Iconic American singer-songwriter Nanci Griffith passed away on Friday morning in Nashville, a representative for her management company Gold Mountain Entertainment said. She was 68. The cause of the Grammy-winning singer’s death has not been disclosed. In a statement, Gold Mountain Entertainment said, "It was Nanci’s wish that no further formal statement or press release happen for a week following her passing." Considered as one of the most influential singers and songwriters, she is best known for songs that include Love at the Five and Dime and the Outbound Plane, while also recording duets with legendary artists like Willie Nelson. 

Born in Seguin, Texas in 1953, Nanci Griffith started her career performing folk music, while she was a nursery teacher in the 1970s in Austin. She won a Grammy Award in 1994 for her album Other Voices, Other Rooms, which comprised cover songs and several collaborations with popular artists. Fans and artists in the music industry have been influenced by her style of music, which she had described as "folkabilly". Griffith, who was previously diagnosed with two bouts of cancer in the 1990s, managed to survive the ordeal and also toured and produced music, with her final album, Intersection, getting released in 2012. 

The news of Nanci Griffith's demise has left many celebrities and fans heartbroken, who have been expressing their condolences and paying their tributes. In a statement to PEOPLE, Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum said, "Nanci Griffith was a master songwriter who took every opportunity to champion kindred spirits, including Vince Bell, Elizabeth Cook, Iris DeMent, Julie Gold, Robert Earl Keen, Lyle Lovett, Eric Taylor and Townes Van Zandt. Her voice was a clarion call, at once gentle and insistent." Iconic rock and roll and folk legend Don McLean also paid his respects to Griffith and said, "Nanci was a lovely person. I worked with her on a TV special we did for PBS TV and on that show, we sang two duets. They were And I Love You So and Raining in My Heart. I never heard anyone sing harmony in a more beautiful way." Country artist Suzy Bogguss posted a photo of Griffith on Instagram and wrote, "My heart is aching😔A beautiful soul that I love has left this earth. I feel blessed to have many memories of our times together along with most everything she ever recorded. I’m going to spend the day reveling in the articulate masterful legacy she’s left us🌺Rest my dear friend Nanci Griffith💖"

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Suzy Bogguss (@suzybogguss)