Legendary Rocker Tony Haselden Dead at 79

Celebrated rocker and country music songwriter Tony Haselden has died.

Haselden, who rose to fame as a lead guitarist and founding member of the Louisiana-based rock band LeRoux before later transitioning into country music, passed away Friday at the age of 79, the Louisiana Jukebox Cafe announced on Facebook. His cause of death was not disclosed.

Born in Mullins, South Carolina on September 19, 1945, per The Times of Houma/Thibodaux, Haselden relocated to Louisiana as a teen and taught himself to play guitar during his four-year service in the U.S. Navy. After his service, he went on to found LeRoux in 1978 alongside lead vocalist and guitarist Jeff Pollard, drummer David Peters, bassist Leon Medica, keyboardist Rod Roddy, and trumpet and percussionist Bobby Campo.

The group released their self-titled debut album in 1978, and followed it with numerous others throughout the ‘80s, including Keep the Fire Burnin’ (1979), Up (1980), Last Safe Place (1982), and So Fired Up (1983). They charted hits with songs such as “Take a Ride on a Riverboat,” “New Orleans Ladies,” “Addicted,” “Carrie’s Gone,” and “Nobody Said It Was Easy,” which became their highest-charting song. The group also performed with acts like The Allman Brothers, Journey, Kansas, Heart, The Doobie Brothers, Charlie Daniels, Foreigner, Marshall Tucker, The Outlaws, ZZ Top and more, per the band’s website.

After LeRoux went on hiatus in 1984, Haselden relocated to Nashville and transitioned his career to country music songwriting. Over the following decades, Haselden made his mark on the genre, writing songs that were recorded by country music greats like Shania Twain, Reba McEntire, Billy Ray Cyrus, Doug Stone, Shelby Lynne, Shenandoah, Michelle Wright and Martinia McBride, and penning country hits such as Collin Raye’s “That’s My Story (And I’m Stick’ To It),” Keith Whitley’s “It Ain’t Nothin,” and George Strait’s You Know Me Better Than That.”

Haselden returned to the stage when LeRoux resumed performing and recording, and remained with the band up until his passing as one of the only remaining original members. The group released its most recent studio album, One of Those Days, in 2020, marking the group’s most highly acclaimed release to date.

LeRoux was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2009 as their 50th inductee. The following year, Haselden was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame and the LMHOF Songwriters’ Association Hall of Fame.