Welcome back to Country Music 4 Ever! I know it's been a while, but I have a lot of new stuff planned for the next couple of months, but today, I want to take a minute to remember another country star we lost too soon, John Anderson. John passed away several days ago on October 21, at the age of 71. So, I want to take a look at the incredible life and career John had.

John was born on December 13, 1954, in Orlando, Florida. He began playing in garage rock bands with his friends as a kid and when he was 12 years old, he decided he wanted to pursue music professionally. However, it wasn't until he heard songs by Merle Haggard and George Jones that he fell in love with country music and decided Nashville was where he had to go.

After finishing high school, John moved to Nashville and shared an apartment with his sister, Donna, who was also an aspiring singer. They began performing at local clubs both as a duo and individually. John became friends with music publisher, Al Gallico, who introduced John to the right people, which led to him signing with Warner Bros. Records in 1976. John was soon opening for his idols such as Merle Haggard, George Jones, and Willie Nelson. In 1983, he won the CMA Horizon Award as well as Single of The Year for "Swingin'."

By the late 1980s, John left Warner after a dispute over the label's support. He bounced around between multiple labels, but as a result, he struggled to get radio airplay and his album and ticket sales dropped as well.

In the 90s however, John was back on top of the country music scene with hits such as "Straight Tequila Night" and "Seminole Wind." He also began winning awards again such as the ACM Career Achievement Award in 1993.

Throughout his career, John had a total of 20 top 10 hits, and he will always be a favorite among country legends. He will always be remembered for his traditional sound and will always be loved by many people. Rest in peace, John.