Ethan Miller/Getty ImagesGeorge Strait is in mourning.
The country star has canceled his scheduled performance at tonight's CMT Music Awards following the death of his father, John Byron Strait, who passed away yesterday at 91.
"We are grateful for the time over the last few weeks we were able to spend with Daddy before he passed away," Strait said in a statement posted on his website. "I want to thank everyone for their prayers and support during this difficult time as we mourn our family's loss."
Strait asked that, in lieu of gifts, donations be made to the Jennifer Strait Memorial Foundation, named after his niece. Funeral services will be private.
While not among the nominees this year, the 61-year-old artist is a six-time CMT Music Award winner. He scored Album of the Year twice in a row, for 1999's One Step at a Time and 2000's Always Never the Same.