Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter and one-half of the Country duo O’Kanes, Jamie O’Hara, has passed away at the age of 70-yrs-old. He courageously battled cancer and sadly succumbed on Jan. 7 in Nashville, Tenn., with his wife, Lola White O’Hara, by his side.
Jamie O’Hara’s remarkable life in country music was born of pain and frustration, and bore much in the way of healing and inspiration.
A natural athlete who excelled at swimming, baseball, golf, and football, O’Hara was offered a tryout by the Detroit Tigers right out of high school, which he turned down to play football at Indiana University. In 1969, O’Hara blew out a knee while playing wide receiver and the injury put an end to his dreams of playing professional sports. He responded by focusing his attentions on singing and songwriting, where his ethereal voice and empathetic compositions made him a crucial contributor and force for good in Nashville music.