Peter Cooper Has Died

Incredibly sad news to relate: Peter Cooper — an outstanding musician and educator, a top-notch country music journalist and most recently a senior staffer at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum — has died. Per a statement from his family shared with his former colleagues at The Tennessean, Cooper suffered head injuries in a fall last week and was hospitalized. He passed away in his sleep Dec. 6.

Cooper’s journalism career began when he was a student at Wofford College. One of his professors had been assigned to review a Guy Clark show; the prof got sick and offered the gig to Cooper, who was a huge fan of the masterful, eminent singer-songwriter. It’s one of the stories told in Cooper’s 2017 book Johnny’s Cash & Charley’s Pride: Lasting Legends and Untold Adventures in Country Music.

In 2000, the Spartanburg, S.C., native made his way to Nashville, where he took on the job of writing about country music for The Tennessean with enthusiasm, a depth of knowledge of and reverence for the craft, and an elegant command of language that would make any scribe jealous. Among those whose attention he caught was Johnny Cash. Cooper didn’t limit his scope: He was also a standout singer-songwriter, who honed his chops with encouragement from friend and songsmith Todd Snider, and he found a longtime musical partner in Eric Brace. Among other projects, the pair released three records as a duo (plus two more as a trio with Thomm Jutz), ran an indie label called Red Beet Records and took the lead on a project to rerecord master songwriter Tom T. Hall’s classic record for children Songs of Fox Hollow.

Following music-journo adventures that included sparring with Toby Keith and writing the epitaph on George Jones’ tombstone, Cooper left his post at The Tennessean in 2014. He joined the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum as a writer and editor, a role that later expanded to include directing and producing content like the Voices in the Hall podcast and the Live at the Hall video interview and performance series.

Read the statement from Cooper’s family below.

It is with heavy hearts that we let you know that Peter Cooper passed away in his sleep last night, December 6, after suffering a severe head injury late last week.

We so appreciate the kind words and prayers you have offered over the past few days. Please know that they have provided Peter and us with much comfort.

We will soon announce details about a celebration of life to take place in early 2023.

In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be made to either the Baker Cooper fund to support Peter’s son’s education, or the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, supporting their cultural organization’s educational mission. 

Please direct donations to: 

Baker Cooper

c/o Wells Fargo Bank

1712 West End Avenue

Nashville, TN 37203

Update: Cooper's colleagues at The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum have also shared a statement.

With heavy hearts, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is saddened to learn of the death of our beloved colleague and friend, Peter Cooper. An award-winning music journalist, author, Grammy-nominated producer, recording musician, songwriter, baseball fanatic and former Senior Lecturer in country music at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music, Cooper joined the museum in November 2014 as museum editor. He grew to assume the role of museum senior director, producer and writer, driving several important creative initiatives and bringing a poetic grace to them all. He developed and implemented mission-oriented programs, exhibitions, podcasts and, as a writer, elegantly described the rich character of the country music story. His talents were immense, but his heart was even bigger, and he touched the lives of those he encountered in immeasurable ways. Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time.