Brumley was born on December 11, 1935, in Stella, Missouri, to gospel singer, composer and music publisher Albert E. Brumley, whose songs included "I"ll Fly Away", "I"ll Meet You in the Morning" and "Turn Your Radio On". He served two years in the United States Army, and worked at his father"s music publishing company after completing his military service.
He started on the steel guitar in 1954. Buck Owens happened to be at the session and heard Brumley play, saying that he would hire him to play if he ever had the chance. Brumley lived in North Hollywood, played at clubs in the area, and moved to Kingsland, Texas, to work at his father-in-law"s construction firm.
There he got a call to play with Owens, and his reluctance to be back on the night scene and bars was overcome by his father in law, who told him, "You know, if you don"t do this, you"ll wish you had.
So I want you to try lieutenant You can always come back to Kingsland, but at least you"ll know what you want to do and won"t be sorry".
With Owens from 1963 until 1969, Brumley was featured on recordings including "Acting Naturally", "I"ve Got a Tiger By the Tail" and "Together Again". His performance on "Together Again" has been considered "one of the finest steel guitar solos in the history of country music", as described in an obituary by Country Music Television.
His unique steel guitar sound was known as "The Brumley Touch" and he was recognized by the Academy of Country Music as the top steel guitarist.
Rick Nelson lured Brumley to play on his album In Concert at the Troubadour, 1969, accepting on a commitment that he would only do four shows with Nelson, but ended up performing with him for a decade. In a 2005 interview, Brumley called it "a godsend being asked to join Rick"s band, and I still think "Garden Party" was a highlight of my recording career". During a short hiatus from working with Ricky Nelson, Brumley played pedal steel guitar on Guthrie Thomas" album Lies and Alibis (1976).
He also performed or recorded with artists including Glen Campbell, Guthrie Thomas, Merle Haggard, Chris Isaak, Waylon Jennings, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Ray Price and Rod Stewart.
Brumley was inducted into the Texas Steel Guitar Hall of Fame, the International Steel Guitar Hall of Fame, and the Missouri Country Music Hall of Fame. Resulting recordings took place over a several-year period in Branson, Missouri, and Dallas, Texas, and spanned several musical genres including gospel, country, country-rock and patriotic.
Brumley died at age 73 on February 3, 2009, at Northeast Baptist Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, a little more than a week after experiencing a heart attack.
