Hal Ketchum, Grand Ole Opry Member, Dead At 67

Country star Hal Ketchum has reportedly died at the age of 67.

The Grand Ole Opry member passed away due to complications from dementia, his wife, Andrea, confirmed in a post on his official Facebook page.

"With great sadness and grief we announce that Hal passed away peacefully last night at home due to complications of Dementia.
"May his music live on forever in your hearts and bring you peace."

Ketchum, a native of Greenwich, New York, relocated to Florida, then Texas, playing local clubs as a singer/songwriter. He released his first album 'Threadbare Alibis' in 1988 before moving to Nashville to work as a songwriter.

Ketchum later released his debut album for Curb Records, 'Past the Point of Rescue' in 1991, which included four country Top 20 hits: 'Small Town Saturday Night,' 'I Know Where Love Lives,' the album's title track, which was a rendition of the song originally written by Mick Hanly and 'Five O'Clock World,' which was written by producer Allen Reynolds for The Vogues.

'Past the Point of Rescue' was Ketchum's best-selling album, exceeding 500,000 copies and earning a gold certification. He went on to have several other country hits in the 1990s, including 'Hearts Are Gonna Roll' 'Mama Knows the Highway' and 'Stay Forever.'

Ketchum became a Grand Ole Opry Member in 1994. Later in the decade, he began to experience health issues, which included being diagnosed with the spinal condition acute transverse myelitis, causing temporary paralysis on his left side and forced him to relearn the guitar.

Kethcum moved back to Texas in 2008, where he made his final live appearance at Gruene Hall in New Braunfels in 2018, several months before his wife announced his retirement from touring after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in April 2019.

Photo: Getty Images


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