Grammy award-winning artist J.D Crowe has died at the age of 84.
The legendary Bluegrass musician star died early Friday morning, according to a post on the Kentucky Country Music Facebook page.
"Earlier this morning, we received the news of the passing of J.D. Crowe, as confirmed by his son David," the post reads.
"You could not have found a nicer guy in the world of bluegrass than Crowe. One of the hardest working guys in the music business, he was also a hoot to be around."
The cause of the star's death is not yet confirmed.
In late November, J.D was hospitalised for unknown reasons and had been recovering in a rehab centre, according to Bluegrass Today.
The publication claims that the late star had been "suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) the past two years".
Born James Dee Crowe in 1937, J.D went on to become a legend on the Bluegrass music scene - enjoying an impressive career spanning more than five decades.
The late star kicked off his musical career in the 1950s, first playing with Jimmy Martin’s Sunny Mountain Boys, and later creating the Kentucky Mountain Boys, which became The New South in 1971.
"We had gotten to the point that we knew what each other was thinking by just looking at each other, and that’s a great feeling to have," J.D told Rolling Stone in 2020 when chatting about his bandmates.
"Tony [Rice] was very good at paying attention because whatever he was playing he wanted it right, as good as he could get it. I loved that because there’s so many pickers that don’t feel that way."
Throughout his career, the late musician won numerous awards - including a Grammy in 1983 for his song Fireball in the Country Instrumental of the Year category.
In 2011, he was honoured with the Bluegrass Star Award, before going on the officially retire from touring in 2012.
As the news of his death broke, many from the music world paid tribute to the late star.
"A finer banjo player will be hard to find here but I know Heaven is welcoming this good and faithful servant in with open arms today," Bluegrass singer-songwriter Donna Ulisse wrote online.
In a moving post on Facebook, band Blue Highway dubbed J.D a hero and credited the late star with being one of their "biggest influencer".
"Nobody ever had the groove, the touch, tone and timing of this man," they wrote on social media.
"Prayers for his family and for the whole Bluegrass community. This one really hurts."
Writing for Bluegrass Today, John Lawless also paid tribute to his "fun-loving personality".
"Everyone in bluegrass music was fond of J.D. Crowe, and not only for his remarkable banjo playing and long service as a recording artist and bandleader," he recalled in his obit to the music legend.
"His affable, humble, and fun-loving personality made him everyone’s friend, and any attempts to shower him with praise for his music were always met with deferrals and a bit of embarrassment."
