Lauren Alaina. Ed Rode/Getty Images for Spotify
Lauren Alaina announced that her father, J.J. Suddeth, has died unexpectedly.
“We lost my daddy last night,” the country singer, 29, wrote via an Instagram statement on Wednesday, July 24. “And I really don’t have the words yet.”
Alaina shared that she was “not able” to perform at her scheduled shows in Savannah, Virginia Beach and Charlotte this weekend. She is currently on the road with Jason Aldean.
“I am going home to be with my family,” she continued. “Thank you for your prayers and understanding.”
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She signed the message with her nickname, Pinky, which was given to her by her dad.
Alaina did not share any details about Suddeth’s death.
Many of Alaina’s friends in the country music industry took to the comments to share their condolences for her and her family.
“Prayers to you and the family! Here for anything y’all need,” Brantley Gilbert responded while Trisha Yearwood replied, “I love you. So very sorry. ❤”
Last month, Alaina penned a touching tribute for her dad in honor of Father’s Day. The singer shared throwback pictures of the pair at her wedding to husband Cam Arnold earlier this year. Alaina wrote the song “My Old Man” for her and Suddeth to dance to at her nuptials.
“Happy Father’s Day to ‘my old man’ with a heart the size of Texas!!” she gushed. “I love you so much daddy and hope you have the best day fishin’. Love, your turd (pinky) 🤍”
Alaina previously shared how proud she was of Suddeth for overcoming an alcohol addiction.
“My dad is a recovering alcoholic and when my mom asked for a divorce, he checked himself into rehab,” she revealed to Parade in January 2017. “They didn’t end up working it out, which is unfortunate, but it’s a blessing in disguise because my dad is sober and happy and a great man now and has grown so much because Mom asked for that divorce.”
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After her parents’ split, Alaina’s mother, Kristy Suddeth, moved on with Sam Ranker. In 2018, Alaina lost her stepfather to stage 4 cancer.
“My stepdad, Sam … was the purest example of how to love and live life fully,” Alaina wrote via Instagram in October 2018. “His last few hours were some of the most amazing moments I know I will ever have the privilege of witnessing.”
She continued: “We are only here for a short amount of time, and we have to live like there is no tomorrow. I want us to all be a little more like Sam. He was strong. He was the most compassionate person in the world. He would go without to help a stranger. He was a great dad.”
