Country music star John Anderson has died at the age of 71, prompting an outpouring of tributes from fellow musicians, including No Doubt frontwoman Gwen Stefani.
His family announced his death on Wednesday evening, and a wave of artists shared their condolences in the comments of his Instagram post.
Career highlights and family announcement
Anderson was best known for his 1983 single "Swingin'" and the 1991 track "Straight Tequila Night." Five of his songs, from across 22 albums, reached number one on the US country music charts. Over the years, he was nominated for a Grammy, an American Music Award and 11 Country Music Association Awards, of which he won three.
On Wednesday evening, his family shared an image of him on his Instagram account and wrote: "It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and best friend. To the world, he was a gifted country music singer whose voice and songs touched countless lives."
They added: "To us, he was so much more. He was the heart of our family, the one who made us laugh, loved us fiercely, and made every ordinary moment feel special," and said they were "completely heartbroken."
Musicians pay tribute
In the comments, several major stars paid tribute, including Gwen Stefani. The No Doubt frontwoman wrote: "We loved him!! His music is part of our family's hearts forever!! Gx."
In a post on X, Stefani's husband and fellow country music star Blake Shelton added: "There is too much for me to say about John Anderson in just a statement. I am sick and I am stunned. But I am a very lucky man. I got the opportunity to find out that my hero wasn’t just the guy I hoped he’d be. He was so much more than that. John was my friend. I got to see him last Sunday and I don’t even know why but I told him I loved him. That is what fills my heart in this moment."
Jason Aldean said Anderson was one of his "all time favourites" after growing up listening to the albums his dad owned. "I was Lucky enough to have met and performed with him a few times over the years," he added. "Sending Thoughts and prayers to the family. He was a great one. You’ll be missed bud."
Legacy and final farewells
Luke Combs added his own thanks to Anderson for his music, while Jake Owen said he was "pretty wrecked" by the news. Parker McCollum, who had seen Anderson only a few days earlier, called him "an absolute legend and one of the greatest to ever do it."
Anderson was born in Florida but became beloved in Tennessee after moving there in 1971. On his move, he told Billboard that he "was just wanting to play and sing pretty much at any level" he could and was "blessed" to be able to make a name for himself.
His career took off in the 1970s and stayed strong throughout the 1980s and 1990s. In 2014, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young told The Tennessean that Anderson "proved that fresh innovations were best born from time-honored traditions." He added: "John famously gave life to Billy Joe Shaver’s lyric, 'I’m just an old chunk of coal, but I’ll be a diamond someday.' He was already a diamond then, and a diamond he always will be."
