Hal Ketchum, the '90s country hitmaker known for his songs "Small Town Saturday Night," "Past the Point of Rescue," "Sure Love" and more, passed away on Monday evening (Nov. 23) following a battle with dementia.
News broke in April 2019 that Alzheimer's disease and dementia had forced Ketchum to retire from touring.
"Unfortunately, Hal is suffering from Alzheimer's/ Dementia. He has been battling this for some time now, but because of his love for his fans, he continued performing as long as it was possible. Dementia is an exhausting and confusing illness and now it's time for Hal to stay home with loved ones," read an April 14, 2019 Facebook post. "Hal is otherwise healthy and happy, enjoying time with his family and friends. We all deeply appreciate how much love that you all have for Hal and how much his music means to you!"
Read More: The 10 Best Hal Ketchum Songs, Ranked
Ketchum was born in Greenwich, New York, but moved to Austin, Texas in 1981. The singer began performing at nearby venues such as Gruene Hall and Cheatham Street Warehouse, where he developed a following. Ketchum later moved to Nashville, Tenn. and signed a record deal with Curb Records. He released his debut album Past the Point of Rescue in 1991. The album spawned the hit title track along with "Small Town Saturday Night" and "I Know Where Love Lives."
Ketchum's 1992 album Sure Love included three Top 10 hits, including the No. 2 hit "Hearts are Gonna Roll" and "Mama Knows the Highway," which reached No. 8 in 1993. He became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1994.
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