Blake Shelton 'Absolutely Destroyed' After Earl Thomas Conley's Death

Singer Earl Thomas Conley passed away on Wednesday. Blake Shelton confirmed the news on social media and paid tribute to the late singer.

“My heart is absolutely destroyed today,” Shelton wrote on Instagram, confirming that Conley passed away. The singer died early in the morning on Wednesday in Nashville. He was 77 at the time of his death.

“Earl was my all time favorite singer, hero and my friend,” Shelton wrote in his tribute to the late singer, adding that he will miss his friend deeply and offered his prayers to Conley’s family.

Conley’s hit songs include “Holding Her and Loving You” and “Once In a Blue Moon,” from the 80s. He and Shelton have been friends for years, and the late singer co-wrote Shelton’s song “All Over Me” with Michael Pyle, People reported.

Conley was reportedly in hospice care for months before he passed away. Hospice is a specialized kind of care for people with a life-limiting illness. Conley’s brother confirmed that the late singer had been suffering from a condition that is similar to dementia.

The song “Holding Her and Loving You” earned Conley multiple Grammy Awards. The songs he wrote between 1983 and 86 were chart-toppers. The later singer produced 10 albums during his singing career. 30 of his singles made it on the list of Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart.

Conley’s daughter, Erinn Scates, has followed in his footsteps and became a musician. She wrote a song when her father was getting sicker with time and posted the video on Facebook.

Scates wrote that the song is for people who have lost a loved one to dementia, Alzheimer’s or other related disease. She said that this experience has taught her to love people while they are still around.

Tributes for Conley have been pouring in online. Gwen Stefani also paid tribute to the late singer, and she thanked her boyfriend Shelton for introducing her to the “beautiful artist.”