels. Rowdy, you are irreplaceable, and to say you are missed is a massive understatement. The realest of the real., Copes death early this year blindsided those closest to him. 1 On MusicRow Chart For Third Time With Going, Going, Gone, Nashville SC Teams Up With Johnny Cash Estate For Man In Black Alternate Jersey. He gave me an education you cant teach unless you lived it. Ive been off of social media for a bit and just ran into this news checking for potential dates for The Steel Woods. It is an absolutely irresponsible, ludicrous, and aggressively insulting assertion to make, and its embarrassing I even have to address it. Time slips away call a friend you havent talked to in a while and tell them you love them.. I was teaching at the time and his Mom was a teacher in NC, he had great insight on how to improve curriculum at the secondary school level. Mindfulness can help you manage anxiety and other negative emotions by . I mean people are really excited to be back out and seeing live music, and, and as are we to be out and playing it. Required fields are marked *. Your email address will not be published. 'Hangxiety': What is it? And how to deal with it. - USA Today Rant with us. 2:25 am, Stood about a yard away from him at a gig in Glasgow could see his strings vibrate I was that close. Still can't believe it. A post shared by Jason Cope (@jasonccope). Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. The Steel Woods Release Autobiographical New Track By Late Founder Cope also co-wrote one of Johnsons signature songs, Cant Cash My Checks. Through this time period, Cope also worked as an in-demand session guitar player, performing on records from artists such as Brent Cobb, The Secret Sisters, The Oak Ridge Boys, Pure Ed, Ted Russell Kamp, Nikki Lane, and for Jamey Johnson as well. He came from a metal background, but he could play guitar like a steel player.. He developed this sound that is like chicken-pickin, but also like a six-string playing steel parts at the same time. That song, All of Your Stones, ended up becoming the title track of the new album by Copes band the Steel Woods. 9:21 pm. , Todd Pottinger Nobody said I was just fishing for clicks when I nominated The Steel Woods for both Album of the Year, and Song of the Year in 2019. He seemed like such a bright spirit. The Steel Woods perform at Headliners Music Hall, Thursday Aug. 26, at 9 p.m.. Buy tickets here. Jason Cope American musician (The Steel Woods dead He seemed to like arpeggios as well, and did a lot of interesting sounds and textures with unusual chord changes. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. 6:30 pm. My condolences to his friends and family. We take comfort in knowing he is in a better place now and his passion for music and art will live forever in the work he has left behind. Theres of course no replacing Rowdy, but [Powers] is really just what we need right now. A few hours later he took the stage and showed everyone in the crowd why he was one of the best young guitar players in country music. I bought their debut album on vinyl at the merch table and got him to sign it.As I approached him before I could say anything he said wow man,cool t shirt It was a Merle Haggard shirt.I was well chuffed. Maybe thats one that gets looked over sometimes, but I know thats the right answer to that question all the time. Heartbroken. This has made the songs on the album feel even more poignant, as most of the songs on the album were written by Rowdy, and were largely autobiographical . Jason Rowdy Cope memorial fund raises thousands of dollars - WYMT The word is that The Steel Woods had a new album finished, and ready for release in 2021. We got several pictures with him. He was so much more than just an incredible guitar player, he was an incredible human being.. LEO: Im sure youre excited to get back out on the road, but whats the biggest difference, what are the biggest changes to touring? Breaks Down His Killer White House Correspondents Dinner Set, Bernie Sanders: Many GOP Leaders 'Don't Even Believe in Democracy'. He was George Jones and Skynyrd and Sabbath all rolled into one magnificent musical beast. 1 On MusicRow Chart For Third Time With Going, Going, Gone, Nashville SC Teams Up With Johnny Cash Estate For Man In Black Alternate Jersey. Jason Cope, affectionately known as Rowdy and founder of Southern rock band The Steel Woods, has passed away at 42. His cause of death was linked to his Type II diabetes, diagnosed in late. . "He was a natural bridge between feel and technique," says Cope's friend Jamey Johnson. We take comfort in knowing he is in a better place now and his passion for music and art will live forever in the work he has left behind., RIP Rowdy, the band concludes, you will be forever and greatly missed.. While 2021 has hardly started, its unfortunately reminiscent of 2020: taking cherished country music icons away much too soon. I seen you conquer giants Jason and I watched you become one of the greatest forces in country music. : 2021 sucks already. Cobb and Rowdy teamed up together on numerous projects throughout the years. You name it, they came.. January 17, 2021 @ I discovered him through you Trig and I appreciate all the hard work you put in to put out the word about artists like them. January 16, 2021 @ For Cope, who earned the nickname Rowdy for his wild-eyed, unpredictable persona, those good deeds and small victories were hard won. He played it just so natural, but it was intense. Angela 7:17 pm. January 17, 2021 @ January 16, 2021 @ He grew up listening to Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and rock bands like Led Zepplin. He said we needed to talk and I thought, Oh shit, whats happened now? Man, sad sad news, how old was he? R.I.P. Your email address will not be published. All rights reserved. 6:11 pm, Trigger He came to me one evening and broke out a pint of whiskey. 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January 16, 2021 @ My heart goes out to his family, friends, and all who knew him. Jason "Rowdy" Cope, 42 Cope, co-founder of the country-rock band the Steel Woods, died in his sleep on Jan. 16. Cope worked in the Los Angeles area for eight years before moving to Nashville in 2007 where he soon joined Jamey Johnsons backing outfit on lead guitar. Its hard to accept that hes gone. Autopsy reports regularly take between 6 to 8 weeks to conclude. The 42-year-old guitarist/ songwriter/ producer was loved by many. We want to hear it. LEO spoke with Wes Bayliss, The Steel Woods singer and co-songwriter, to talk about All Of Your Stones, musical inspiration, and the bands return to touring in advance of their stop in Louisville. The North Carolina native played on Johnsons albums That Lonesome Song and The Guitar Song,co-wrote The Guitar Song track Cant Cash My Checks, and worked with artists like Brent Cobb as well. January 16, 2021 @ The band announced Copes death on social media with the statement:We are writing this still in a state of shock and kindly ask for your prayers for the family, friends and band at this time. If we did, they never caught us. After ending his time with Jamey Johnsons band, he co-founded Steel Woods with Wes Bayliss after the two met, playing in a cover band. They performed last year and after talking to Rowdy, they said we want to bring our fan club party here.. After releasing their debut album Straw in the Wind in 2017 via Thirty Tigers, The Steel Woods immediately shot up the country and Southern Rock depth charts. A cold beer, hot grill and the great outdoors. 8:46 am, Daniele Honest songwriting, always trying to push the boundaries of our musicianship and keeping it really close to our roots when it comes to our influences., The Steel Woods announced Copes death on social media, writing in part on Instagram, We are writing this still in a state of shock and kindly ask for your prayers for the family, friends and band at this time. Right up there with the likes of Whiskey Myers and Blackberry Smoke, The Steel Woods are in the conversation for one the best country rock bands in the business right now. He was 42. So sad to hear this news. 5:25 pm. With Rowdy, he understood the technique, but when he played, it just poured. We take comfort in knowing he is in a better place now and his passion for music and art will live forever in the work he has left behind. Photo: Courtesy All Eyes Media. Thought this dying crap would slow down after 2020. The two comprised the primary songwriters of The Steel Woods, with bass player Johnny Stanton, and drummer Jay Tooke filling out the roster.After releasing their debut album Straw in the Wind in 2017 via Thirty Tigers, The Steel Woods immediately shot up the country and Southern Rock depth charts, aided by big opportunities opening for Blackberry Smoke, Miranda Lambert, Cody Jinks, Jamey Johnson, and Dwight Yoakam. RIP. george The Steel Woods ' sophomore Thirty Tigers album, Old News, represents a creative leap for the southern roots rock songwriting team of Alabama native Wes Bayliss and his North Carolina partner Jason "Rowdy" Cope, who completed their first recordings barely months after they first met. Mindfulness is the practice of being present in the moment and observing your thoughts and feelings without judgment. Laugh with us. I bought it at Whiskey Meyers show and met Jason and the rest of the band. Coming out via Woods Music/Thirty Tigers, the bands third release is expected to be their strongest and most substantive work to date. Got to see him twice, my heart goes out to Steel Woods and Jasons family. Jason Rowdy Cope, a co-founder of the country-rock band, The Steel Woods, has passed away at 43. 7:53 pm. Heres what really grabbed me about his playing. "Out of the Blue" is an autobiographical song written by the group's late co-founder, co-songwriter, and guitarist Jason "Rowdy" Cope, who passed away unexpectedly in his sleep on January 16 th following the completion of the album. By not really paying attention to the things we should have been paying attention to, Johnson says. Photo: Courtesy All Eyes Media. After recording the album, guitarist and songwriter Jason Rowdy Cope passed away in his sleep at the beginning of 2021 before the band could go out on tour to promote All Of Your Stones. January 16, 2021 @ Cope received his diagnosis in 2018, when he temporarily left the Steel Woods to seek treatment for heavy drinking. May his family and friends find comfort in knowing that Jason touched many lives in a positive way through his music. Jason "Rowdy" Cope, the 42-year-old co-founder of Southern rock band the Steel Woods, has died. Jamey Johnson Joins Dave McMurray for Expansive Cover of Grateful Dead's 'To Lay Me Down'