Pop star-turned-country music artist Billy Joe Royal has died at the age of 73, The Tennessean reported. Royal was best known for his 1965 pop hit "Down in the Boondocks" and his 1991 country hit "Tell It Like It Is."
The singer passed away unexpectedly in his sleep Tuesday at his home in North Carolina, Ronnie McDowell (Royal's tour manager) told WSMV Nashville. Royal was a Nashville resident for more than 20 years.
Born in 1942 in Valdosta, Ga., Royal gained a following at the Savannah music club Bamboo Ranch, according to Billboard. He befriended rock and roll singer/songwriter Roy Orbison, who inspired him to continue with his musical career. Royal went on to release his 1965 hit "Down in the Boondocks" via Columbia Records. The song, written by Joe South, charted at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Royal left Columbia records and had a stint on several other record labels before finding a home with Nashville's Atlantic Records. He released "Burned like a Rocket" in 1985, and the song reached the top ten on the country singles chart in January of the following year. His 1989 cover of "Tell It Like It Is" was his biggest country hit, reaching to number two.
Royal continued performing until recently, and his final live show was at the Gwinnett County Fair in Georgia on Sept. 24, according to the Tennessean. He is survived by his ex-wife Michelle Royal and their daughter Savannah Royal, as well as stepsons Trey and Joey Riverbank.
Funeral arrangements have yet to be announced.
Watch Royal perform his 1965 hit "Down in the Boondocks" below.
