RIP Stephen Bruton; Celebrated guitarist dies at 60

Guitarist Stephen Bruton has died at the home of longtime friend, musician/producer T-Bone Burnett, two weeks after completing work on the soundtrack to new movie Crazy Heart . He was 60 years old.

Bruton had just finished his final project when he fell ill and lost his battle with cancer on Sunday, May 10 2009.

The well known Texas-based musician worked and performed with Kris Kristofferson for almost 40 years and his songs had been recorded by the likes of Willie Nelson & Waylon Jennings.

Burnett tells the Los Angeles Times newspaper, "Stephen is an extraordinarily influential character. He had broad knowledge of music and music history. He never was a household name, but his influence behind the scenes has been profound, and it will be felt for a long, long time."

Bruton's final recordings can be heard on the Crazy Heart soundtrack and on Kristofferson's new album, Starlight and Stone, which is set to hit stores at the end of 2009.