Country Singer Earl Thomas Conley Dies at 77, Family Says

Earl Thomas Conley performs 'Holding Her And Loving You.'2017 Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame Awards at Music City Center in Nashville, Tenn., on Oct. 23, 2017. Rick Diamond/Getty Images

Country singer Earl Thomas Conley, known for several hit songs, died on April 10 at the age of 77, his family confirmed.

Fred Conley, his brother, said the singer had a dementia-like condition and was in hospice care for months, USA Today reported.

“He just kept losing ground,” Fred Conley said. “I’m brokenhearted.”

His daughter, Erinn, said her singer father “was a great dad, and he filled our lives with color.”

His cause of death was not revealed.

Country musicians reacted to his death.

“Earl was my all time favorite singer, hero and my friend,” country superstar Blake Shelton tweeted, adding that he was “absolutely destroyed“ by the news. “Prayers to his family. We will all miss you deeply my brother. Now go rest ...”

Conley collaborated with Shelton in 2002 and wrote a Top 20 song, “All Over Me.”

Conley had 18 No. 1 country hits and 25 top 10 songs over his career.

When he was younger, “he decided he needed to grow up, and the Army was the best place to do that,” said Carole Scates, who is the mother of his children.

She added, “He said the Army was the best thing he ever did, that he went from being a punk kid to an adult who had a great work ethic. He could do anything. His talents were unlimited.”

Country singer T.G. Sheppard appeared on the stage with Conley a number of times.

“There are artists in our business that are great singers and stylists that you recognize, but just ever so often there are those special artists that have that voice that you know instantly when you hear the first word,” Sheppard told the Tennessean newspaper.

He said Conley “was one of those voices. And, he was always such a kind man. Once again, it’s going to leave a void in country music to lose a legendary artist such as him.”

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