I expected this as well when his wife died. Many people that are that close, after one dies, the other one follows soon after.
I don't know what you want to call it, but I have heard of many close couples with long marriages, when one dies, the other one dies soon after.
Hopefully some of the "new country" radio stations will play some of his stuff, and people will realize just how bad this "new country" (pop) music is and go back to the good stuff.