Dan + Shay's Shay Mooney Announces Death of Grandmother: 'An Absolute Angel'

The country duo performed their track "Bigger Houses" on the TODAY show in honor of Beverly Mooney

<p> Jason Kempin/Getty </p> Shay Mooney of Dan + Shay

Jason Kempin/Getty

Shay Mooney of Dan + Shay

Shay Mooney is remembering his "angel" grandmother.

The country star and member of Dan + Shay, 31, revealed on Friday's episode of the TODAY show that his grandmother, Beverly Mooney, has died.

"Right now we’re going to do my favorite song on the record, a song called 'Bigger Houses,' Mooney said around 8 a.m. before a performance of their new track.

"This is the album track; this is the title of the album as well. It just speaks to money can’t buy happiness, it’s all about the people that you have around you. I feel like hearing that news [about Tony Bennett] and — I have to give a shout-out, my grandma passed away this morning."

Mooney added that his grandmother "was an absolute angel" and "believed in the message of this song."

"This one definitely goes up to her," he said.

"Bigger Houses," off the duo's upcoming record of the same name, released just a week ago, and they performed the song Friday morning alongside hits in "Tequila" and "Speechless."

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As the pair revealed in a recent YouTube video they released earlier this month, Dan + Shay almost parted ways as bandmates following a string of successes including a 2021 arena tour and three Grammy wins.

"I was in, like, the lowest low of my entire life. Came off the road, and I was like, 'Man, I f---ing hate music. I’m ready to quit,'" recalled Dan Smyers in the clip.

"I could feel the separation, and I think there was little things between you and I that we never talked about," Mooney added.

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney in November 2022
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney in November 2022

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The difficult time as a group "was affecting everything — not just our band, but our marriages," they added, which led to them not speaking to each other for four months until March 2022.

"Whether we break up and we hug it out and say, ‘Man, this has been the best 10 years of our life,’ or we say, ‘Man, this is a launching off point. This is a new beginning. This is a chance for a whole new outlook on life,'" said Smyers, 35. "I feel like this was the first time after the arena tour, after COVID that we were able to step back and just assess."

On TODAY, the duo added that it marked a "tough couple years for us," with Smyers explaining their thought process at the time. "We have an amazing fanbase. We owe it to them to get ourselves right personally, get our relationship right."

After making a commitment to hang out "like we did 10 years ago," the guys will release their new LP on Sept. 15 via Warner Music Nashville.

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