Country music legend Hal Ketchum has died at age 67 due to complications from dementia. The singer's wife, Andrea, confirmed the news Tuesday in a Facebook post.
"With great sadness and grief we announce that Hal passed away peacefully last night at home due to complications of dementia," she wrote. "May his music live on forever in your hearts and bring you peace."
Ketchum is best known for his hit singles "Small Town Saturday Night" and "Long Haired Country Boy." He established himself in 1988, following the release of his debut album. He went on to release 10 other albums that featured 15 top 10 singles, according to CNN. He was diagnosed with dementia in 2017.
In an interview with the outlet, Ketchum's longtime friend and personal manager, Tracie Ferguson, shared her fondest memories of the country star.
"I've known Hal Ketchum since 1985, when I first booked him at Gruene Hall. He played his first official gig in the front room of the old Hall for about 25 people. He only had to sing one note for everyone to realize that he had something special and it didn't take long for the country music world to notice him," she said.
"One thing that stood out about Hal was his continued love for his fans, and he gave as much of himself to them as possible," she added. "His kindness and sweet spirit will be remembered by everyone who knew or met him."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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