During his long career, Bruce scored 35 total hits Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart, including ‘You’re the Best Break This Old Heart Ever Had’ and ‘Walker’s Woods’. He is perhaps best known for the classic composition “Moms Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys,” which he co-wrote with his ex-wife, Patsy.
The song was later covered by a number of country legends, including Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, whose duet version spent four weeks on Hot Country Songs in 1978. Their version was also transferred to the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number 42.
“We lost another one of our great country songwriters today,” McGraw wrote on Twitter. “The man behind ‘Mamas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys’ and more. So many cool records from him that I listened to growing up.”
Johnson also paid tribute to the late country star and tweeted: “Thank you Ed Bruce for all the years of dedication to country music that paved the way for songwriters like me. Hell of a turn Sir.”
See more tributes to Bruce below.