David Allan Coe, Outlaw Country Icon, Dies at 86
David Allan Coe, Outlaw Country Icon, Dies at 86
David Allan Coe, the outlaw country star behind The Ride and Take This Job and Shove It, dies at 86, leaving a polarizing yet influential legacy in music.
David Allan Coe, the outlaw country singer whose name became a byword for a rebellious spirit and sharp-edged storytelling, has died at 86. His wife, Kimberly Hastings Coe, confirmed the news, praising him as one of the best singers, songwriters, and performers of his time and vowing that his legacy would never be forgotten.
Coe built a career on a larger-than-life persona, trading in a tall-tale mythology that included stories of time spent in prison and on the road. He wrote and performed songs that became country staples, including You Never Even Called Me by My Name and The Ride, and he famously penned Take This Job and Shove It, a hit for Johnny Paycheck and a signature tune of the outlaw era.
His work extended beyond his own recordings; he wrote mainstream hits for others and remained a fixture on playlists and jukeboxes. Yet his career was not without controversy. Some of his songs from the past featured racist slurs that he described as parodies, a defense that sparked ongoing debate among fans and critics about the boundaries of satire and the line between provocation and racism.
Born September 6, 1939, in Akron, Ohio, Coe’s early life included stints in reformatories and prisons, experiences he often described as shaping his gritty, unvarnished approach to country music. Despite the contradictions in his legacy, his influence on the outlaw movement of the 1970s remains undeniable, and his songs continue to appear on playlists, radio, and in the broader story of American country music.
