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Venerated musician, producer, entertainer, and inspiration, Stephen Bruton, quietly succumbed to his 2½-year battle with throat cancer Saturday, May 9. Bruton passed away peacefully in his sleep in Los Angeles, where he had been the last two months to work on a soundtrack with T-Bone Burnett and for treatment from two oncology specialists. The Fort Worth native got his break in 1971 when Kris Kristofferson hired him as a guitarist; Bruton kept that gig fro 17 years. Bruton also famously played in Bonnie Raitt’s band for many years. His résumé also includes production credits for Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Alejandro Escovedo, and Marcia Ball among others. His songwriting stature rose with a string of critically-acclaimed solo records on New West Records starting in 1993. Never one to let his A-list, arena tour credentials interfere with his salt-of-the-earth integrity, Bruton consistently played small clubs in Austin, including a weekly Sunday residency with the Resentments at the Saxon Pub. Those who knew Bruton talked more about his friendship and generosity than his musical accomplishments. For someone with such an impressive dossier, that says quite a lot.