Country music legend John Anderson has died at 71 , leaving behind a nearly five-decade career that produced some of the genre’s most recognizable songs.

At this time, John Anderson’s cause of death has not been publicly revealed. His family announced his death Wednesday, Oct. 21, in a statement shared on his official social media accounts . They did not provide a cause of death or indicate that he had been dealing with a terminal illness.

“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and best friend,” his family said in the statement.

The family described Anderson as “the heart” of their family and asked fans to keep them in their thoughts and prayers as they grieve.

View this post on Instagram

John Anderson Had Serious Health Problems

Although his cause of death remains unknown, Anderson had experienced significant health problems earlier in his life.

In 2017, Anderson canceled a scheduled appearance after experiencing serious medical…