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Geoge Strait and the members of his longtime backing band, the Ace in the Hole Band, are mourning another death in their ranks. The country icon turned to social media on Tuesday evening (April 30) to share the news that his former drummer and longtime road manager, Tom Foote, has died.
“We lost another one of our good friends and a huge part of our musical journey yesterday,” Strait begins his post. “Tom Foote, our one-time drummer and long-time road manager for around 48 years, suddenly passed away at his home after our rehearsal.”
Strait and his band have been in rehearsals for his upcoming stadium tour, which begins on May 4 in Indianapolis and includes dates in June, July and December.
“The band and I were with him most of the afternoon and he was great,” he adds. “Just doing what he loved to do which was making sure we were taken care of. 2024 is taking its toll on the Ace in the Hole group. We’re all heartbroken to say the least. Rest in peace brother Tom. You will be hugely missed. I’ll see you down the road amigo.”
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According to Saving Country Music, Foote was the drummer in a band out of San Marcos, Texas, called Stoney Ridge in 1975, when they hired Strait as their new singer. The existing group morphed into his Ace in the Hole Band, and Foote remained as Strait’s drummer until 1983, when he left that role and became his road manager. He served in that role until his death.
The devastating loss comes just over a month after Strait and his band suffered two tragic losses on the same day. Strait posted on his social media accounts on March 20 to share the news that his longtime manager, Erv Woolsey, had died. He had been Strait’s manager for 45 years.
The following day, on March 21, Strait shared that his fiddle player, Gene Elders, had also died.
“Hard to believe we lost two of our music family members on the same day,” Strait wrote on social media. “Our Ace in the Hole treasured band member Gene Elders passed away yesterday afternoon shortly after we lost Erv. All of our prayers go out to both families.”
Elders’ official website states that he had played fiddle and mandolin in Strait’s band since 1984, and he also played fiddle in Lyle Lovett’s Large Band for 11 years.
Tom Foote’s cause of death has not been announced, and funeral plans are not yet public.
