Country music legend Mel Tillis died early Sunday morning, according to a statement from his publicist.

  • Country music star Mel Tillis dies
  • Tillis died in Ocala, FL at 85
  • Tillis best known for 'Good Woman Blues,' 'Heart Healer'

Tillis died at the Munroe Regional Medical Center in Ocala, FL, at the age of 85, after battling intestinal issues since 2016.

CNN reporter the suspected cause of death was respiratory failure.

Tillis was a prolific singer-songwriter who penned more than 1,000 songs and recorded more than 60 albums in a career that spanned six decades. Many of those songs were recorded by other country music stars such as Kenny Rogers, George Strait and Ricky Skaggs, reported CNN.

Tillis is best known for his hits, “Good Woman Blue,” “Heart Healer,” and “Coca Cola Cowboy.”

He was inducted into the County Music Hall of Fame in 2007. 

Information from CNN was used in this report.