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Musician Leon Russell dies, wife says

Musician Leon Russell dies, wife says
Posted at 11:02 AM, Nov 13, 2016
and last updated 2016-11-13 13:33:52-05

Rock musician and Hall of Famer Leon Russell died in his sleep early Sunday morning in Nashville, his wife reported on Russell's official Facebook fan page. 

A cause of death was not announced. Russell was age 74 at the time of his death.

Russell produced five Gold-selling albums in a career that spanned six decades. Russell's top selling "Carney" album was released in 1972. 

He released a No. 1 selling single in 1978 titled "Heartbreak Hotel," alongside fellow musician Willie Nelson.

Russell was nominated for a Grammy for the album "The Union." Russell collaborated with Elton John on the 2010 album. 

"My darling Leon Russell passed away last night. He was a mentor, inspiration and so kind to me," John tweeted Sunday morning. "I loved him and always will."

In 2011, Russell was inducted into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame. 

Since suffering from a heart attack in the summer, Russell canceled all of his appearances, with the hope of returning to the stage in 2017. His last performance came on July 10 in Nashville.