John Anderson, Country Music Hall of Famer, Dies at 71

John Anderson, a country music singer, died at age 71, according to the New York Times. His death was announced by his family on social media, according to the Guardian.

His gravelly vocals carried a career that spanned nearly five decades, according to the New York Times. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2024, according to the Guardian. He had five No 1 hits on the U.S. country charts, according to the Guardian.

Born and raised in Florida, Anderson moved to Nashville after high school, according to the Guardian. He worked manual labor jobs while playing live sets at night, according to the Guardian. He released his debut single in 1975 and broke through two years later with "I’ve Got a Feelin’ (Somebody’s Been Stealin’)" , according to the Guardian.

His first Top 5 single in 1981 earned him a Grammy nomination, according to the Guardian. He had hits such as "Wild and Blue", "Black Sheep", and "Swingin’", according to the Guardian. He was dropped by Warner Bros and later found success with the 1992 album "Seminole Wind", according to the Guardian.

In 2020 he released "Years", a return after a non‑cancerous tumour in 2017, according to the Guardian. He had nearly 100 % hearing loss after the illness, according to the Guardian. He said he had been very ill, according to the Guardian.

Country singer Blake Shelton paid tribute to Anderson, according to the Guardian. Gwen Stefani wrote that Anderson's music was part of her family's hearts forever, according to the Guardian.