NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The owner of a Wedgewood-Houston dive bar that's been described as "home" for locals and celebrities alike, Denzel Irwin, has died.

His daughter, Natalie Osborne, announced his death via Instagram Saturday.

"I will cherish every story he ever told and will cherish our own special stories forever," Osborne's caption reads, in part. "He has brought so much magic to us in Nashville as well as people from all over the world."

Grammy award-winning country artist Kacey Musgraves mourned Irwin on her Instagram story Saturday as well, reposting Osborne's announcement and adding her own words.

"This man was such a massive part of mine and my friends lives for years," one of Musgraves' story posts read. "I have so many unforgettable and hilariously legendary memories with him in it. Rest in peace to the real Santa."

One of the memories Musgraves shared on her story was an instance when Irwin, reportedly so excited to hear her hit song "Merry Go 'Round," "shot a hole in the jukebox."

Musgraves also shared the story of her discovery of the now-award-winning pub, calling it a "homebase for years" and the "background to so many memories and stories." The pub, Musgraves wrote, was "a great equalizer," and "a place where so many different people from different walks of life could get together and drink cheap beer and sing karaoke and definitely NOT cuss on the mic.!"

The last anecdote refers to one of Irwin's rules for the pub, which is, in his own words to News 2 in 2022: "No cussing at Santa's." Irwin described himself as "an ole' country boy" who said patrons had to "respect women or find another bar." At the time, Irwin said he loved Musgraves as well as country duo Brothers Osbourne.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/nashville/santas-pub-owner-denzel-irwin-died/