This obituary is a contribution from String Therapy (Josh Click, Dave Bond, Todd Sams, and Brandon Shuping), remembering their bandmate, Bob Kelley, who died last week.
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our brother and resophonic guitar player, Bob Kelley. Bob passed peacefully after a battle with kidney cancer on Friday morning, April 4, at the age of 60.
Our String Therapy family sends our love and condolences to Libby, Jacob, Amanda, and the girls. We also want to extend our thoughts and prayers to Mr. and Mrs. Hal Kelley and family.
Our brother, Bob, was so much to so many people: a son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, and friend. Bob touched so many lives through many of his passions. And, he had an absolute passion for music.
Bob was one of the founding members of String Therapy in 2001. He was an amazing musician proficient on many instruments, a great vocalist, harmony singer, engineer, producer, technician, songwriter, and an overall student of anything music (and a huge Rush and and Tom Petty fan).
One of Bob’s biggest passions was the Musicians Against Childhood Cancer (MACC). If you ever attended the MACC, you saw Bob. From recording every band, every day live for countless years, to performing on stage, and being a co-founder of Camp F, Bob wore many hats for the MACC.
Bob also spent countless hours in the studio mixing and producing two albums for the MACC. This labor of love won him two International Bluegrass Music Association Awards for producing the 2006 IBMA Album of the Year, Celebration of Life, on Skaggs Family Records, and the 2012 IBMA Recorded Event of the Year, Life Goes On, on Rural Rhythm Records. Bob was also co-engineer and co-producer on String Therapy’s self titled release in 2019.
Bob was one of the funniest humans you’d ever meet. From Christopher Walken doing Tony Rice to his usual late night antics at the festivals, Bob was always there to make you laugh! He loved fiercely, and as a friend goes, you’ll never find a better one.
Unfortunately, loss is not unfamiliar for String Therapy, as Bob has now joined Tim VanHook and Jim Reed at the great gig in the sky. This will leave a large void.
Bob wore “big shoes” and those shoes will be damn near impossible to fill. We ask that you please join us in lifting Bob and his family up in your prayers, and ask that you please join us on May 17 in Ironton, Ohio for A Celebration of Life for Bob Kelley.
Please also consider donating to the GoFundMe to help the family with lingering expenses from his cancer treatment.
God Bless you all for all of your love and support through all of our ups and downs. Love one another and tell each other that you love them, often.
R.I.P., Bob Kelley.
