Roger Lynn Gulledge

Roger Lynn Gulledge, 66, of Fort Mill, South Carolina, passed away on Saturday, January 31, leaving behind a life rich with music, fast cars, baseball games, and deep love for the people closest to him.

Roger was a devoted father to his only daughter, Jessica, and an incredibly proud grandfather to Aidan and Charlotte, who were the absolute lights of his life. He loved them fiercely, and they loved him (and all his goofy antics) right back.

His greatest passions outside of his family were music, cars, and baseball — and if you were a part of his life, chances are you shared at least one of them.

Music was Roger’s soul. He was an extraordinarily talented guitarist and a beautiful singer, with a rare gift for harmony and sharp musical intuition. After teaching himself to play guitar as a teenager, Roger spent the last 40 odd years playing all over the Carolinas alongside his brothers in music: Dave Holtzclaw, Robert McClure, John McClure, and Sandy Werts. Under the monikers Nice Guys, Brothers, Wooden Parts, and Four Days Gone, among others, anyone who ever heard Roger play knew there wasn’t a better guitar player around. From Dan Fogelberg and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, to Alison Krauss and David Wilcox, Roger could sing and play the best of them. He had a deep love of guitars and built many from scratch over the years, including those he gifted to his grandchildren.

Cars and racing were a close second among Roger’s lifelong pursuits. In the late ‘90s and early 2000s, he drove a red T-top Camaro Z28 that rumbled through Charlotte parking garages and school pickup lines alike with the top down and an Alanis Morissette song blasting. He loved racing, followed motorsports including NASCAR, Indy, and Formula 1, collected memorabilia, and even spent time on a race team. Roger passed his love of cars and driving down to his daughter, and his grandchildren have their sights set on a Corvette E-Ray and Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut. Later in life, he joined Carolinas Miata Club, driving his cherry red convertible Mazda Miata through the curvy mountain roads of North Carolina. He also loved go-kart racing and was always trying to beat his most recent best lap time. Roger was bested by his daughter during an indoor karting showdown in New Jersey last summer and joked she was the only person he’d be proud to admit beat him.

Baseball was another lifelong love. A devoted Red Sox fan, Roger played Little League growing up and was already legendary by age 12, towering over the other kids on his Clover, South Carolina team, he made the local paper for being the first Little League player in history to hit the ball over the fence and out of the park. Throughout his life, he traveled to countless ballparks and spring trainings, including Camden Yards, where he got to see his daughter sing the national anthem. Roger never lost his love for the game and most recently took his grandchildren to their first Major League Baseball game at Citi Field to watch the Mets play last summer.

Roger was whip-smart, quietly brilliant, and had a dry, unexpected sense of humor. He always had a perfectly timed joke or comeback that caught people off guard. He was introverted by nature but had a big heart and a strong presence and was never to be seen without his signature baseball cap. He expected the best from people — especially those he loved — and he made sure they knew when he was proud of them (and aggravated, too). Though he constantly nagged and taunted his sister throughout their lives, he was her fiercest advocate and always there to cheer her on.

He was also a fierce advocate for marginalized communities and never shied away from speaking out against injustice. He carried a tattoo of a Native American chief on his left arm as a form of recognition and respect, and he cared deeply about the wrongs of the world.

Roger was also the person everyone called when something broke — cars, appliances, or life in general. He could fix just about anything. He spent many years managing auto inspection stores and worked for much of his career at KCI in Charlotte, carrying on a business his father started sewing welding cable covers. Though his path in life took him through many jobs, always using his hands to fix, create, and build, those closest to him always knew that music was the dream that lived deepest in his heart.

Above all else, Roger loved his family. He showed up when it mattered, loved deeply, and made the people around him feel supported, challenged, and seen. Being a grandfather was one of the greatest joys of his life, and his bond with Aidan and Charlotte was something truly special.

Roger leaves behind a legacy of talent, loyalty, and love, and a life that will continue to echo through the music he played, the people he helped, and the family who will carry him with them always.

Roger is survived by his daughter Jessica (Bishop) and grandchildren Aidan and Charlotte of Aberdeen, NJ and his sister Dani (Ken) of Greenville, SC. He was preceded in death by his brother David, Jr., mother Faye, and father David, Sr.

A celebration of life will be held this coming Saturday, February 7, 2026, from 1:00 - 3:00 PM at The Evening Muse (3227 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205), a venue Roger and Four Days Gone played multiple times. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the ACLU of North Carolina where Roger was a proud member.

Online condolences may be shared at www.McEwenPinevilleChapel.com.