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Ray Price Still Alive, His Wife Says

Her Twitter Message Contradicts Son's Previous Report of Hall of Fame Member's Death

Reports of Country Music Hall of Fame member Ray Price's death have been contradicted by his wife Janie, who is his personal manager.

In a Facebook posting Sunday afternoon (Dec. 15), the singer's son Cliff Price announced his father had died at home in Mount Pleasant, Texas. However, Janie Price said in a Twitter message Sunday at 4:15 p.m. CT that the legendary vocalist was still alive.

Price's death was reported by several media outlets, including The Tennessean newspaper in Nashville, USA Today and CMT.com.

"At this time our loveable Ray Price is still with us," she wrote. "When it is the time there will be a official statement [from] Bill Mack."

Mack, a songwriter and member of the Country DJ Hall of Fame, is Price's longtime friend.

Around 11 p.m. Sunday, Mack posted a message saying he spoke to Price's wife at 10:15 p.m. CT.

"She said Ray's condition is still in a 'coma' mode ... is not expected to improve," he wrote.

Mack, best known for his lengthy tenure at WBAP-AM/Fort Worth, said he's received calls from numerous country artists concerned about Price's condition.

"That, and the hundreds of responses from you people, has made me realize the true value of friends," Mack wrote. "Yes, it's been a day filled with hurt but for a purpose: Love, concern ... and prayers for Ray's family."

Price has been battling cancer for almost two years.

During a November 2012 interview with the San Antonio Express-News newspaper, he revealed he had be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. At the time, he acknowledged he had been receiving chemotherapy for six months. The cancer was discovered while his gallbladder was being removed after a gall stone attack.

He was hospitalized several times during the past year, including being admitted in October for treatment of sepsis, a complication of an infection when chemicals released into the bloodstream to fight the infection cause inflammation throughout the body.

Price was dismissed from the hospital and spent Thanksgiving Day at home. He was readmitted to the intensive care unit of East Texas Medical Center in Tyler, Texas, on Dec. 2.

Price's family announced on Thursday that Price had opted for home hospice care rather than seek further treatment.

Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1996, his hits include "City Lights," "Heartaches by the Number" and "For the Good Times."

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