Rabbitt died Thursday in Nashville and was buried there Friday following a private service.
He had been battling lung cancer since 1997, having a portion of his left lung removed last May.
The New York-born, New Jersey-bred Rabbitt (real name: Edward Thomas) relocated to Nashville in the late '60s to make a name in country music. He had little success penning tunes until 1970--when Elvis Presley recorded his "Kentucky Rain." The song became the King's 50th gold record and brought Rabbitt to the attention of other country artists.
Ronnie Milsap scored a country No. 1 with Rabbitt's "Pure Love" in 1973, and Rabbitt had some minor country hits ("Two Dollars in the Jukebox," "Drinkin' My Baby off My Mind"), but he didn't really break through to the pop mainstream until 1979, when Clint Eastwood tapped him to do the theme for Every Which Way but Loose.
Soon after, Rabbitt hit his stride, scoring 26 country chart toppers, including solo records like "Suspicious" and "Drivin' My Life Away," and duets "You and I" (with Crystal Gayle) and "Both to Each Other" (with Juice Newton).
But the tune that forever guaranteed Rabbitt a place on the jukebox was 1980's "I Love a Rainy Night," a million-selling song that topped both the pop and country charts.
Rabbitt quit music in 1983, at the height of his popularity, when his baby boy was diagnosed with a rare liver defect. The boy, Timothy Edward, died two years later, and Rabbitt dedicated himself to raising funds for ailing kids.
After his brief hiatus, he returned to his recording career, notching more country hits, including a cover of Dion's "The Wanderer" and "On Second Thought."
He is survived by his wife and two children.