David Allan Coe, the foundational 'Outlaw Country' pioneer who penned the working-class anthem 'Take This Job and Shove It,' died on April 29, 2026, at the age of 86. A prolific songwriter and complicated figure, Coe's transition from a literal prisoner to a musical icon began famously with him living in a hearse parked in front of the Ryman Auditorium. His death at approximately 5:00 p.m. on a Wednesday in a hospital followed a period of declining health, according to Associated Press. His passing was confirmed to the media by his manager, David Wade, and his wife, Kimberly Hastings Coe.

Born in Akron, Ohio, Coe experienced a turbulent childhood that led to his first reform school placement at age nine. He spent his youth at the Starr Commonwealth for Boys reform school in Albion, Michigan. This early institutionalization gave way to nearly twenty years spent in various correctional facilities, including the Ohio Penitentiary and Marion Correctional Institution. It was behind bars that fellow inmate and blues musician Screamin' Jay Hawkins encouraged him to pursue songwriting. Music became a vital coping mechanism during his incarceration. Coe later reflected on this period, noting, "I'd have never made it through prison without my music. No one could take it away from me. They could put me in the hole with nothing to do but I could still make up a song in my head."

Following his final release in 1967, Coe arrived in Nashville with a fierce determination to break into the music industry. His unconventional arrival in Music City served as the pivot point between his history of incarceration and his ascent to stardom, as noted by Country Central. He secured his first recording contract with Shelby Singleton's Plantation Records in 1969. The following year, he released his debut studio album, 'Penitentiary Blues,' which drew heavily from his life experiences.

The 1970s marked his peak as a songwriter for other artists and the birth of his gritty public persona. He wrote the song 'Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone),' which became a number-one hit for Tanya Tucker in 1974. That same year, he signed with Columbia Records and released the album 'The Mysterious Rhinestone Cowboy,' adopting a masked stage persona that mirrored his uncompromising nature. His 1975 recording of 'You Never Even Called Me by My Name' became a country standard and is often cited as the perfect country and western song. The working-class anthem he had penned was later taken to number one on the country charts by Johnny Paycheck in 1977. He documented his journey by publishing his autobiography, titled 'Just for the Record,' in 1978.

Coe continued to shape the genre into the next decade alongside contemporaries like Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. He was the first artist to record 'Tennessee Whiskey' in 1981, a track that later became a massive hit for George Jones and Chris Stapleton. He achieved a major solo hit with 'The Ride' in 1983, a haunting ballad about the ghost of Hank Williams. His song 'Mona Lisa Lost Her Smile' reached number two on the Billboard Country chart in 1984, marking his highest-charting solo single. Throughout his career, he toured with diverse acts including Neil Young, Kid Rock, and Willie Nelson. He even collaborated with members of the heavy metal band Pantera on the project 'Rebel Meets Rebel,' which was released in 2006, according to the Legends of Country Music Museum.

Behind the hard-edged public image was a private family man. Kimberly remained his partner and confidant until his death, remembering him fondly as her husband, friend, and life for many years. He is survived by his wife and five children: Tyler Mahan, Tanya Montana, Shelli, Shyanne, and Carla. His son Tyler Mahan Coe created the critically acclaimed country music history podcast 'Cocaine & Rhinestones.' Manager David Wade remembered him as a complicated man, an outlaw, and a great songwriter, singer, and showman who appreciated his fans around the world.

David Allan Coe left behind an enduring legacy as a songwriter who gave voice to the working class and the disenfranchised. His journey from a prison cell to the heart of Music City stood as one of the most remarkable narratives in American music. By channeling his survivalist instincts into raw, authentic storytelling, he forged a path for future generations of artists who refused to conform. His catalog of hits and his uncompromising spirit firmly cemented his status as a permanent fixture in the country music pantheon.