Terri Clark is paying tribute to John Anderson, who unexpectedly passed away on Wednesday, October 21. Clark honors Anderson with a touching post on social media.
“John Anderson was one of my heroes growing up, and I know I’m not alone in saying that,” Clark writes. “Country music has lost another one of its truly original voices.
“From his early songs like ‘I Just Came Home to Count the Memories’ and ‘I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal’ to ‘Seminole Wind,’ he had a voice and style all his own,” she continues. “One I often found myself mimicking while playing for tips at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge.”
Clark goes on to recall one of her first encounters with Anderson, which turned into a decades-long joke between the two singers.
“During my early days in Nashville, his agent, Bobby Roberts, invited me to his office for a meeting,” Clark recalls. “I happened to have my guitar with me and started singing ‘Swingin’’ in my best John Anderson voice. Bobby picked up the phone, called John and had him listen while I was still singing. John laughed so hard, and every time we crossed paths after that, the story always came up. I still do that little medley of impressions from time to time, even today.
“John was one of the last of the true outlaws, with one of the most unique, soulful and undeniably COUNTRY voices we’ll ever hear,” she adds. “We’ll miss you, John. Nobody’s gonna fill those shoes.”
View this post on Instagram
Other Artists Pay Tribute to John Anderson
Numerous other artists have paid tribute to Anderson, including Blake Shelton, who commented on the unimaginable loss.
“There is too much for me to say about John Anderson in just a statement,” Shelton writes on social media. “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,” Shelton adds, referring to the Country Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony. “That is what fills my heart in this moment. My love and prayers go out to John’s family. This one really hurts.”
What Happened to John Anderson
Anderson’s family announced his passing on social media, although the cause of death has yet to be revealed.
“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and best friend,” the family writes. “To the world, he was a gifted country music singer whose voice and songs touched countless lives. 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. We are completely heartbroken.
“His music will live on, but for us, his greatest legacy will always be the love he gave his family and the memories we will carry with us forever,” the statement continues. “Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers as we grieve this unimaginable loss.”
View this post on Instagram