I was sad to hear the news about  Andy Griffith today.  Loved him.  Loved his work.  Loved his lessons and messages as Sheriff Andy Taylor.  

Brad Paisley was able to call him a friend, and he released the following statement when hearing the news:

“Few people in this world will ever have more influence on our lives than Andy Griffith. An actor who never looked like he was acting, a moral compass who saved as many souls as most preachers, and an entertainer who put smiles on more faces than almost anyone; this was as successful a life as is pretty much possible. Andy Griffith made the world a better place, and I was so proud to call him a friend.”

Brad, of course, had Andy in his video, “Waiting on a Woman” which you can watch here. When making the video, he talked about Andy: ” He has influenced my life more than most people that I grew up with — and more than most people that I actually knew my whole life. I mean, his TV show, The Andy Griffith Show, was for me, just, without a doubt, one of the most influential things I have ever had in my life. I mean, it…it’s a big deal to me. I watch it. When I wrote an introductory letter to him, one of the things I said was that he’s helping to raise my son…and that’s a big deal. He really is. I mean, I think you could do far worse than to use The Andy Griffith Show as a guide for what, you know, the way to handle the issues that come up with your little boy.”

For more reaction of country stars, click here.

Rest in Peace Andy Griffith. You made this world a better place.