Grand Ole Opry Legend Jim Ed Brown Has Passed Away at Age 81

It is with a heavy heart that we at Classic Country KXRB and KXRB.com report the news of the passing of not only one of the all-time great artists in country music history, but a dear friend of ours, Jim Ed Brown. According to the Tennessean.com Jim Ed passed away Thursday.

Smooth-voiced singer Jim Ed Brown, a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1963 and a 2015 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame, died Thursday at Williamson Medical Center in Franklin. He was 81.

In September Mr. Brown revealed that he had been undergoing treatment for lung cancer. In early 2015, he announced that he was in remission, but on June 3, his daughter Kim posted on Facebook that her father's cancer had returned — although not in his lungs — and that he had resumed chemotherapy.

One day later, when Mr. Brown's condition appeared unlikely to improve, his dear friend and country legend "Whispering" Bill Anderson visited Mr. Brown in his hospital room to present him with a Country Music Hall of Fame medallion, five months ahead of this fall's official induction ceremony.

"It was sad, but in a beautiful way, because we were making him happy," Anderson said. Mr. Brown was surprised earlier this year with the news that he would receive country music's highest honor.

On Thursday night, news of Mr. Brown's death spread as country star Alan Jackson opened the sold-out nightly LP Field concerts for the 2015 CMA Music Festival. Jackson played a bit of Mr. Brown's signature hit "Pop a Top" and said, "We're gonna miss you, Jim Ed Brown. God bless you," before leaving stage.

Jim Ed was the host of 'Country Music Greats' which airs on KXRB and KXRB.com Saturday nights at 10 and Sunday afternoon at 4. Jim Ed taped his final show which will air June 13 and 14.