Kristofferson guitarist, songwriter Stephen Bruton dies at age 60

Stephen Bruton, the guitarist and songwriter who played with Kris Kristofferson for nearly 40 years and whose songs have been recorded by Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Jimmy Buffett and others, died Saturday. He was 60.

Bruton died of complications of throat cancer in Los Angeles, Cameron Strang, president of New West Records, which worked with Bruton, said in a statement.

Bruton died at the home of musician-producer T Bone Burnett, who said Bruton recently finished working with him on a movie called Crazy Heart. Burnett had asked Bruton to produce the music.

"I'm deeply grateful he got to complete his work on the film," Burnett said. "In the last 72 hours, things just started shutting down. I think everybody thought he would kick it quickly because he was Stephen Bruton. We all thought he was invincible."

Bruton released five albums as a solo artist and was a favoured guitarist for many longtime associates when they needed an evocative sound or instrumental colour to complement their songs.

Born in Wilmington, Del., Bruton moved to Texas when he was about two years old and became a musical prodigy. He won banjo contests before he was a teen and eventually shifted his focus to country and blues.

Shortly after graduating from Texas Christian University, Bruton joined Kristofferson's band as the singer-songwriter's own career was about to take off.