Country singer Ray Stevens is currently recuperating in a hospital following a heart attack he experienced in Nashville.
The 86-year-old artist, known for his hit “Everything is Beautiful,” was admitted to a local emergency room on July 4 after reporting chest pains. Following a heart catheterization procedure, it was confirmed that he had suffered a mild heart attack, as stated in a message shared on his official Facebook page.
As per the announcement, Stevens underwent a “minimally invasive” heart procedure in the heart of country music on July 8. While the “Misty” singer is in recovery from the procedure, all of his scheduled performances at the CabaRay Showroom have been cancelled for the remainder of the month.
“Ray has been moved out of the ICU and is starting to walk the halls with the help of a nurse as part of his recovery process from this surgery,” the singer’s team conveyed in a subsequent statement. “Ray is extremely thankful for all the cards and well-wishes. Everything remains beautiful!”
Stevens’ health challenges arise four years after the passing of his wife of 60 years, Penny Jackson Ragsdale, who succumbed to cancer. Penny passed away at their Nashville residence on December 31, 2021, just before midnight, according to a report by the Daily Mail. She was 78 years old.
Ray’s musical journey commenced in 1957 when he signed with the prestigious Capitol Records at the young age of 18. In the early 1970s, he relocated to Nashville to pursue a career as a studio producer and musician.
Over the course of his extensive career, Stevens has received 11 Grammy nominations. He won the award for Best Contemporary Male Vocalist for “Everything is Beautiful” in 1971.
Furthermore, Ray is a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, the Christian Music Hall of Fame, and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.