Steven Tyler, Aerosmith lead singer, is publicly mourning the death of Hayden Panettiere with whom he starred on the ABC hit series Nashville.
The rocker worked with Panettiere for an episode that aired in September 2015 in which they performed a duet of Patsy Cline’s hit Crazy.
”She was a dear friend of mine, I loved her dearly and I feel bad for her mom – big love to her,” he told TMZ.
He’s the latest in a string of Hollywood celebrities who have paid tribute to the Heroes star following her death on Sunday at the age of 36.
Back in 2015, Tyler gushed about the actress, telling Entertainment Weekly, “’She’s a true professional both while filming, recording and off set as well.”
“Hayden is a peach,” Tyler further told the outlet
When asked if Panettiere had been lip synching during the Crazy duet, the veteran musician and vocalist firmly refuted it.
“Why lip sync when you can sing live? And yes – she is that good!” he affirmed.
While primarily known for her acting skills, Panettiere has displayed her musical talents on Nashville as well as a number of Disney projects.
They included 2004’s Tiger Cruise, 2005’s Ice Princess and 2007’s Cinderella III: A Twist in Time.
Panettiere’s passing was announced on Sunday by her father Skip Panettiere, who said in a statement, “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden.”
“She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her – and to the millions who watched her onscreen. We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss,” he further told Hayden’s fans.
Authorities in Greenville, South Carolina, subsequently said that officials responded to an apartment in the area after receiving a report of an “unresponsive female” via a possible “drug overdose,” subsequently determined to be Hayden Panettiere.
