Beloved Country Music Figure Dies of Heart Attack: Jeremy Tapper Was 60

Jeremy Tepper, a musician and journalist best known as the executive program director for Sirius XM’s Outlaw Country station, had died. According to Variety, Tepper passed away due to a heart attack on Friday. The tragic loss was confirmed by his wife, Laura Cantrell. He was 60.

“Lost my good friend Jeremy Tepper last night,” Steven Van Zandt, from The Sopranos and Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, shared on social media. The longtime Springsteen sidekick hosts the Underground Garage show also on Sirius and had kind words for the late program director. “An incredibly tragic loss so young. He ran my Outlaw Country station on SiriusXM brilliantly. It is actually quite a complicated format and he made it look easy. Our deepest love and condolences to Laura and his family and friends.”

Originally hailing from New York, Tepper was the former frontman for the World Famous Blue Jays, co-founded Diesel Only records in 1990 and was the editor for the Journal of Country Music and critic for Pulse! Magazine. But as Variety notes, his work at Outlaw Country was where he truly shined and made a difference for many people.

“No borders, no b.s.- from country’s roots and legends to today’s outsiders that just won’t be fenced in,” the station described on its website. Tepper joining Sirius in 2004 and was onboard for two decades with Outlaw Country, Willie’s Roadhouse (formerly Willie’s Place) and Road Dog Trucking.

Tepper was preceded by fellow Sirius XM personality and Outlaw Country host Mojo Nixon, who died back in February after performing on the Outlaw Country Cruise. Tepper also booked the cruise and programmed it annually.

“Jeremy Tepper, a beloved member of SiriusXM, profoundly influenced us with his unwavering dedication to music and innovative spirit. His contributions, in shaping Outlaw Country and Willie’s Roadhouse, are beyond measure. Our thoughts are with his loved ones during this time,” Sirius XM wrote in a statement.