A founding member of country music trio Taylor Made, singer and songwriter Brian Duckworth has passed away at age 56.
An obituary from the Bartlett Funeral Home noted that Duckworth died on Monday, September 7 at his home in Clarksburg, West Virginia.
As Entertainment Weekly reported, a cause of death was not revealed.
The obituary noted that music was “a special part of his life,” stating that he “loved to sing and proudly performed with his sibling act, Taylor Made. Brian never passed up an opportunity to share his voice, earning him the affectionate nickname ‘Nashville.’”
Duckworth is survived by his wife of 15 years, Tina Scheuvront Duckworth, as well as six children, four grandchildren, and what the obituary described as his “fur family.”
Taylor Made
Duckworth first came to fame alongside siblings Greg Duckworth and Wendy Williams, who grew up singing together on the porch of their home in Taylor County, West Virginia.
They formed a group, initially titled I-79. Attracting the attention of famed Nashville music manager Dale Morris, he suggested they change the group’s name to Taylor Made, referencing the county of their hometown.
As Taylor Made, the trio experienced success with their single “Things You Don’t Grow Out Of,” which hit No. 19 on the MusicRow CountryBreakout Chart.
Other hits for the trio included “Heavy Duty Beauty,” “Good Love” and “That’s What Life Is.”
In 2012, Taylor Made was named MusicRow magazine’s Independent Artist of the Year, which led to opening spots for such artists as Charlie Daniels, Miranda Lambert, Randy Travis, Sugarland and Dierks Bentley.
In a 2013 interview with Billboard, Duckworth described Taylor Made as “three kids from the back porch, [who] had to have a lot of help to get the exposure. We’re just excited about each and every step along the way.”
Williams added, “A huge part of the reason I do what I do is for my family. To be able to share the experience with my family and because of them is so rewarding.”
A Touching Tribute to ‘Nashville’
News of Duckworth’s passing was met with sadness from fans.
“Social media is pouring out heartfelt condolences as fans, friends, and country music listeners mourn his sudden loss,” noted an Instagram post honoring the late singer.
Duckworth’s niece, Brianna Duckworth Kazner, offered a touching tribute via Facebook, and also shared video of all three members of Taylor Made performing together.
That performance, she revealed, took place at her 2025 wedding; sadly, it would also mark the final time the three siblings would ever perform together in public.
“I grew up watching my dad, Aunt Wendy, and Uncle Brian perform at fairs and festivals until I was finally old enough to join them on a few occasions,” Kazner wrote. “As I’ve gotten older and started writing my own music, I knew the guy to call whenever I got creatively ‘stuck.’ He truly had such a way with song lyrics that I knew without a doubt Uncle Brian would pull me out of the songwriter’s slump.”
