‘Drift Away’ Singer Dobie Gray Dead at 69

Singer Dobie Gray, who had huge success with his timeless hit Drift Away, is dead, his Web site confirmed.

The Web site didn't say how the singer died, but it noted that he passed away on Tuesday.

The Associated Press is reporting that Gray died in his sleep at his Nashville home after a long battle with cancer at the age of 69. Funeral arrangements have not yet been made available. Gray reportedly had no children and wasn't married.

Gray was born in Simonton, Texas, before moving to California in the early 1960s. It was there he met Sonny Bono, then an executive with Specialty Records, which led to his first record Look at Me, in 1963, according to The AP.

Gray has written songs for several country and pop performers. He wrote songs that were recorded by Ray Charles, Etta James, Julio Iglesias, John Denver and George Jones to name a few.

His tenor can be heard on tracks such as the 1965 hit The In Crowd and the 1973 song Loving Arms.

He had such a unique style, so identifiable, Bud Reneau, Gray's close friend and songwriting partner, told The AP. If you listened to his record, you knew right away it was him. It was a big factor in his marketability.

Gray is best remembered for his 1973 hit Drift Away, which was a top 10 hit in several countries after its release. That song was recorded in 2003 by rapper Uncle Kracker and became a hit once more.

Gray's Web site noted that he has toured Europe, Australia and Africa.

I talked to him the day before he died, Charlie Andrews, Gray's attorney and friend, told The AP. We just talked about life and living and general stuff.

You can watch the video for Drift Away below: