Country Music legend dead at 86
He even included himself in his own legend, singing, “But the only time I know I’ll hear ‘David Allan Coe’ / Is when Jesus has His final judgment day.”
That self-referential approach was evident throughout much of his work, including songs like “Longhaired Redneck,” “Willie, Waylon and Me,” and “Son of the South.”
Although his greatest commercial success occurred in the 1970s, Coe demonstrated his longevity. In 1983, he made a comeback with Castles in the Sand, which featured the fan-favorite song “The Ride.”
His impact extended well beyond his own recordings. Coe also wrote “Take This Job and Shove It,” a No. 1 hit for Johnny Paycheck that became a blue-collar anthem.
Even in his later years, Coe remained active on stage, continuing to release music and perform for his loyal fans.
However, his legacy is quite intricate. Coe received significant backlash for the contentious content in albums such as Nothing Sacred (1978) and Underground Album (1982), which featured racial slurs and misogynistic language. He later justified the work as a form of parody, although the criticism never completely disappeared.
Additionally, he encountered legal issues later in his life. In 2015, Coe admitted guilt to violating IRS regulations and was sentenced to three years of probation the following year, along with nearly $1 million owed in back taxes.
On a personal note, Coe tied the knot with his sixth wife, Kimberly Hastings, in 2010. He is survived by her and his children.
