Hal Ketchum

Thanks to Des Butler for this sad news:

The death has occured on 23 Nov. of Hal Ketchum [right] at 67 years of age from complications of the dementia he has been suffering with for the past number of years.

Hal Michael Ketchum was an American country music artist. He released eleven studio albums since 1986, including nine for divisions of Curb Records. Ketchum's 1991 album Past the point of rescue was his most commercially successful, having been certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. The title song was written by our own Mick Hanly.

Ketchum toured until early 2019, when his wife revealed that his dementia had progressed to the point where it was no longer possible for him to perform. This was the second time he'd retired, having done so in 2008 before returning to the studio and stage in 2014. It was rumored that he had to learn how to play guitar again. Ketchum's battle with Alzheimer's/dementia was a quiet one until he publicly announced he was finally done in 2019.

Hal Ketchum 1953-2020 RIP