It’s been a decade since Tommy Overstreet’s death. On Nov. 2, 2015, the ’70s country star died at his Oregon home after battling lung and heart disease, the Los Angeles Times reported. He was 78.

Born in 1927, Overstreet began his music career when he was just 13, according to his obituary. He started out by performing with his cousin, Gene Austin, in showrooms and supper clubs.

“Gene Austin always told me that you had to have songs that speak to the heart, and you had to have songs that spoke to other people’s heart,” Overstreet told Billboard in 2014. “I always tried to do that. I always thought of who I was singing to, which was the audience, and hopefully I did.”

In the 1960s, after a stint in the army, Overstreet made the move to Los Angeles. It was there that he began a songwriting career. After a detour in Texas, Overstreet moved to Nashville, where he signed a record deal.

There, he found success as an artist. His recording of “Gwen (Congratulations)” hit No. 5 on the charts, while his peak came at No. 2 with “Ann (Don’t Go Runnin’),” per Billboard.

After his time in Nashville, Overstreet and his family moved to Branson, Missouri, where he worked to held develop local talent. A move to Oregon followed in 2001. While there, Overstreet continued to write, produce, and perform.

Overstreet played his last ever show in 2013, telling the Carthage, Texas, crowd, “I started my career in Texas, and tonight I’ll finish it in Texas!”

Tommy Overstreet’s Legacy

Throughout his career, the singer, who often toured in both the U.S. and Europe, had 23 Top 40 hits and four gold records. He also appeared on shows including Hee Haw, The Tonight Show, and Nashville Now. Additionally, Overstreet penned both a children’s book and a memoir.

In his 2014 Billboard interview, Overstreet reflected on his life and career.

“Life is dear to me,” he said. “I’ve had a wonderful time, met some interesting people, and had some success along the way. I’ve had a blessed life, and I can’t complain at all.”

After Overstreet’s death, his family spoke to The Oregonian.

“He was singing about cheating songs and women, but he was a family man,” his wife, Diane, said. “And he was out on the road, but he was still a family man.”

His daughter Amber agreed, stating, “There was never an option for failure. There was never an option for giving up or quitting, because if it’s something that you wanted, then it was worth working for, and you would get there. It would never even occur to him that you wouldn’t, so it never occurred to us.”