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Country music superstar and The Voice coach Blake Shelton paid tribute to country icon Ed Bruce following his death.
Bruce was an iconic singer-songwriter, and country music stars took to Twitter and Instagram following his death to pay tribute and mourn the star. According to Billboard, Bruce died from natural causes. He was 81 years old.
Bruce was presented with a Lifetime Achievement honor from the Arkansas Country Music Awards in 2018, according to Rolling Stone. The star had been in the music industry since he was 17 years old in 1957.
Shelton Paid Tribute to Bruce
Just hearing that Ed Bruce passed away… What a stand alone voice he had. He’ll be remembered for his many talents including acting and maybe most important his songwriting… Rest In Peace cowboy. Im not loving 2021 so far.
When Shelton heard about Bruce’s death, he took to Twitter to express his sadness and mourn the star.
“Just hearing that Ed Bruce passed away,” Shelton tweeted. “What a stand alone voice he had. He’ll be remembered for his many talents including acting and maybe most important his songwriting… Rest in Peace cowboy. I’m not loving 2021 so far.”
Replies to Shelton included many fans expressing their gratitude for Bruce’s work and calling out their favorite songs that were written and recorded by the music legend.
Other Country Music Stars Paid Tribute to the Singer-Songwriter
Country stars Tim McGraw, Jamey Johnson and The Oak Ridge Boys also paid tribute to the late singer-songwriter.
“We lost another one of our great country singer-songwriters today,” McGraw tweeted. “The man behind ‘Mamas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys’ and more. So many cool records of his that I listened to growing up.”
Johnson also tweeted about the passing, “Thank you Ed Bruce for all the years of dedication to country music that paved the way for songwriters like me. Hell of a run sir.”
“We have lost another friend and songwriter today…” The Oak Ridge Boys tweeted. “Rest Easy Ed Bruce… many will remember him for songs like Mama Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys but we shall remember him for a song called I know… look it up for a blessing… goodbye brother and thank you.”
Joe Bonsall tweeted, “So then within one day we have lost two master songwriters in Jamie O’Hara and Ed Bruce and a baseball icon Tommy Lasorda… Celebrate life Dear Friends.”
Guitarist Andrew Pope shared a long tribute to Bruce, sharing a story about having Bloody Marys and writing a song with the star.
“He went to a drawer and got a sharpie and three cds,” he wrote. Signed them with messages and handed them to me. Two of them were gospel records and they are fantastic. Please go buy those records. I will cherish them forever just as I have his friendship.”
He continued, “We never got the chance to finish our song, but I will finish it now in honor of my friend Ed Bruce. My prayers are with his wonderful wife Judith and family during this time. Heaven got another cowboy.”
Bruce was born on December 29, 1939 in Keiser, Arkansas and raised in Tennessee. He died on January 8, 2021 in Clarksville, Tennessee.
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