Revered Country Performer Bobby Flores Has Died

By Stephen Andrew

Revered country performer Bobby Flores has died at the age of 61. According to the a local Fox News affiliate in West Texas, the Western swing fiddler passed away last month after a battle with esophageal cancer. The outlet also noted that, prior to his death, Flores' family had launched a GoFundMe page to help raise money for medical care.

"For decades, Bobby Flores has blessed us with his friendship and musical genius, entertaining fans young and old around the world. He has toured across the country, taught hundreds of students, and helped bring to fruition the dreams of many young artists," the family wrote. "If you know him, you know that he is go, go, go, accomplishing more in 24-hours than most people do in a week. Most recently, Bobby experienced some health issues that caused him to stop long enough to go to a doctor. Unfortunately, the news was not anything he expected. Bobby was diagnosed with Stage IV Esophageal Cancer."

Sadly, on June 23, Flores' family revealed that he'd lost his fight against cancer. "It is with the heaviest of hearts that I write to inform you that Bobby was called home to be with our Lord at 12:18 this afternoon," they wrote. "He was admitted to the hospital last week after experiencing difficulty swallowing. We fully expected him to go home, but unfortunately, he took a turn for the worse Monday night and was put on Hospice."

They continued, "Hope Hospice did an incredible job of ensuring that Bobby was comfortable. For the first time in a long time, Bobby slept deeply and comfortably, and he passed away peacefully in his sleep with his family by his side. From the arms of his family to the arms of Jesus – what more could anyone ask for?"

The statement then added, "The family will hold a private funeral, but please stay tuned for Celebration of Life details that we will send out at a later time. We look forward to celebrating Bobby's extraordinary life with you. Please keep our family in your prayers. We ask for space while we process this incredible loss."

Flores was a beloved fiddle player who performed with artists such as Willie Nelson, Ray Price and Johnny Bush. According to the Abilene Reporter-News, he took up the instrument at a young age and very quickly became an in-demand performer. He had a long and illustrious career, even winning a Grammy in 2002 for playing in the Freddy Fender album La Musica de Baldemar Huerta. The outlet noted that he was also a member of the Texas Western Swing Music Hall of Fame. 

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