Prolific country music and southern rock legend Charlie Daniels died on Monday after a hemorrhagic stroke, a statement from his publicist announced. He was 83 years old.

Best known for his 1979 hit, "Devil Went Down to Georgia," the multi-instrumentalist was born in North Carolina but was long a part of the music scene in Nashville and across Tennessee. He started out as a session musician, even playing on Bob Dylan's "Nashville Skyline" sessions. Later, with the eponymous Charlie Daniels Band, he spearheaded a new genre of southern rock with his most familiar instrument – the fiddle.

The "Devil Went Down to Georgia" was No. 1 on the country charts in 1979 and crossed over to the pop charts. Today, it's a staple on classic rock stations. It was voted single of the year by the Country Music Association and earned his band a Grammy for best country vocal performance by a duo or group.

Over the course of his career, Daniels received numerous accolades. In 2008, he became one of the members in the Grand Ole Opry, nearly 40 years into his professional career. It took eight years, until 2016 for Daniels to win entry into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Musicians and singers paid tribute to Daniel on Twitter and shared photos of him.

"A true patriot, and country music icon," tweeted Luke Bryan, an American country music singer and songwriter. "Thank you for all your contributions on and off the stage. God bless you Charlie Daniels."

Daniels has helped shine the spotlight on many causes that were close to his heart. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, he joined forces with Code of Vets, a grassroots NGO dedicated to assisting America's veterans, asking for donations to help former servicemen and women who have fallen on hard times.

Daniels suffered from a mild stroke in January 2010. He had a pacemaker implanted in 2013 but continued to take the stage to perform.

(Cover: Charlie Daniels appears at the Charlie Daniels 80th Birthday Volunteer Jam in Nashville on November 2016. /AP)