In Memoriam: Henry Strzelecki

Sad news to report today: prolific Nashville session bassist Henry Strzelecki passed away on December 30th after being struck by a car. He was 75 years old.

Henry Strzelecki was born in Birmingham, Alabama and relocated the Nashville when he was still young. He began his recording career in country music with songwriter Baker Knight on the Decca Label while also playing with his brother in the Four Flickers. It was with the Four Flickers that he wrote “Long Tall Texan,” which would later be recorded by the Beach Boys, Lyle Lovett, and many more.

The early ‘60s saw Strzelecki work with guitarist Hank Garland and then legend Chet Atkins, who used the bassist for both studio and touring work. From there his career was solidified by working with nearly every country artist that came through Nashville including Patsy Cline, Flatt & Scruggs, Lefty Frizzell, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Willie Nelson, Charley Pride, Marty Robbins, Conway Twitty, Porter Wagoner, and Connie Smith, just to name a few. His playing is featured on Bob Dylan’s Blonde on Blonde and George Jones’s “He Stopped Loving Her Today.”

A memorial for Henry Strzelecki will be held in Nashville at the Pennington United Methodist Church on January 17.

Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Henry Strzelecki.