Marshall Tucker Band Guitarist George McCorkle Dies at 60

[Zoneboy]

Marshall Tucker Band guitarist George McCorkle died Friday morning (June 29) in Nashville after being diagnosed with cancer earlier this month. He was 60. He co-founded the Marshall Tucker Band in 1971 in Spartanburg, S.C., with vocalist Doug Gray, guitarist Toy Caldwell (who died in 1993), bassist Tommy Caldwell (who died in 1980), drummer Paul Riddle and flute and saxophone player Jerry Eubanks. McCorkle, who served as rhythm guitarist through 1983, wrote one of the band's Southern rock anthems, "Fire on the Mountain." In 1999, he released a solo album, American Street. In recent years, he had been working as a member of the Renegades of Southern Rock and writing songs in Nashville. One of his compositions, "Cowboy Blues," was featured on Gary Allan's Smoke Rings in the Dark album.