Gwen Stefani consoles Blake Shelton over John Anderson's death: 'I am sick'

The country music world has been shaken by the great loss of John Anderson.

Anderson passed away in his Tennessee home on October 21 at the age of 71, and Blake Shelton was among the first to mourn the country icon, who he called his “hero.”

“There is too much for me to say about @johnanderson in just a statement. I am sick and I am stunned. But I am a very lucky man,” Shelton, 50, wrote alongside a recent picture of the pair. “I got the opportunity to find out that my hero wasn’t just the guy I hoped he’d be. He was so much more than that. John was my friend.”

READ MORE: Blake Shelton opens up about 'new chapter' of his music career

Shelton revealed he saw Anderson days ago at the Country Music Hall of Fame’s 2026 Medallion Ceremony. “I don’t even know why but I told him I loved him. That is what fills my heart in this moment. My love and prayers go out to John’s family. This one really hurts,” Shelton wrote.

In the comments section, Shelton’s wife, Gwen Stefani, shared more insight into Anderson’s close relationship with their family. “Thank you for introducing our family to such a Legend — a one-of-a-kind voice. He will always be part of the soundtrack of music that defines who our family [is],”Stefani, 57, wrote.

In a statement announcing his death, Anderson’s family said they were “completely heartbroken.”

“To the world, he was a gifted country music singer whose voice and songs touched countless lives. To us, he was so much more. He was the heart of our family, the one who made us laugh, loved us fiercely, and made every ordinary moment feel special,” the statement read.

A cause of death has not been revealed. 

READ MORE: Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton share unseen wedding photos on special occasion