Country music star Joey Feek had died aged 40 following a two year illness with cancer, her management has confirmed.
Feek was best known as part of the award winning husband and wife country music duo Joey + Rory.
She was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2014 which soon spread despite surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation treatment. In October 2015, Rory said Feek had decided to end treatment.
Her husband documented the past few years on his blog and would often post updates on his wife’s condition.
On Friday he announced: “My wife’s greatest dream came true today. She is in Heaven […] At 2:30 this afternoon, as we were gathered around her, holding hands and praying… my precious bride breathed her last. And a moment later took her first breath on the other side.
“[…] Though this is, and had been, a time of many tears of sorry, it has also been a time of countless tears of joy. There have been too many beautiful moments to count or even begin to share in this blog. But I try.”
The couple found success after auditioning for US country music singing show Can You Duet in 2008 and continued to record music through her illness. Their album of hymns topped Billboard’s Country Albums charts in March and their song “If I Needed You” was nominated for a Grammy this year.
Country music stars Carrie Underwood and Blake Shelton were among the many to pay tribute to Feek on Twitter:
Feek is survived by Rory and their two-year-old daughter Indiana.
Additional reporting by Associated Press.
