{{Short description|American guitarist (1934–2024)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = Pete Wade | image = Dean Porter, Pete Wade, Connie Smith.jpg | caption = Wade (right) at recording session with guitarist Dean Porter and singer Connie Smith in 1966 | website = | birth_name = Herman Bland Wade | birth_date = {{birth date|1934|12|16|mf=y}} | birth_place = Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2024|8|27|1934|12|16|mf=y}} | death_place = Hendersonville, Tennessee, U.S. | occupation = {{ubl|Guitarist|Session musician}} | years_active = | employer = | known_for = | awards = {{ubl|1976: "Superpicker Band '76", NARAS}} | honors = {{ubl|2002: Selected top musician by the Reunion of Professional Entertainers|2016: Honored as a Nashville Cat by the Country Music Hall of Fame}} | footnotes = }}
'''Herman Bland''' "'''Pete'''" '''Wade''' (December 16, 1934 – August 27, 2024) was an American guitarist. Wade worked as a session musician in Nashville, playing on numerous hits including "Crazy Arms" by Ray Price, "He Stopped Loving Her Today" by George Jones, and "Fist City" by Loretta Lynn.<ref name=NYT-obit>{{cite news |last=Friskics-Warren |first=Bill |date=September 1, 2024 |title=Pete Wade, Guitarist on Countless Nashville Hits, Dies at 89 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/01/arts/music/pete-wade-dies.html |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=September 3, 2024 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240901153709/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/01/arts/music/pete-wade-dies.html |archive-date=September 1, 2024 }}</ref><ref name=MR-obit>{{cite news |last=Oermann |first=Robert K |date=August 30, 2024 |title=Nashville Guitar Great Pete Wade Passes |url=https://musicrow.com/2024/08/nashville-guitar-great-pete-wade-passes/ |work=MusicRow |access-date=September 3, 2024 |archive-date=August 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240830225951/https://musicrow.com/2024/08/nashville-guitar-great-pete-wade-passes/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He was considered to be part of the Nashville A-Team.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 2, 2024 |title=Pete Wade, guitarist on countless Nashville hits, dies at 89 |url=https://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/2024/sep/02/pete-wade-guitarist-on-countless-nashville-hits/ |access-date=September 9, 2024 |website=Texarkana Gazette |language=en}}</ref>
==Life and career== Herman Bland "Pete" Wade was born in Norfolk, Virginia, on December 16, 1934.<ref name=MR-obit/><ref name=NYT-obit/> When he was 19, he moved to Nashville to be a guitar player. During his trip to Nashville, he only had $3, his suitcase, two ham sandwiches (he forgot the sandwiches on a bus) and telephone numbers for Don Helms and Jerry Rivers. Helms helped Wade join the Cherokee Cowboys, the band of Ray Price.<ref>{{cite web |date=August 29, 2024 |url=https://americansongwriter.com/a-team-guitarist-pete-wade-dead-at-89/ |title=A-Team Guitarist Pete Wade Dead at 89 |first=Cindy |last=Watts |work=American Songwriter |access-date=September 8, 2024}}</ref> From 1954 to 1964, Wade toured with Price,<ref name=club>{{cite news |last=Goldsmith |first=Thomas |date=May 10, 1991 |title=New club shows session veteran wears many hats |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/115524624/ |newspaper=The Tennessean |via=Newspapers.com |volume=87 |issue=130 |page=D9 |access-date=September 3, 2024 |url-access=limited |archive-date=September 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906033755/https://www.newspapers.com/image/115524624/ |url-status=live }}</ref> played guitar with the Cherokee Cowboys,<ref name=MR-obit/> and is credited with having aided in establishing the "shuffling sound" of Price's music.<ref name=banquet>{{cite news |last=Havighurst |first=Craig |date=November 8, 2002 |title=Legends of Country honored at banquet |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/111928666/ |newspaper=The Tennessean |via=Newspapers.com |volume=98 |issue=312 |page=6B |access-date=September 3, 2024 |url-access=limited |archive-date=September 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906033755/https://www.newspapers.com/image/111928666/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He also played lead guitar in the Country Deputies with Faron Young in 1957 and 1958, replacing Jimmy and Johnny Fautheree.<ref>{{cite book |last=Diekman |first=Diane |date=2012 |title=Live Fast, Love Hard: The Faron Young Story |publisher=University of Illinois Press |location=Urbana, IL |isbn=9780252093807 |oclc=785781188|page=55}}</ref> By the late 1960s, Wade was a full-time session musician. His career included playing on songs such as "Crazy Arms", "He Stopped Loving Her Today", "Mountain of Love", "Fist City", "Harper Valley P.T.A." and "Delta Dawn".<ref name=obits/>
Wade performed alongside Bobby Bare and Margie Bowes at the 30th annual summer concert series in Nashville in 1966.<ref>{{cite news |last=Farthing |first=Sara |date=August 22, 1966 |title=Bare Brings Sunshine To Overcast Concert |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/111851698/ |newspaper=The Tennessean |via=Newspapers.com |volume=61 |issue=113 |page=1 |access-date=September 3, 2024 |url-access=limited |archive-date=September 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906033735/https://www.newspapers.com/image/111851698/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=August 28, 1966 |title=Concert Due Glittering End |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/111855404/ |newspaper=The Tennessean |via=Newspapers.com |volume=61 |issue=119 |page=[https://www.newspapers.com/image/111855363/ 1A], [https://www.newspapers.com/image/111855404/ 6A] |access-date=September 3, 2024 |url-access=limited |archive-date=September 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906033735/https://www.newspapers.com/image/111855404/ |url-status=live }}</ref> As a member of the Nashville Guitars, Wade performed as part of the 1967 Grammy Awards.<ref>{{cite news |date=March 2, 1967 |title=Nashville To Share In Grammy Awards |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/113322606/ |newspaper=The Tennessean |via=Newspapers.com |volume=61 |issue=305 |page=47 |access-date=September 3, 2024 |url-access=limited |archive-date=September 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906033857/https://www.newspapers.com/image/113322606/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
In 1976, the Nashville chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences included Wade among the 22 artists named that year as part of the "Superpicker Band '76".<ref>{{cite news |last=Harvey |first=Lynn |date=March 29, 1976 |title=Hargus Robbins Top 'Superpicker' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/112435957/ |newspaper=The Tennessean |via=Newspapers.com |volume=70 |issue=357 |page=[https://www.newspapers.com/image/112435611/ 1], [https://www.newspapers.com/image/112435957/ 10] |access-date=September 3, 2024 |url-access=limited |archive-date=September 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906033756/https://www.newspapers.com/image/112435957/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Wade was part of the group of session artists in Nashville known as the Nashville A-Team for the thousands of records on which their music is featured.<ref>{{cite news |last=Cooper |first=Peter |date=August 13, 2006 |title=Session players get a little bit of limelight |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/277513310/ |newspaper=The Tennessean |via=Newspapers.com |volume=102 |issue=225 |page=[https://www.newspapers.com/image/277513298/ D5], [https://www.newspapers.com/image/277513305/ D6], [https://www.newspapers.com/image/277513310/ D7] |access-date=September 3, 2024 |url-access=limited |archive-date=September 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906033735/https://www.newspapers.com/image/277513310/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He had also received a certificate in 1975 for his work as a session musician on number one charting songs that year.<ref>{{cite news |last=Harvey |first=Lynn |date=February 17, 1975 |title=Hargus Robbins Named 'Musician of the Year' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/108986675/ |newspaper=The Tennessean |via=Newspapers.com |volume=69 |issue=316 |page=[https://www.newspapers.com/image/108986558/ 1], [https://www.newspapers.com/image/108986675/ 7] |access-date=September 3, 2024 |url-access=limited |archive-date=September 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906033858/https://www.newspapers.com/image/108986675/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
Wade was known for keeping a notebook with copies of the musical compositions for the sections of the songs he played over his career.<ref>{{cite book |last=Isenhour |first=Jack |date=2011 |title=He Stopped Loving Her Today: George Jones, Billy Sherrill, and the Pretty-Much Totally True Story of the Making of the Greatest Country Record of All Time |publisher=University Press of Mississippi |location=Jackson |isbn=9781617031021 |oclc=744549327 |page=120}}</ref>
In 1990, Wade opened Pete Wade's Music Hall and the Oak Tree Restaurant in Springfield, Tennessee.<ref name=open>{{cite news |last=Oermann |first=Robert K. |date=August 4, 1990 |title=Nashville Notes |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/109008231/ |newspaper=The Tennessean |via=Newspapers.com |volume=86 |issue=187 |page=D1 |access-date=September 3, 2024 |url-access=limited}}</ref> Musicians Loretta Lynn, Kitty Wells, Johnny Wright, Vic Willis, and Don Helms helped break ground for the construction of both businesses.<ref name=open/> In 1991, the performances were broadcast live on WDBL Saturday evenings.<ref name=club/>
The Reunion of Professional Entertainers selected Wade as the top musician at their CMA banquet in 2002.<ref name=banquet/> The Country Music Hall of Fame honored Wade in 2016 as part of their series on "Nashville Cats".<ref>{{multiref2 | {{cite news |last=Shelburne |first=Craig |date=April 20, 2016 |title=Pete Wade Joins Fellow Nashville Cats At CMHoF Event |url=https://musicrow.com/2016/04/pete-wade-joins-fellow-nashville-cats-at-cmhof-event/ |work=MusicRow |access-date=September 3, 2024 }} | {{cite press release |date=March 22, 2016 |title=Museum Presents Nashville Cats: Salute To Legendary Guitarist Pete Wade |url=https://www.countrymusichalloffame.org/press/releases/museum-presents-nashville-cats-salute-to-legendary-guitarist-pete-wade |website=Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum |access-date=September 3, 2024 |archive-date=September 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240903171300/https://www.countrymusichalloffame.org/press/releases/museum-presents-nashville-cats-salute-to-legendary-guitarist-pete-wade |url-status=live}} | {{cite interview |date=April 16, 2016 |title=Nashville Cats Salute to Guitarist Pete Wade |url=https://livestream.com/accounts/11775488/events/5191730/videos/119797154 |publisher=Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum |access-date=September 3, 2024 |archive-date=September 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240903171300/https://livestream.com/accounts/11775488/events/5191730/videos/119797154 |url-status=live }}}}</ref>
Wade died of complications from hip surgery at his daughter's home in Hendersonville, Tennessee, on August 27, 2024, at the age of 89.<ref name=NYT-obit/><ref name=MR-obit/><ref name=obits>{{multiref2 |{{cite news |last=Liptak |first=Carena |date=August 29, 2024 |title=Nashville A-Team Session Guitarist Pete Wade Dead at 89 |url=https://tasteofcountry.com/pete-wade-guitar-dead-dies/ |work=Taste of Country |access-date=September 3, 2024 |archive-date=September 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240902111017/https://tasteofcountry.com/pete-wade-guitar-dead-dies/ |url-status=live }} |{{cite web |title=Mr Herman "Pete" B. Wade {{!}} December 16, 1934 – August 27, 2024 |url=https://www.springhillfh.com/obituaries/Herman-Pete-Wade/#!/Obituary |website=Spring Hill Funeral Home and Cemetery |access-date=September 3, 2024 |archive-date=September 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240903171300/https://www.springhillfh.com/obituaries/Herman-Pete-Wade/#!/Obituary |url-status=live }}}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{AllMusic|id=mn0000843333}} * {{Discogs artist|artist=417930}} * {{Imdb name|12040765}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wade, Pete}} Category:1934 births Category:2024 deaths Category:20th-century American guitarists Category:20th-century American male musicians Category:21st-century American guitarists Category:21st-century American male musicians Category:American country guitarists Category:American session musicians Category:Guitarists from Virginia Category:Musicians from Norfolk, Virginia