‘Longhaired Redneck’ singer David Allan Coe passes away at 86

David Allan Coe, the rebellious voice behind some of outlaw country’s most enduring songs, has passed at the age of 86.

The singer-songwriter took his last breath around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29, in an intensive care unit, his representative confirmed. A cause of death has not yet been disclosed.

In recent years, Coe had faced declining health, including a hospitalization during a bout with COVID-19 in 2021 and knee replacement surgery in 2019.

“David is a musical treasure,” his representative said in a statement. “Even in his years of declining health, David appreciated all of the fans.”

Coe leaves behind his wife, Kimberly Hastings Coe, along with his children, Tyler Mahan Coe and Tanya Coe.

Born in Akron, Ohio, Coe released more than 40 studio albums and built a fiercely loyal fan base over a career spanning nearly six decades.

Among his most iconic songs are You Never Even Call Me By My Name, The Ride, Longhaired Redneck and more.

Beyond his own recordings, Coe found major success as a songwriter. He penned Take This Job and Shove It, which became a No. 1 hit for Johnny Paycheck, and wrote “Would You Lay With Me (In A Field of Stone),” a chart-topping hit for Tanya Tucker.

Though he never became a consistent fixture on mainstream radio, David Allan Coe carved out a lasting place in the outlaw country movement, standing alongside figures like Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings.