As previously reported, bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley passed away yesterday after complications due to skin cancer. Stanley was a patriarch of the genre, playing with the Stanley Brothers, the Clinch Mountain Boys and others over his decades-long career.

Now, Stanley’s longtime publicist, Norma Morris, has released a statement on his passing. Morris calls Stanley “a dear friend” and notes his “mischievous smile and quirky sense of humor” before recalling the emotional effect his music had on his many fans.

“Today I am speechless,” Morris concludes. Read the full statement below:

Ralph began as a client and became a dear friend during the 16 years I worked with him. I will miss his mischievous smile and quirky sense of humor, as well as his unmatchable music. I remember people so moved by his singing that they would come up to him crying, almost unable to speak. Today I am speechless.