Chuck Goff, longtime bassist for country music star Toby Keith, has died after a car crash in Oklahoma two days ago. Keith released this statement on his website: “We are deeply saddened by the sudden death of our band member, Chuck Goff. He was a close friend for over 25 years, the band leader and bass player. Our hearts and prayers go out to his family.”

Goff not only played bass for Keith, but was also a songwriter in the band as well. He won a BMI songwriting award for the hit “You Ain’t Much Fun”, and co-wrote “Upstairs Downtown”, both of which were number one hits for Keith. Goff had this to say several years back on the Dean Guitars site, the company that developed a signature bass for him: “I pride myself as being a nuts and bolts player. I believe in function over form, play the song, don’t try to be the song.”

Police are still investigating the two-car collision. Goff was 54 years old.