Country Singer Roy Sturn Has Reportedly Died

By Allison Schonter

Beloved country music singer, songwriter, and bass player Roy Sturn has reportedly died. Sturn passed away in Bulgaria on Sunday, Feb. 5, Saving Country Music reported. No further information regarding his passing, including his cause of death, was disclosed.

Born Tsetso Vlaikov in Sofia, Bulgaria in 1971, Sturn brought country music not only across borders, but also to the high seas. The musician played bass in numerous bands, including The Nashville Junction, The Delta Roosters, and Medicus. He also fronted a band of his own called Stetson. He released several albums, including Tear River and Catch The Bull's Horn with Stetson, as well as White Hot Sun. Per his SoundCloud, his songs include "Cross the Line," "Lost," "Cold Virginia Night," "Tender Words," and "Table for Two," among many others.

"Some folks were asking me, 'Hey Roy, how did you get involved in country music?'" Sturn said in a promo video for The Nashville Junction. "You're not from Texas. You're not an American either.' Well, I was almost 20 when I heard for the first time in my life real country, in a small bar sitting there with friends. Then I said to myself, 'That's what I want to do. That's my kind of music.'"

Sturn's interest in country music helped him bring the genre across the globe. Throughout his career, he played in Bulgaria, the United States, and on ships at sea as part of the entertainment on cruise ships. Reacting to his passing on social media, one person who saw him in person while on a cruise wrote, "Hopefully some of you were able to meet Roy Sturn. We met him when he was performing on a cruise and saw him again on the Inaugural Texas Music Cruise He passed away yesterday. He loved country music, performing, his fans, his home in Bulgaria, Texas and life in general. RIP." Several others have also paid their respects, with one person writing on Twitter, "Rest in peace, Roy Sturn," with somebody else adding, "Lost a real one."

Outside of his country music career, Sturn was also a comic book illustrator. He went by the name Dick Benedict. Sturn also designed album covers and did other illustrations. According to Saving Country Music, Sturn was set to be laid to rest at the Central Sofia Cemetery on Thursday, Feb. 9.

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