Grammy-winning bluegrass musician JD Crowe died on Friday at the age of 84.

Confirming Crowe’s death, his son, David, told The Associated Press on Saturday, “We just want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. As great of a musician as dad was, he was even better husband, father and friend.” His cause of death was not known. 

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Born in 1937 as James Dee Crowe, his career, which spanned more than 50 years, included stints with Jimmy Martin’s Sunny Mountain Boys, Mac Wiseman and his own band, the Kentucky Mountain Boys, which later became the New South.

He heard Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys play at a barn dance in Lexington when he was 12 years old and decided his career path, the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum stated. 

“Crowe was an innovator on the banjo and influenced countless musicians with his technique and style,” read a post on the website of the Owensboro, Kentucky-based hall, where Crowe was inducted in 2003.

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Crowe went on to win the Grammy award in 1983 for best country instrumental performance for his song “Fireball.”

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Following his death, several people paid tribute to him on social media. 

“He was an absolute legend. He will be remembered as one of the greatest to ever play bluegrass music. He had tone, taste and TIMING like no other,” eclectic bluegrass guitarist Billy Strings wrote on Twitter. 

“I never really knew JD Crowe, but I always admired his playing & I know my Dad did too. Tony Rice once told me his 3 favorite players were Scruggs, Emerson and Crowe. One of the only players I confuse for my Dad is JD (maybe b/c they both played for Jimmy Martin). RIP, legend,” rhythm guitar player Billy Emerson wrote.