David Allan Coe, the outlaw country star known for unforgettable hits like “The Ride,” “Mona Lisa Lost Her Smile,” and “You Never Even Call Me By My Name,” has passed away.
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Kimberly, his widow, confirmed his death to Rolling Stone.
“One of the best singers, songwriters, and performers of our time [and] never to be forgotten,” she told the outlet. “My husband, my friend, my confidant, and my life for many years. I’ll never forget him, and I don’t want anyone else to ever forget him either.”
A spokesperson for Coe told The Music Universe the 86-year-old died on Wednesday in intensive care at around 5 p.m. EST.
“David is a musical treasure,” the rep said, adding that the outlaw country legend “appreciated all of the fans.”
Coe was reportedly hospitalized with COVID-19 several years ago and had since largely withdrawn from public life. However, it is unknown if the virus contributed to his death.
Coe Wrote the Anthem of Fed-Up Workers,“Take This Job and Shove It”
Born in Akron, Ohio, in 1939, Coe began his career in 1960s Nashville as a songwriter for established artists. His profile grew in 1973 when Tanya Tucker’s version of his ballad “Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone)” topped the country charts.
Coe then signed with Columbia Records, releasing his debut album, The Mysterious Rhinestone Cowboy, in 1974. His 1975 album, Once Upon a Rhyme, also included one of his most famous songs, “You Never Even Called Me by My Name.”
In 1977, Coe achieved another No. 1 hit with Johnny Paycheck’s version of his song “Take This Job and Shove It.” A year earlier, Coe had released one of his most celebrated works, “Long Haired Redneck.”
Throughout his career, Coe released more than 40 studio albums.
Outlaw Country Legend David Allan Coe Stirred the Pot, Married Six Times and Had Serious Legal Troubles
Of course, Coe was known for stirring the pot, and his career wasn’t without controversy. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he self-released two “X-rated” albums, Nothing Sacred (1978) and Underground Album (1982), which contained racial and homophobic slurs and misogynistic language.
Meanwhile, Coe was married six times, even claiming to be a Mormon polygamist for a period in the ‘80s. He settled down with his sixth wife, Kimberly Hastings, in 2010. He had five children: Tyler, Tanya, Shyanne, Carson, and Shelli.
Coe also had legal troubles. In 2015, he pleaded guilty to impeding and obstructing the administration of tax laws and was sentenced to three years of probation. He was also ordered to pay the IRS nearly $1 million.
Coe is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and his five children.