Country songwriter Andrew Dorff, who wrote several No. 1 hits for artists such as Blake Shelton and Kenny Chesney, died on Monday, December 19. He was 40.
“It is with immeasurable grief that we learn of the passing of our friend Andrew Dorff,” Lee Thomas Miller, president of Nashville Songwriters Association International, wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday, December 20. “Our songwriting community is small and close and this loss will hurt us all deeply. Andrew was a good man and a good friend. He was an elite songwriter at the peak of his life and career. Our sincerest prayers go out to his family. May we all hug each other a little tighter this week and remember that life is fragile. Rest in peace Andrew.”
![Stephen Dorff Andrew Dorff](/wp-content/uploads/andrew-dorff-stephen-dorff-ff3d2835-ba21-4bb4-8ce1-d879955efe18.jpg?w=1000&quality=70&strip=all)
A cause of death has yet to be released.
Born in Los Angeles, Dorff (who was the son of famed songwriter-composer Steve Dorff and brother of actor Stephen Dorff) moved to Nashville in 2003 and signed with Universal Music Publishing Group. In 2008, he hit the Billboard country charts with his first top 10 single, Martina McBride‘s “Ride.” He later penned several chart-topping singles, including Shelton’s “My Eyes” and “Neon Light,” Chesney’s “Save It for a Rainy Day” and Hunter Hayes‘ “Somebody’s Heartbreak,” which was Dorff’s first No. 1 hit.
Several country singers took to social media after the news of Dorff’s passing broke. Shelton, 40, wrote on Twitter: “Sad to be finding out about Andrew Dorff passing away… Terrible tragedy. Prayers to his family.”
McBride, 50, tweeted: “So very sad to hear about @endorffin Thanks for caring enough to write with me and for ‘Ride’ #shinewhileyouhavethechancetoshine #sweetsoul.”