David Briggs, Influential Nashville Musician, Dies at 82

David Briggs, a pioneering pianist and keyboardist whose career spanned from the Muscle Shoals scene in Alabama to Nashville’s Music Row, died at age 82. Starting as a teenage prodigy, Briggs became a crucial figure in shaping the sound of Southern music, playing on landmark recordings with legends such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, and Willie Nelson. He was a founding member of both the original Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and the elite Nashville Cats, contributing to hundreds of recording sessions annually due to his versatility across genres like country, pop, R&B, and rock. Beyond performing, Briggs established influential recording studios and a publishing company, nurturing the careers of numerous musicians and songwriters. His legacy was celebrated by peers and fans alike, and he was inducted into both the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and the Musicians Hall of Fame. Briggs is remembered as a transformative and prolific force in American music.