Country Artists We’ve Lost in 2011: Ferlin Husky

Ferlin Husky was one of country music's earliest crossover artists. Best known for his 1957 hit 'Gone,' the Country Music Hall of Famer proved that Nashville twang could appeal to mass audiences with three No. 1 hits and many more Top 20 songs. In 2010, Merle Haggard said, ”There were a lot of years when nobody in the business could follow Ferlin Husky. He was the big live act of the day.” In his later years, the Missouri native fought off congestive heart failure and even had seven bypass surgeries by 2009. "I just pray and keep going," Husky once said. He passed away at the age of 85 in March 2011.