Benny Birchfield, who played with The Osborne Brothers during their hey day in the 1960s, died on August 2, 2025 at 88 years of age.
He first joined Sonny and Bobby in 1959, coming on board as a bass player. Switching to guitar in 1962, he is remembered as one of the finest harmony singers in country and bluegrass music. Benny also played twin banjo on several cuts with Sonny, and was co-writer with the Osbornes on songs like Sour Wood Mountain and Charlie Cotton.
In a remembrance of Birchfield shortly after his death, Lincoln Hensley says that Sonny Osborne had told him that Benny was his favorite third part singer from the Osborne Brothers days.
To many in Nashville he was known also as Jean Shepard’s husband, and then her widower after she died in 2016. The two were married in 1968 and remained together until her passing. He spent many years as her band leader as well, produced several of her records, and played on the Grand Ole Opry many, many times.
Benny was Jean’s second husband; she had previously married Hawkshaw Hawkins, who died in 1963 in the same plane crash that killed Patsy Cline and Cowboy Copas.
Following his time with the Osbornes, Benny worked with Roy Orbison. They became friends when Benny was playing in Orbison’s band, and he went on to first become Roy’s bus driver and eventually his road manager. The two spent a great deal of time together up until Roy died in 1988.
Birchfield was also a regular at the lunches Sonny Osborne presided over in Nashville, which were attended by bluegrass royalty of every sort. If such a thing existed, tapes of these get-togethers would be worth their weight in gold.
Lastly, Benny is remembered for his quick witn and unfailingly warm and friendly manner. There won’t be many more like him.
R.I.P., Benny Birchfield.
