The country music world has been shaken by the loss of legendary singer John Anderson. Anderson passed away at his Tennessee home on October 21 at the age of 71, and Blake Shelton was among the first to mourn the country icon, whom he called his "hero."

"There is too much for me to say about John Anderson in just a statement. I am sick and I am stunned.

But I am a very lucky man," Shelton, 50, wrote alongside a recent picture of the pair. "I got the opportunity to find out that my hero wasn't just the guy I hoped he'd be.

He was so much more than that. John was my friend."

"I don't even know why but I told him I loved him. That is what fills my heart in this moment.

My love and prayers go out to John's family. This one really hurts," Shelton added.

In the comments section, Shelton's wife, Gwen Stefani, shared more insight into Anderson's close relationship with their family. "Thank you for introducing our family to such a legend - a one-of-a-kind voice.

He will always be part of the soundtrack of music that defines who our family is," Stefani wrote. In a statement announcing his death, Anderson's family said they were "completely heartbroken."

"To the world, he was a gifted country music singer whose voice and songs touched countless lives. To us, he was so much more.

He was the heart of our family, the one who made us laugh, loved us fiercely, and made every ordinary moment feel special," the statement read. A cause of death has not been revealed by the family or local authorities.