Gattis dies at 52 in accident

Gattis released two studio albums and charted one single, "Little Drops of My Heart", on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart while signed to RCA Nashville. He only put out one album for RCA.

In 2002, Gattis joined Dwight Yoakam's band as band leader and lead electric guitar player and played on Yoakam's "Blame the Vain" album. In 2005, Gattis released "Big City Blues" through Smith Music Group.

Chesney recorded two of Gattis' songs for his 2012 album "Welcome to the Fishbowl." The song was a Billboard top 20 single. Charlie Robison also recorded the song featuring The Chicks' lead singer Natalie Maines.

The Johnson City, Texas native co-wrote Chesney's 2013 single "When I See This Bar" from the album "Life on a Rock" and George Strait's 2013 single "I Got a Car."

Gattis also produced and co-wrote projects for artists including Waylon Payne, Kendell Marvel ("Lowdown & Lonesome"), Wade Bowen ("Solid Ground") and Randy Houser ("Magnolia"). At one point in his career, he toured as Johnny Paycheck's guitar player.

Guitarist John Osborne of Brothers Osborne posted, "An extraordinary talent on every level. He's the reason I play B Bender Tele. He lent me his for the our Port Saint Joe record, and I've been hooked ever since. "

Yoakam tweeted, "I was deeply saddened to hear yesterday of the sudden and tragic accidental death of a dear friend and former musical colleague Keith Gattis."

Gattis leaves behind his wife Penny and daughters McKenzie and Delaney. A Go Fund Me campaign started with a goal of $300,000.