Country Music Legend Charlie Louvin Dies at 83

Charlie Louvin, who, along with his brother Ira, influenced generations of country and rock performers from Dwight Yoakam and Emmylou Harris to The Raconteurs and Uncle Tupelo, has died from complications of pancreatic cancer. He was 83. Charlie's wife Betty, to whom he had been married for 61 years, confirmed to Nashville's WSM radio that Charlie passed away at around 1:30AM on Wednesday.

In July, Charlie announced he was battling stage 2 pancreatic cancer for which he underwent surgery at Nashville's Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Two of our favorite Louvin Brothers classics, 'The Christian Life' and 'The Great Atomic Power':

On Charlie's official website, his son, Sonny Louvin, reported that while his father had returned home from the hospital on July 30, "the surgery did not go as planned and he [would] begin using alternative methods of treatment going forward."

Born Charlie Elzer Loudermilk in 1927, Charlie grew up in the Sand Mountain region of Alabama, working beside his brother in the cotton mills and fields. The Louvin Brothers' distinct close harmony style developed when the duo began singing together as teenagers. They went from performing at a small radio station in Chattanooga, Tenn., to the stage of the Grand Ole Opry where they became Opry members in 1955.

Their first big hit, 'When I Stop Dreaming,' reached the Top 10 on the country charts that same year, and the duo toured with Elvis Presley as their opening act. Hits that followed included 'I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby,' 'The Christian Life,' 'You're Running Wild' and 'Knoxville Girl.' The duo disbanded in 1963, with Ira releasing a solo album in 1964. He died a year later in a car crash.

Charlie's solo career also began in 1964, with 'I Don't Love You Anymore' being his first Top 5 hit beyond the Louvin Brothers. Other hits included 'I Think I'll Go Somewhere and Cry Myself to Sleep,' 'Less and Less' and 'Off and On.'