Alex Miller’s grandfather, GB Miller, has died. The 19-year-old singer and American Idol alum says the unexpected death has left his family devastated.

The elder Miller — who died on July 3 at age 75 — had a tremendous influence on his grandson’s life and music. While on American Idol, Alex Miller spoke of their shared tastes in music, explaining how his grandfather’s influence guided him to a career in country music.

“He also taught me how important it is to be a good person and what it means to be good to others,” Miller writes. “He also made sure I knew what working hard was really like.”

On Twitter, Miller recalled how his grandfather first put him on stage at age 7. The two men are photographed int he rotunda of the Country Music Hall of Fame during a trip taken together in March.

During a recent visit with Taste of Country, Miller talked a little about growing up around his grandfather's cattle farm, adding that he never went cow tipping, but, "Granddaddy probably knows better."

During that visit, he also played two songs from his new Miller Time album and showed a proficiency for guitar picking that his fans from American Idol did not get to see.

GB Miller's cause of death was not revealed in a press release announcing the news. A visitation will be held on Tuesday (July 5) in Stanford, Ky. On Wednesday (July 6) at 11AM, there will be a public memorial at the Grace Fellowship Church in Stanford.

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May they rest in peace ...

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