Singer-songwriter Mac Davis, known for writing ‘In the Ghetto,’ dead at 78

Singer-songwriter Mac Davis, who penned Elvis Presley’s 1969 hit “In the Ghetto,” has died at age 78, multiple entertainment outlets are reporting. He recently had fallen ill after undergoing heart surgery, his family said.

According to Variety and Rolling Stone, Davis' manager, Jim Morey, shared the news on social media late Tuesday.

“It’s with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of Mac Davis,” Morey wrote in a Facebook post. “He was surrounded by the love of his life and wife of 38 years, Lise, and his sons Scott, Noah and Cody.”

Morey went on to describe Davis, also known for his hits “Baby, Don’t Get Hooked on Me” and “Stop and Smell the Roses,” as his longtime client and best friend.

“He was a music legend, but his most important work was that as a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend,” Morey wrote. “I will miss laughing about our many adventures on the road and his insightful sense of humor. When there was a tough decision to be made he often told me, ‘You decide ... I’m going to the golf course!’”

Celebrities and fans took to social media to pay tribute to Davis, who also worked as an actor and TV host. Here’s what they were saying:

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