The Tulsa, Oklahoma native lost his battle against pancreatic cancer on May 9, just two days after his 64th birthday, but his loved ones will not be holding a formal funeral due to COVID-19.
- May 15, 2020
AceShowbiz - Country star Vince Gill has been left heartbroken by the loss of his close friend and guitar technician, Benny Garcia, to pancreatic cancer.
The Tulsa, Oklahoma native passed away in Oklahoma City on 9 May, just two days after his 64th birthday, and Gill has paid tribute to his childhood pal online.
He posted a photo of Garcia on social media, alongside a black-and-white snap of the pair as youngsters, and shared the origins of the musicians' close bond.
"Benny and I had a 50-year friendship," Gill wrote. "We met as kids and played in our first garage bands together, and for the last 30 years, he traveled with me everywhere. And for the last 50 years we've been inseparable."
In addition to his career-long association with Gill, Garcia - the son of late jazz and swing guitar player Benny Garcia, Jr. - also worked with stars like Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood, the Dixie Chicks, and Crosby, Stills & Nash.
Garcia's loved ones will not be holding a formal funeral due to the coronavirus pandemic, but plan to gather his friends and family at a later date for a celebration of life event.
