Earl Thomas Conley left a legacy for those who value intricately crafted songs, deft collaborations and a commitment to simple, sincere love ballads in country music. The country star broke onto the scene in the early 1980s, and quickly established himself as a hitmaker with back-to-back chart-toppers, amassing enough hits to put out his first Greatest Hits album just five years after releasing his major-label debut.

Conley collaborated with a host of songwriters and fellow artists throughout his career, and inspired a younger generation of new stars. Among those younger artists is Blake Shelton, who, along with Conley and songwriter Michael Pyle, co-wrote "All Over Me," a song that Shelton went on to release as the second single off of his debut album.

Flip through the photo gallery below to remember all of Conley's greatest hits. Consider it a crash course on why the country artist's songs have remained so memorable, standing the test of time over the decades since they were originally released.

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