Grammy Award winning country music artist Jo-El Sonnier died Saturday at the age of 77, shortly after doing what he loved the most — performing for a live audience.
“Jo-El Sonnier had just completed an incredible show at the Llano Country Opry in Llano, Texas,” Tracy Pitcox of Heart of Texas Records, Knel Radio, said in a statement posted to Facebook. “He had entertained over an hour and ended with his signature ‘Tear Stained Letter’. He received a standing ovation and I asked him to do ‘Jambalaya’ as an encore.”
Pitcox provided more information about Sonnier’s final moments.
“He performed a rousing rendition of that classic. Jo-El mentioned that he needed to rest for just a few minutes before signing autographs,” she said. “Unfortunately, he suffered cardiac arrest and was air flighted to Austin where he was pronounced deceased.”
“It is never easy to lose a legend, but he truly spent his final day doing what he loved-entertaining his fans with his loving wife Bobbye by his side,” she wrote in her statement.
Sonnier was a natural-born talent. His musical skills were prevalent at a young age, when he began to play his brother’s accordion by the age of three, according to Pitcox. She said his first radio performance came at the age of six, and his first recordings date back to age 11. She added that he released a number of singles and four albums in his teenage years.
LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 08: Recording artists Hunter Hayes (L) and Jo-El Sonnier appear onstage during the The 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on February 8, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Sonnier signed to Mercury Nashville Records in the 70s, but that did not prove to be a lucrative deal, Pitcox added. She said he moved away from country music and shifted to Cajun music under the Rounder Records label. He didn’t see as much commercial success but did receive a Grammy in recognition of his talents, according to Pitcox.
Pitcox recalled that the famous singer’s greatest recognition came when he signed with RCA Records in the 1980s when he released hit singles “No More One More Time” and a cover of Richard Thompson’s “Tear Stained letter.” She said Sonnier also saw mainstream success with “Come On Joe,” “I’ve Been Around Enough To Know” and “Raining In My Heart,.”
Pitcox said Sonnier was nominated for another Grammy in 1997 for his album “Cajun Pride,” and again in 2001. He was inducted into The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2009, and scored a total of 5 Grammy wins over the course of his career, she added. (RELATED: Nick Carter Breaks His Silence After Sister’s Death)
Funeral details have not yet been shared.