Revisiting John Anderson’s Final Album He Wrote After Flatlining Three Times During Critical Surgery

John Anderson released his final album, Years, on April 10, 2020. The prolific singer-songwriter’s 22nd studio album was produced by Dan Auerbach (of Black Keys fame) and long-time Nashville engineer David R. “Fergie” Ferguson. The album explores mortality in a way that feels all the more poignant now, following his death on October 21, 2026. But in a way, this transition into the great beyond was nothing new to him. In fact, his familiarity with the subject served as a major inspiration for what would become Anderson’s last record.

Though the singer-songwriter was tight-lipped about his health issues, his public persona made it nearly impossible to keep major problems totally under wraps. Prior to entering the studio to work on Years, Anderson underwent a surgical procedure that required anesthesia. While under, Anderson’s heart stopped and flat-lined three separate times. Of course, he survived these near-death experiences, but the fleeting reality of life became all too real when he finally awoke.

He even told Auerbach, “Let’s get everything, because I might not wake up.” Anderson added, “I might die here any minute. But I know that the good Lord already came down and touched me,” per KTTN.

John Anderson’s Final Album Is a Poignant Reflection on Death

John Anderson worked with a number of co-writers on Years, including his producer, David R. Ferguson, Paul Overstreet, Patrick McLaughlin, Dee White, Joseph Allen, Bobby Wood, and Larry Cordle. Other notable players included Blake Shelton, who sang on “Tuesday I’ll Be Gone”, Tyler Childers, who sang backup on “Wild And Free”, and Ronnie McCoury, who played mandolin on “Tuesday I’ll Be Gone” and “I’m Still Hangin’ On”. In a 2020 interview with The Bluegrass Situation, Anderson was careful to clarify that he didn’t take sole credit for any part of the album. It was truly a collaborative effort.

Still, his own health experiences inevitably seeped into the writing process. “I had nearly died a couple of times,” he said. “So, mortality is certainly in some of these songs, as far as my influence on them. Now there again, I can’t take the credit for any single song on the record because we had a lot of great help writing them. But my influence is a lot about mortality and the part in the songs about being thankful. That was kind of where I was at the time.”

Anderson died on October 21, 2026, at 71. In a statement posted to Anderson’s social media, his family wrote, “To the world, he was a gifted country music singer whose voice and songs touched countless lives. To us, he was so much more. He was the heart of our family, the one who made us laugh, loved us fiercely, and made every ordinary moment feel special. … His music will live on, but for us, his greatest legacy will always be the love he gave his family and the memories we will carry with us forever.”

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