After a long battle with cancer, Bryan Keeling has died at the age of 59. Keeling was a successful musician who played drums for the .357s, Pink, Shooter Jennings, and Macy Gray in his time. He also worked as a session player, including playing on tracks for Waylon Jennings' Waylon Forever album in 2008.
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Ted Russell Kamp of the .357s spoke about Keeling, saying that he had "something special" when they first met. "We lost a dear friend as well as a powerful and soulful musician today, the great Bryan Keeling," Kamp shared on Facebook. "Bryan and I met in late 2003 on my first night of auditioning/jamming with Shooter Jennings."
"He was already playing with Shooter, and right from our first note of playing together, I knew we had something really special. Bryan was a true powerhouse and when he believed in something — whether it was a song, a friendship or a night out on the town — he gave it everything he had. I'm honored to have known him and play with him for as many shows as we did. We played about 200 shows a year together between 2005 to 2012."
Keeling Missed Playing Music, up Until the Very End
Keeling posted an update to his GoFundMe in March. He shared that after three and a half years of battling the disease, he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. After undergoing treatments over the years, including chemotherapy and radiation, the cancer had moved from his neck to his lungs.
The long-time drummer expressed that he missed playing and being on the road. "All of my gigs, recordings, and touring... Including a European tour I'm supposed to be on right now... Got wiped out," he shared. "And I am probably gonna be wiped out for a couple of months to come at least. I'm trying my best to eat as much as I can and stay positive as much as I can."
He did note that, even amidst difficult trials, that he was still optimistic. "I CAN tell you that I have come to peace with death if that's coming within months or... longer," Keeling wrote. "But realistically, I have come to terms with it and I'm grateful for the life I've had and I'm grateful for my son, my friends, doctors, everybody that has supported me throughout my career and on Facebook and in real life!"
Keeling passed on December 6, just three days away from his 60th birthday.
Photo by: Paul Natkin/WireImage
