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Hal Ketchum, 'Small Town Saturday Night' country singer, dead at 67

Hal Ketchum died Monday night following complications from dementia, his wife confirmed.

Hal Ketchum, the hit country singer of "Small Town Saturday Night," died Monday night at the age of 67 due to complications from dementia, Ketchum's wife confirmed. 

"With great sadness and grief we announce that Hal passed away peacefully last night at home due to complications of Dementia," Ketchum's wife Andrea posted on his official Facebook page. "May his music live on forever in your hearts and bring you peace."

The Greenwich, New York, native began learning the drums as a teen and left for Austin, Texas in the early 1980s to work on his songwriting skills. He later moved to Nashville after signing a recording deal. 

The single “Small Town Saturday Night” launched him to stardom in 1991. Some of his other hits throughout the nineties included "Hearts Are Gonna Roll" and "Sure Love." 

Following the news of the singer's death, several country artists posted tributes on Twitter. 

"RIP brother Hal Ketchum ... just 67 years old ... so sad to lose yet another one this year," the Oak Ridge Boys tweeted. 

LeAnn Rimes called Ketchum "such a talent and a dear soul." 

He was inducted as a member of the Grande Ole Opry in January 1994. 

According to Rolling Stone, Ketchum moved back to Texas in 2008 and made his final live performance at Gruene Hall in New Braunfels in October 2018.  

In April 2019, his wife revealed that Ketchum was retiring from performing after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and dementia. At the time, she called the disease "exhausting and confusing," before adding that Ketchum was deeply appreciative of how much love everyone had for him and his music.  

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