The country music world is mourning the loss of David Allan Coe. The pioneering artist passed away in hospital on Wednesday April 29 at the age of 86.
According to his spokesperson, Coe died in intensive care at roughly 5 pm ET. The representative described him as a «musical treasure» who «appreciated all of the fans» even as his health declined in recent years.
From prison to the Grand Ole Opry
Originally from Akron, Ohio, Coe had a remarkably turbulent upbringing. He was sent to a reform school at just nine years old and spent much of the following two decades bouncing between various correctional facilities including the Ohio State Penitentiary.
While he famously boasted about killing a fellow inmate and serving time on death row, later investigations suggested these claims were embellished. However, he undoubtedly served considerable time for numerous felonies.
Following his ultimate release in 1967, Coe notoriously lived in a hearse parked outside Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry to grab the industry’s attention. He went on to become a fundamental architect of the 1970s outlaw country movement.
He stood alongside legends like Willie Nelson and the late Waylon Jennings, though Coe always maintained a much more underground status than his contemporaries.
Songwriting triumphs
His varied catalogue features legendary tracks such as the 1975 hit «You Never Even Call Me By My Name». Penned by Steve Goodman, it is widely hailed as the «perfect country and western song» thanks to a witty final verse that manages to cram in classic tropes about prison, trains, trucks, mothers and getting drunk. He also released «Longhaired Redneck» in 1976 and the chilling 1983 ballad «The Ride», which tells the story of a hitchhiker encountering the spirit of Hank Williams.
Even when deemed too rebellious for mainstream radio, David Allan Coe achieved immense commercial success through other performers. He penned Johnny Paycheck‘s iconic 1977 chart-topper «Take This Job and Shove It» and Tanya Tucker’s massive 1973 hit «Would You Lay With Me (In A Field of Stone)».
Controversy and later years
Coe’s career was permanently scarred by his decision to release underground material featuring sexually explicit, profane and deeply racist lyrics. Although he attempted to pass them off as dark humour and referenced his diverse circle of friends, the recordings kept him firmly on the fringes of the mainstream establishment.
His personal life remained equally chaotic. He faced severe battles with the taxman, lost his property, allegedly resorted to living in a cave and filed for bankruptcy in the early noughties.
Despite these struggles, his musical curiosity endured. In a surprising twist, David Allan Coe later teamed up with Dimebag Darrell, Vinnie Paul and Rex Brown from the heavy metal band Pantera to record the cult classic country-metal fusion record Rebel Meets Rebel.
