How Did David Allan Coe Die? Inside the Outlaw Country Icon’s Final Days

Outlaw country music singer David Allan Coe has died. He was 86 years old. Widely known for hits like “You Never Even Called Me by My Name” and for writing “Take This Job and Shove It,” David was a major figure in the 1970s outlaw country movement. However, his music was often scrutinized for its highly controversial lyrics, which some found to be racist and sexist.

His wife, Kimberly Hastings Coe, shared the news of his passing in a statement to Rolling Stone, not only to inform the public of his death but also to remind people of who he was so he isn’t forgotten. Here’s what we know about his cause of death.

In her statement to Rolling Stone, Kimberly Hastings Coe revealed that her husband, David Allan Coe, had died, calling him “one of the best singers, songwriters, and performers of our time, never to be forgotten.” She added, “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.” But she refrained from sharing details about what caused his death.

While David’s official cause of death has not been reported, a representative confirmed to Rolling Stone, per Page Six, that he died while being treated in an intensive care unit on April 29, 2026, around 5 p.m. Based on that, it appears he had been hospitalized for an illness or condition while being treated under the hospital’s care.

The rep also shared that “David is a musical treasure,” adding that “even in his years of declining health, David appreciated all of the fans.” Given that he was 86 at the time of his death, it’s possible his passing was related to ongoing health issues, but as of this writing, no official cause of death has been confirmed.

David Allan Coe left this world with an estimated $1.5 million net worth attached to his name, according to Celebrity Net Worth, which his wife will likely inherit along with any of his other valuables. While David was a fierce musician during his heyday in the ’70s and ’80s, he slowed down on making music in his later years, which may help explain why his net worth isn’t as high as some other country music stars, though he did continue performing sporadically.

David essentially put himself on the map just a few years after arriving in Nashville in 1967, after Tanya Tucker turned his song “Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone)” into a No. 1 country hit in 1973. That same year, he signed with Columbia Records, and a year later released his debut album, “The Mysterious Rhinestone Cowboy.” He followed that up with another in 1975, this time releasing the album “Once Upon a Rhyme.”

While those releases pushed him into the mainstream, he also drew significant attention, both good and bad, for two explicit underground albums: “Nothing Sacred” in 1978 and “Underground Album” in 1982. Both included lyrics widely criticized for racist language and their overall inappropriate contexts.

In fact, The New York Times, per People, called out his underground music in 2000, writing, “In the early '80s, the outlaw country singer David Allan Coe released very small quantities of two underground albums of songs that are among the most racist, misogynist, homophobic and obscene songs recorded by a popular songwriter.” Although those albums likely impacted his fan base, it also gained him some fans, many a part of the biker culture.

David is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and the five children he is believed to have welcomed. Four of his kids he reportedly shared with Jody Lynn Coe, with whom he was married in the 1980s.